Would you like to gain international experience without leaving home? Then the ECOL (European Common Online Learning) Initiative might be just right for you!

Together with our partner universities Aalto University, Bocconi University, Copenhagen Business School, Ramon Llull University – ESADE, Erasmus University Rotterdam - RSM Rotterdam School of Management, and the University of St. Gallen (HSG), we have launched ECOL in winter semester 2021/22. This network will continue to exist in the next semesters. Bocconi will not be able to offer courses from winter semester 2024/25 onwards.

Each institution offers a range of online courses on Bachelor’s level that are open to a limited number of students from all participating universities. You will thus be part of an international classroom, can benefit from international learning opportunities and are able to exchange ideas with students from different countries.

Course offer

In summer semester 2025, the participating universities offer the following courses:

Please note:

• The course descriptions are being updated regularly and subject to change

• Semester dates at the partner universities might differ from WU

Credit transfer

At the end of your virtual exchange, you will receive an official transcript of records, which you will need for the credit transfer process at WU.

If you wish to transfer the credits you received, please note that courses can be accepted as:

• Free electives (freie Wahlfächer, BaWiSo) / Free electives (BBE)

• International elective (BaWiSo 19), if the course is business/economics related and is worth at least 4 ECTS credits

For all other credit transfers, please contact our colleagues at the Study Service Center  (course.abroad@wu.ac.at) in advance. When contacting them, include a course description and name the WU study plan item you wish the credits to be transferred to.

If you want to transfer your credits, note that the online course needs to be graded and that a pass/fail is not sufficient!

BaWiSo23 students can transfer the credits as course abroad (Major/Studienzweig: Business Administration - BW; Information Sytstems - WINF; Economics - VW; Economy, Environment, Politics - WUPOL) or international experience (Major/Studienzweig: International Business Administration - IBW).

After your course: please send your transcript to course.abroad@wu.ac.at and include the required forms depending of your study plan.

Application requirements

You can apply for ECOL if you have completed courses worth at least 36 ECTS credits (excluding free electives).

Application process

The application for all offered courses in summer semester 2025 will take place from November 18-24 (23:59), 2024.

Please apply by using this form. (Refresh the page if nothing is displayed.)

The selection will be based on an evaluation of your answers on the application form and your overall academic performance (GPA). Applications from students who do not want to or cannot consider physical mobility are warmly appreciated. The selection is NOT based on a first-come, first-serve basis. Accepted students will be informed by the end of November.

Generally speaking, you can only take one course. Students will be selected for the course according to the preferences listed in the application. Selection for a second course will only be possible if slots remain empty after allocation of all applicants. 

Contact

For further questions, please contact Anna Rösch or Annika Trapple (ecol@wu.ac.at, +43-1-31336-4330).