New MA programme at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam: Digital Information Management equips students to design data-driven information processes

Whether it be digital administration, data infrastructures, knowledge management or artificial intelligence: the increasing digitalisation of society, science and the economy is presenting organisations with new challenges in dealing with information and data. With its new MA programme in Digital Information Management (MA), the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam is responding to this change and equipping professionals to take on responsible roles at the interface between information, technology and management.

This consecutive MA programme combines the fundamentals of Informationswissenschaften with practical skills in the areas of data and information management, programming, metadata management and digital transformation. Further areas of focus include data archiving, data analysis, process design, project management and the strategic management of information infrastructures. The programme is complemented by modules on research methods, data science and current developments in Informationswissenschaften.

“We are currently experiencing a profound transformation: organisations of all kinds – public authorities, libraries, businesses and research institutions – are faced with the task of fundamentally rethinking their information processes. AI-supported systems are setting new standards in this regard, but at the same time require people who understand how information is structured, evaluated and made usable in the long term. This is precisely where our degree programme comes in: it equips graduates not only to overcome these challenges, but also to play an active role in shaping them,” says programme director Prof. Dr. Veit Köppen.

A distinctive feature of the degree programme is its two different study tracks, which allow students to tailor their course of study to their individual needs. The DI3 track is aimed at graduates with a relevant university degree worth at least 210 ECTS credits and can be completed in three semesters. The DI4 track is structured over four semesters and is open to applicants with a first university degree worth at least 180 ECTS credits. Both options can be studied on either a full-time or part-time basis.

A defining feature of the programme is the close integration of theory and practice. Through projects, case studies and portfolios, students tackle real-world issues in collaboration with partners from research and professional practice, acquiring skills that are directly transferable to professional contexts.

The degree programme is aimed in particular at graduates in archival, library and Informationswissenschaften, as well as related disciplines. Career opportunities are available in, amongst others, public institutions, libraries, archives, associations, non-profit organisations, companies in the information and data sector, and in consultancy and research institutions. Graduates are thus qualified not only for operational tasks, but in particular for leadership, consultancy and development roles in Digital Information Management.

Unlike degree programmes with a stronger focus on libraries or archives, this MA programme concentrates on the management of digital information and data within a broad organisational and societal context. Libraries and archives remain important areas of application, but the programme also focuses equally on digital transformation processes in Administration, business and other data-intensive organisations.

Applications and start of studies
The degree programme has no entry requirements. Those interested in the four-semester DI4 study track, which begins in the winter semester, can apply from 15^th of June to 1^st of August. The three-semester DI3 study track commences each summer semester; the application period runs from 15^th of January to 1^st ofMarch. A first professional university degree in a relevant or related subject area is a prerequisite.