Among the University of Applied Sciences outstanding interdisciplinary projects is the one for the documentation and preservation of the temple ruins in Angcor, Cambodia. A large number of students are also enrolled in the two Social Sciences departments, Social Work and Social Pedagogics. Although the transition between the two departments subject areas do overlap, the University of Applied Sciences Cologne offers both in parallel and in close co-operation. Unique to German Universities of Applied Sciences are the departments of Imaging and Media Technology, Conservation of Cultural Property, Design , Library and Information Science as well as Applied Languages. Interdisciplinary team work is becoming more and more a matter of course in businesses and in universities.
Many businesses tend to have expertise and services offered by a single supplier.
To satisfy this need is a fundamental element of education at the University of Applied Sciences Cologne. Thus, instructors and students of several departments have initiated an interactive programme for business English that led to the development of multimedia teachware on CD-ROM, both for English for engineering and business purposes, in the department of Applied Languages in collaboration with the Institute for integrated campus and distance learning at Universities of Applied Sciences, and with British partners. This teachware helps students and practitioners build on their sound English skills for communication both in engineering and business areas. This basic and industrial experience ensures that students will already have gained a rough idea of the professional field they intend to work in. They will learn practical skills and will experience working situations which they are to be responsible for as competent experts.