TOWARDS GLOBAL INTERCULTURAL & INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECT-BASED LEARNING: THE EVOLUTION OF THE GIPE EDUCATIONAL MODEL

The evolution of the Global Intercultural Project Experience (GIPE) Educational Model exemplifies the dynamic transformation of higher education towards more globally integrated and interdisciplinary learning environments.Based on experiences from bilateral German-Namibian "International Software Engineering Project" courses in 2015 and 2018, we responded to the German Academic Exchange Service's (DAAD) "UAS.International" program call and expanded our educational reach through partnerships in Latin America and Southeast Asia under the GIPE framework from 2019 to 2023.Even amidst the global pandemic's travel restrictions, the program adapted by implementing fully online Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) methods, maintaining the delivery of valuable student-led solutions to international clients.As the global situation improved, the return to in-person engagement at the 2022 Spring School in Germany and client visits enabled deeper intercultural collaboration and personal growth, fostering an enduring network within the "GIPE family."This progressive model evolved from software-focused projects to interdisciplinary challenges that involve diverse academic fields such as IT, Business, and Engineering.Notably, in 2023, the program's partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Accelerator Labs demonstrated its evolution from engaging local clients to executing projects on a global scale, illustrating the capacity of higher education methodologies to adapt and thrive in an interconnected world.Aiming to make Intercultural Project-Based Learning an integral component of Higher Education, the model has further developed into the Global Sustainable Intercultural & Interdisciplinary Project Experience (GIPE++) framework.With additional funding from DAAD and Erasmus+ for the next three years, GIPE++ is poised to emphasize sustainability both in project focus on the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) and in perpetuating the approach itself, ensuring its enduring impact on global education.