The Di­git­al Learn­ing Agree­ment

The Digital Learning Agreement is a contract between the home and host university and you regarding the choice of courses and their recognition. The purpose of the Digital Learning Agreement is to enable transparent and efficient preparation of the exchange and to ensure that you receive recognition for the activities successfully completed abroad. Only when the DLA has been signed by all three parties is it considered complete.
From the academic year 2023/24 onwards, the Digital Learning Agreement must be created online via Mobility Online. The United Kingdom is an exception to this rule. Here, the paper Learning Agreement must be created, which you will receive from Ms. Boubaker by email.
Before you create the DLA in Mobility Online, we recommend the following steps:

  1. first get a comprehensive picture of the courses offered at your host university. If available, take a look at the current course catalog. If this is not yet available, you can also use the course catalogs from previous years as a guide.
  2. find out about the recognition process at your faculty.
  3. read this DLA tutorial thoroughly and attend the DLA information event. You will receive an invitation by email from Ms. Boubaker.
  4. you can then start filling out the DLA in Mobility Online.

(Kopie 1)

You select the courses at the partner university with the help of the (online) course catalogue (or the previous year's if the current course catalogue is not yet available). You can also draw inspiration from the experience reports of previous students.

Our contracts with partner universities are always concluded in a specific subject area.

Course selection
When choosing a course, only plan with the contractually agreed field of study in which you are starting your semester abroad. Whether you are also allowed to take courses in other fields of study depends on the goodwill of the host university and must be enquired about individually. There are no restrictions on our part. You can therefore choose anything (including language courses etc.) that the partner university allows you to do. In any case, the requirements of the partner university must be respected. The regulations may change from year to year. Even if the host university allowed students to choose from all courses in the previous year, the situation may be different in the coming year.

Recognition
Course selection and recognition are two separate fields. Only the faculty can decide which of your chosen courses can be recognised.

(Kopie 2)

The Learning Agreement "Before the mobility" contains the (preliminary) course selection at the partner university (Table A) as well as the recognition of these courses at Paderborn University (Table B).
The Learning Agreement must be drawn up before the start of your mobility and uploaded to Mobility Online signed by all parties involved .
We recommend that you complete the following steps:

  • Select the courses at the partner university with the help of the (online) course catalogue (possibly from the previous year), which you will receive from the partner university.
  • Find out about the recognition process at your faculty.
  • Advice from your programme officer and/or recognition officer at Paderborn University
  • Read the testimonials of former students
  • Follow the instructions for creating the Online Learning Agreement (online from April). Please note that you must complete at least 24 ECTS at the host university.
  • Then upload the complete OLA Learning Agreement (all pages, all signatures) as a PDF to Mobility Online.

(Kopie 3)

The Learning Agreement "During the mobility" contains changes to the course selection at the partner university (Table A) as well as the changed recognition of these courses at Paderborn University (Table B).
The document must be created within five weeks of the start of the mobility (start of lectures) and uploaded to Mobility Online signed by all parties involved.
We recommend the following steps for processing:

Please note that 24 ECTS must still be completed at the host university.

(Kopie 4)

The Learning Agreement "After the mobility" contains an overview of your examination achievements at the partner university and their recognition at Paderborn University.
The Learning Agreement "After the mobility" is not a document to be created by you, but consists of two separate documents to be submitted:

1. transcript of records from the partner university:

  • Transcript of your*r semester abroad with courses taken, ECTS number, grades etc. The transcript of records will be sent either to the International Office of Paderborn University or to you. We will inform you as soon as we receive the transcript. Please upload the document to Mobility Online immediately upon receipt.
  • The transcript of records must show at least 15 successfully completed ECTS credits .
  • If you pass fewer than 15 ECTS, you must submit a detailed written explanation of why it was not possible to pass enough ECTS. This justification will then be included in the assessment of whether you have to repay the Erasmus+ scholarship or whether there were higher circumstances that prevented you from successfully fulfilling this criterion.

2. transcript of records from the examination secretariat:

  • After completing your studies abroad, the Learning Agreements and Transcript of Records from the partner university can be used to have your academic achievements recognised at your faculty. Please contact your faculty to find out which recognition procedure applies to you and then register the recognised courses with the Central Examinations Office in PAUL.
  • After recognition, please obtain a transcript of records from the Examinations Office in which the examination achievements recognised from your stay abroad are marked. Please also upload this document directly to Mobility Online.

Im­port­ant notes

The courses planned at the partner university must be worth at least 24 ECTS per semester. This may also include non-subject-specific courses (language courses, regional studies seminars, etc.).

After the mobility, you must be able to prove that you have successfully completed at least 15 ECTS per semester on your ToR at the partner university. If this is not the case, you may have to pay back your Erasmus+ grant.

What is the Learn­ing Agree­ment?

The Learning Agreement is the contract between the home and host universities and the student regarding the choice of courses and their recognition.

DLA Tu­tori­al "Be­fore the mo­bil­ity"

How to create the DLA before your mobility

DLA Tu­tori­an "Dur­ing the mo­bil­ity - Changes"

How to create the DLA during your mobility

Web­sites of the fac­ulties

The recognition processes of the faculties differ. Please contact your faculty for more information.

Melek Boubaker

International Office

Room I4.210
Paderborn University
Warburger Str. 100
33098 Paderborn

Office hours

Tue 12.00 -13.00 p.m.
Online consultation via Zoom without registration

(You will be called in order from the online waiting room.)