Data management refers to the entire process of collecting, storing, organising, maintaining and using data within a company or organisation.

The aim is to administer data in such a way that it is always correct, secure, accessible and usable. This includes data quality assurance, data protection, data integration, database management and the development of data strategies.

Effective data management makes it possible to gain valuable insights from existing data and make well-founded decisions.

Information management refers to the systematic handling of information within a company or organisation. This includes the collection, processing, storage and provision of information to ensure that it is correct, up-to-date and accessible at all times.

The aim is to manage information in such a way that it optimally supports business processes and decision-making. This also includes the development of strategies and procedures for information security, quality and utilisation in order to derive the maximum benefit from the available information.

Data management and information management are closely related, but have different focuses.

Data management focuses on the administration of raw data, including its collection, storage, maintenance, backup and integration to ensure its accuracy, security and accessibility. Information management, on the other hand, is concerned with the processing, analysis, organisation and provision of information derived from data. The aim is to use this information to optimally support business processes and decision-making.

In short: Data management administers the data, while information management extracts and utilises useful information from it.

The Data and Information Management degree programme focuses on the administration and analysis of data and information, with an emphasis on database management, data analysis and information strategies.

Computer Science, on the other hand, covers a broader range of technical topics such as programming, software development and algorithms. Business informatics combines computer science with business administration to develop IT solutions for business processes.

While data and information management is practice-orientated in data processing, the practical relevance in computer science varies greatly. Business informatics integrates real business processes and interdisciplinary projects.

In terms of professorial recruitment, data and information management is orientated towards data analysis and information management, computer science towards technical IT roles and business informatics towards the interface between IT and business processes.

You do not need any special prior knowledge to study at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam. Admission to the degree programme is not restricted. All you need is a general higher education entrance qualification such as a high school diploma, entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences or vocational training.

In order to acquire the programme-specific prerequisites required for further studies in the areas of programming, mathematics or scientific work, we offer corresponding compulsory introductory courses as part of the regular degree programme in the first semester, equivalent to bridging courses at other universities.

The degree programme is taught in German and requires language skills at least at level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Information on how international student applicants can prove the necessary language skills can be found on the application procedure website.

The degree programme in Potsdam pursues a generalist approach that opens up a wide range of career prospects in the public sector, the cultural sector or in the private sector. A number of degree programmes are directly related to Informationswissenschaften.

The degree programme also benefits from the interdisciplinary courses offered together with the other degree programmes in the Department (Archival Studies and Library Science).

You can choose to specialise in web content management and digital marketing, data modelling and management as well as information and knowledge management.

Information managers administer and control information

Data is often referred to as the "oil of the 21st century". Just like oil, data needs to be processed before it can be utilised in a meaningful way. One of the challenges for commercial enterprises is to make the information relevant to economic activity accessible from the growing flood of data – known as big data.

"Go Digital" has therefore long been a core component of many corporate strategies. Topics such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, business intelligence and the automation of information management processes are on the agenda in small and medium-sized companies as well as in corporations and administrations.

Life sciences, for example

In research-intensive companies, such as the life sciences sector, a lot of information is generated from internal and external data sources for the development of new, innovative medicines. This data must be correlated, analysed and made available to the relevant health authorities for market approval. In addition to industry-specific expertise, the skills of information managers are required here. In interdisciplinary co-operation with researchers and developers, they ensure that all the necessary information arrives where it is needed.

Take Bayer AG, for example

BAYER AG is a life sciences company that offers interns on our degree programme a first insight into the world of work and attractive opportunities for our graduates to enter a professional working environment. The possible areas of employment are diverse. Examples include Research Data Management, Information Services, Data Science – for example in Clinical Development – and Regulatory Affairs – for example in Document and Data Management.

Digital marketing on the World Wide Web marketplace

Digital marketing deals with the planning, development, realisation, management and control of marketing tasks with the aid of digital media and technologies.

Important areas of responsibility in this field include, for example

• Search engine marketing with the two sub-areas of search engine optimisation (SEO) and search engine advertising (SEA)
• Social media marketing/advertising
• Sentiment analysis/opinion mining
• Content marketing

Learning to understand search engines

Search engine optimisation plays a major role for companies in order to hold their own against competitors. The better the position of important keywords in the search engine results lists, the greater the number of visitors to your own website. The basics for understanding how search engines work and the measures for optimising websites to achieve better ranking positions are taught in modules on information retrieval and project modules on search engine optimisation.

Start-up and established company at the same time

One interesting employer in the field of digital marketing is the Viessmann Group – one of the leading international manufacturers of heating, industrial and cooling systems. In the digital department of Viessmann – called VC/O – a young and dynamic team works under the Head of a graduate of ours in a "start-up flair" in the centre of Berlin. The digital department develops strategies to persuade potential buyers to make a purchase through various campaigns. Customised campaigns are developed for the end consumer. The adverts can be played out via social media, for example, according to the hobbies and interests specified.

Knowing how knowledge can be utilised - knowledge management

Knowledge management aims to make efficient use of knowledge and experience in companies or organisations in order to help them achieve their own goals. In this context, the tasks and activities performed by knowledge managers are very diverse.

They range from the Procurement Services, preparation and presentation of information for internal organisational websites – such as intranets, wikis or blogs – to the moderation of internal work meetings at which employees share their experiences on a product development project, a marketing project, an IT introduction or similar. In addition to these operational tasks, the job profile of knowledge managers can also include conceptual tasks as well as strategic tasks.

Unlimited deployment

The field of application of knowledge managers knows no boundaries. They are needed in commercial enterprises, public administration, associations and other non-profit organisations, where they are already employed in some cases. However, the term knowledge manager has not yet become firmly established in practice. This is why other terms often appear in job adverts, such as content manager, community manager or web editor.

Dealing with people. Dealing with information technologies.

Since knowledge and experience can be found both in the minds of an organisation's employees and in documents and databases, knowledge managers must be familiar with and be able to deal with both people and information technologies. This is the only way they can ensure the effective and efficient utilisation of knowledge as a resource. With the skills acquired on the Information and Data Management degree programme, students are very well prepared to successfully fulfil the tasks in this developing professional field.

Information and Data Management: Cultural Heritage Documentation

Preserving and making cultural heritage available is one of the most interesting fields of activity in Information and Data Management. The range of cultural heritage institutions that need knowledge and energy in this area extends from museums, libraries, archives, art and castle foundations to memorials and institutions for the preservation of monuments, culture and tradition.

These institutions are faced with the challenge of setting up information infrastructures and information systems for the recording and administration of existing collections. Another task is the creation of digital utilisation copies for digital portals such as Museum.digital or the German Digital Library.

Digitisation projects on site

To this end, extensive digitisation projects are carried out with information specialists in all cultural heritage institutions. Other tasks include the administration of collections with the help of databases and the long-term preservation of digital collections through digital preservation measures.

Brandenburg-digital

The Department of Information Sciences maintains the Coordination Office Brandenburg-digitalwhich coordinates all activities in the field of digital cultural heritage in the state of Brandenburg. It also networks all cultural institutions in the state. As an IuD degree programme, we have a digitisation laboratory in which – with student participation – digitisation projects are carried out with practical partners from various cultural institutions. This also results in contacts with cultural heritage institutions, which can be helpful either for carrying out compulsory internships during the degree programme or for later professorial recruitment in this field.

Good prospects: Data management in research and business

Graduates of the Information and Data Management degree programme have very good career prospects in all knowledge- and data-intensive fields of activity.

In publicly funded research institutions, the focus is often on complex tasks of data provision and data integration for the purpose of broad reuse by the scientific community. In the digitalised economy, on the other hand, data is treated as a strategic resource. In addition to data organisation, data integration and data quality management, commercial enterprises also focus on data analysis (data analytics) of large, often heterogeneous data volumes ("big data") as a component of strategic knowledge management or for the optimisation of complex business processes.

The information and data life cycle – from A to Z

With its wide range of modules, the Information and Data Management degree programme lays a solid foundation for the entire breadth of the information and data lifecycle. After completing the Information and Data Management BA programme and a subsequent Master's degree, for example in Data Science, Data Engineering or Data Analytics, our graduates are also qualified for senior management positions. This applies, for example, to positions as Chief Data Officer (CDO) in companies or as Head of Data and Information Services in public research institutions.

Focus on technology

In addition to an interest in conceptual challenges, student applicants who are aiming for this type of professorial recruitment should also have a specific affinity for technological issues and a willingness to experiment.

Broadening horizons non-stop: media documentation and archiving

Media documentarians have their finger on the pulse of the times. They are constantly confronted with new topics and are constantly broadening their horizons. And the jobs are varied ...

Whether it's a broadcasting archive, a picture agency or a press archive, our specialists can expect a varied range of tasks everywhere. Working with multimedia resources not only brings a fascination for modern media. It also requires a confident handling of Informationswissenschaften working methods such as metadata structuring and metadata generation, standardisation, mastery of retrieval methods and sound technological knowledge such as web languages and database structures.

Service for editorial teams and AI training

Metadata and technologies create "smart" products from the raw material of archive material. The numerous areas of work in media documentation include

• Content indexing and archiving
• Provision of online information services for editorial offices
• Carrying out complex cross-media research for editorial users
• Collaboration on projects for the digitisation of analogue media

It is also foreseeable that with the increasing importance of AI technologies in data processing, information specialists in media companies will also work as artificial intelligence curators and AI trainers in addition to their traditional fields of activity.

At the beginning of the degree programme, you will acquire key technical and methodological foundations. The focus is on topics such as data modelling, information management, the basics of computer science and mathematics, metadata standards and data management. You will learn how information is structured, stored, processed and made accessible.

The foundation degree programme is supplemented by a six-week internship, which you complete in an information processing institution – for example in a company, an administration or a documentation centre. This internship helps you to apply theoretical knowledge in practice and gain initial professorial recruitment experience. At the same time, it provides valuable orientation for your further specialisation during your studies.

In the third and fourth semesters, you will deepen your knowledge in the areas of data literacy, information systems, information retrieval and the legal framework for information institutions.

Compulsory elective modules give you the opportunity to focus on specific topics.

The majority of the compulsory elective modules that you have to choose during the course of your studies are assigned to one of three possible specialisations:

• Web Content Management and Digital Marketing consisting of the modules Website Design & Usability, Digital Marketing & Analytics and Website Development
• Data Modelling and Management consisting of the modules Data Management – Advanced, Data Mining and Semantic Technologies
• Knowledge management consisting of the modules Fundamentals and Practice of Knowledge Management and Document Management

If you successfully complete the three compulsory elective modules of a specialisation, this specialisation will be shown on your degree programme certificate.

However, you can also choose your own elective modules.

The fifth semester is designed as an internship semester. You will work for several months in an organisation that works with large or complex amounts of information and data – e.g. in IT departments, research institutions, companies or public authorities.

You will learn how data management projects are implemented, analyse existing processes and take on your own initial tasks. The final internship day at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam provides an opportunity for reflection and exchange with other students.

In the sixth and seventh semesters, the focus continues to be on your individual specialisation. You will take in-depth compulsory elective modules, work in a team on a project course with practical relevance and further develop your interdisciplinary skills – e.g. in the area of project design.

With your Bachelor's thesis, you will show that you are able to work independently on a topic in the field of Information and Data Management in a practical and scientifically sound manner. This will provide you with a strong basis for your career entry or a subsequent Master's degree programme.