HAW Hamburg has been developing a strategic and university-wide partnership with California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) within the framework of 'HAW goes USA' since 2008. Two important components of this cooperation are the projects with the Department of Film and Electronic Arts and the College of Business. On 5 March 2021, HAW Hamburg received grants from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to deepen this cooperation further.
German-American Film Exchange
In addition to student exchanges, the Department of Media Technology has been offering joint film workshops in Hamburg and Long Beach since 2015 under the direction of Professor Wolfgang Willaschek and his CSULB colleagues. This allows many students to benefit from the special expertise of both universities. Since 2017, the department has received third-party funding of €118,708 from the DAAD's ISAP funding programme to finance student exchanges through scholarships and teacher exchanges through travel grants. With the new grant, the department will receive €151,116 for a further four years (2021–2025). The aim is to develop and consolidate new formats such as joint virtual film workshops and a summer school in Hamburg.
German-American Business Exchange
The German-American Business Workshop began in 1996. It is still offered twice a year in Hamburg and Long Beach with students and professors from both universities and is very well received. To deepen this cooperation with CSULB, the Department of Business will receive a two-year ISAP grant for the first time (2021–2023). €64,174 in funding will be used to expand student semester exchanges. New e-learning formats and a joint summer school are planned to further develop faculty exchanges. Additionally, a German-American workshop for social work students will also be established. The ISAP project is coordinated by Professor Natalia Ribberink and her team.
