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Nowadays, data literacy is a crucial competency as advancing digitalization permeates nearly all areas of life and work. A reflective approach to data and digital information forms the basis for social debates and political decisions. With its new "Advanced Data and Information Literacy Track" (ADILT), the University of Konstanz offers students of all subjects a research-oriented and interdisciplinary training in relevant data-based methods and the handling of digital information. ADILT complements all study programmes at the University of Konstanz with fundamentals of computer science, data processing methods and their legal foundations as well as a reflection on their relevance for society. The university-wide reach of the programme in combination with its close connection to the university's main research, and thus also its measures and institutions in the Excellence Strategy, is unique in Germany.

Data-based methods and the handling of digital contents have taken on a central role in academic research and teaching across all areas of science. "The topic of data and information literacy is of such fundamental importance to us that we are incorporating it at our university as an offer for all of our students alongside their study programmes. The purpose of the Advanced Data and Information Literacy Track is to provide our students with a scientifically-based training that enable them to deal with data in a critical, informed and responsible way," says Professor Kerstin Krieglstein, rector of the University of Konstanz.

The programme is part of the comprehensive e-science strategy in the overall concept "University of Konstanz – creative.together", which is funded under the Universities of Excellence funding line of the German Federal and State Governments' Excellence Strategy.

Interdisciplinary competencies and research orientation
The contents of the track comprise fundamentals of computer science and data processing methods but also address social, ethical and legal issues concerning data and digitalization. "The research-oriented and interdisciplinary perspective was particularly important to us. We would like to equip our students with a broad knowledge that enables them to deal with digitalization issues in all their complexity in an informed way. It was clear to us: ADILT needs to impart fundamental competencies in computer science such as programming skills and the confident use of data-based methods, but also broach legal and socio-political issues at a high level", says Veronika Pöhnl, who coordinates the ADILT programme.

The Advanced Data and Information Literacy Track kicks off on Thursday, 7 May 2020, with a lecture series comprising interdisciplinary sessions on data and digitalization. Due to the current corona regulations, these sessions will be held online in the summer semester 2020. The lecture series is then followed by three thematic blocks: the fundamentals of computer science and data processing, the application of data-based methods, and a reflection on legal, ethical and social questions of digitalization.

Students can choose to participate in the ADILT programme with or without acquiring a certificate at the end. Registrations for the track with certificate are open until Sunday, 3 May 2020. Participation in the programme without certificate is not bound to the registration deadline. "We would love for you all to join the sessions, even just out of pure interest", emphasises Veronika Pöhnl, "the lecture series is also a way to gain transferable skills credits in the field of digital literacy."

For further information on the Advanced Data and Information Literacy Track please visit: uni.kn/adilt

Facts:

• Advanced Data and Information Literacy Track (ADILT): Interdisciplinary programme on data and information literacy at the University of Konstanz for students of all subjects alongside their study programmes.
• Special feature: University-wide programme as an interdisciplinary offer for all students at the University of Konstanz in close connection with the university's main research areas. ADILT teaches competencies in computer science and data processing methods in combination with knowledge on legal, ethical and social issues related to digitalization.
• Part of the comprehensive e-science strategy in the overall concept "University of Konstanz – creative.together", which is funded under the Universities of Excellence funding line of the German Federal and State Governments' Excellence Strategy.
• ADILT kick-offs with a lecture series on Thursday, 7 May 2020.
• Registration for the track with certificate is open for all students of the University of Konstanz until Sunday, 3 May 2020. It is possible to participate at any time without acquiring the certificate.