Syllabi Sections

The syllabus is a core document which includes all necessary information for the students and the different teams at the WU Executive Academy to plan for your teaching journey.

It contains the following sections:

• Key organizational data (lecturer, lecturing dates, etc.)
• Course description: here you describe the role of your topics/content in the learning journey for the students, it is an overview of what to expect.
• Objectives & learning outcomes: this helps the students understand what they will learn in your module; you should make a clear connection between the goals and the outcomes of your teaching (what should students learn, how does that reflect in the content and how do you evaluate their learnings in the different assignment/grading components. The Academic Director and/or the Program Manager will come back to you, as they have the accreditation criteria in mind, when going through your syllabus.
• Course structure & teaching methods: here you provide an overview of the didactic tools you will use.
• Reading material: here, you specify what students have to read for your module; you can split readings in “required” and “recommended” readings to cater to different learners’ needs. See also Course Structure for further reference.
• Pre-module and post-module assignments: you indicate what you expect students to do, before they come to class and after the in-class session. These assignments will also be graded and part of the overall grade. For further information, see also Course Structure and Connecting your teaching to our values.
• Core module: to give students an understanding of how you structure your teaching and allow the Event Team to organize logistics (catering, breaks, etc.) accordingly, you indicate a structure timetable for your module. Your Program Manager will share the usual set-up for a teaching day, in accordance with the Event Team, we can shift breaks to a certain extent.
• Assessment/Grading: you can indicate how many points/percent a certain assignment is evaluated with. Based on your requirements, the students know what to submit for a great performance and the grading sheet is set up by the Service Team. Check the Assessment/Grading section for more detailed information.

AI-Generated Content in Student Assignments and Master’s Theses

Introduction

Various tools generate content, such as text or images, based on different statistical models (AI-generated content). They are often freely accessible and can be used by students. Depending on the extent, their use may conflict with the need for independence in the composition of student work. If the use of AI tools as aids is not prohibited, the question for both students and faculty is how to transparently identify and document their use in student work.

AI Tools in the Study Context

Your Choice as Faculty

In accordance with WU Vienna’s policy on the use of AI tools in teaching, you are free to determine whether the use of AI tools is allowed, partially allowed, or prohibited and to what extent they may be used, as long as you highlight your policy in the syllabus or in the master’s thesis research proposal:

• Option 1: If you intend to allow the use of AI tools…

  AI tools, such as ChatGPT and others, are allowed for any assignment with proper citation.

• Option 2: If you intend to partially allow the use of AI tools…

  AI tools, such as ChatGPT and others, may be used for specific assignments/purposes with proper citation.

  • assignment XYZ
• Option 3: If you intend to prohibit the use of AI tools…

  AI tools, such as ChatGPT and others, are NOT ALLOWED for any assignment.

Ways to Make AI Transparent

Depending on how AI tools are used, there are several ways to make AI transparent:

• Citation in the paper: Reference the use of AI tools in the body of the paper, such as in the literature review or methodology section.
• Describe in the relevant section of the paper: Provide a detailed description of the use of AI tools in the relevant section of the paper, such as the literature review or methodology section.
• Listing in a directory (e.g., tools catalog) at the end of the paper: Include a comprehensive list of AI tools used in a directory, such as a tools catalog, placed at the end of the paper.
• Combine the above: Consider combining the above approaches as needed. Depending on the specific use case, a combination of these methods may make sense.

The goal of these strategies is to increase transparency in the use of AI tools, allowing for a clear and documented representation of their use in the context of the paper.

In order to implement and track the use of AI, we recommend that students create a tool catalog of the AI tools they use. An example of this catalog format is shown in the table below.

Tips: 

• The syllabus is a core document in your teaching journey. It serves the students as a guideline what they can expect from you and what you expect from them. So be clear and specific and stick to your syllabus.
• For the different teams at the WU Executive Academy, the syllabus is the core working document. Make sure that you deliver complete information in a timely manner → this guarantees a successful teaching journey for you and a great learning journey for our students.
• Keeping the break times is not only crucial for the students to rest and refresh their minds, but also for the Event Team, as they coordinate different stakeholders around your teaching journey, like external caterers, cleaning staff etc.
• At your contacts@WU Executive Academy, you see the different teams working with your information. Reach out early on, if you have any specific questions or requirements.