Bridging Disciplines in Sustainable Finance: Developing a Self-Learning and Peer-Learning Framework for BASUS Students

Innovative Project idea

The planned teaching innovation directly addresses the intercultural and interdisciplinary heterogeneity of the student cohort. The module brings together international BASUS students with diverse educational backgrounds and Finance students who represent a distinct disciplinary culture. The newly developed self-learning area ensures equitable access to core economic and financial concepts by offering individualized entry points and modular learning paths that accommodate varying levels of prior knowledge. The peer-learning component creates structured spaces for intercultural and interdisciplinary exchange: mixed groups work collaboratively on case-based tasks that require students to articulate their disciplinary perspectives, relate them to global sustainability challenges, and jointly interpret financial decision-making in diverse contexts. International examples integrated into the case materials strengthen the global orientation of the module and deepen intercultural learning outcomes. The project includes self-assessment tools that enable students to monitor their engagement with the learning materials and reflect on their individual progress. Within the peer-learning assignments, guided reflection prompts help students critically examine differences in analytical approaches, values, and communication styles, supporting the development of intercultural, communicative, and interdisciplinary competencies.

Added value for students and teaching

The project directly responds to students’ diverse learning needs within “Introduction to Sustainable Finance.” BASUS students enter the course with limited prior knowledge in finance and economics compared to finance students. The newly developed self-learning area enables them to close these gaps through tailored and flexible learning paths that adapt to different levels of prior knowledge. Combining videos, podcasts, readings, interactive exercises, and self-tests, the platform provides an engaging and accessible learning experience while ensuring that students acquire the specialist foundations in finance and economics required to engage meaningfully with sustainability-related financial topics. The planned chatbot should also give students the opportunity to close their knowledge gaps individually and efficiently. The peer-learning element further enriches the course by fostering interdisciplinary and collaborative learning: in case-oriented tasks, BASUS and finance students engage in dialogue, articulate their expertise, and learn from each other’s perspectives. Alongside deepening their disciplinary competence, students also strengthen communication and reflexivity across disciplinary boundaries. The project’s outcomes will inform future interdisciplinary and international teaching formats.