CIS/IFK Cologne Uses Google Workspace for Secure Collaboration

Google Workspace enables Secure Collaboration in Education at CIS/IFK.

The Cologne International School – International Peace School Cologne (CIS/IFK) is an independent international school educating and nurturing over 530 students, from elementary to high school or IB Diploma. It provides a bilingual learning environment in German and English. The curriculum meets the requirements of both the International Baccalaureate Organization and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The Cologne International School – International Peace School Cologne relies on the cloud-based apps of Google Workspace for Education to facilitate internal communication and enable digital teaching. The easy sharing of files, collaborative work in a document, or conducting video conferences – all of this streamlines the school day. The simple management in the Google Admin Console and the restriction of data region to EU level in the Education Plus version also enable secure use of the applications.

To improve collaboration between the administration department and within the teaching staff, CIS/IFK wanted to implement a cloud-based solution. At the beginning of the Corona pandemic, there was also the need to make teaching digital. As an independent school, both the data protection guidelines for companies and the requirements for educational institutions of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia had to be taken into account. In addition, the solution had to be easy to use and, above all, easy to administer. For the selection process, various tools were closely examined and tested.

The CIS/IFK in Cologne ultimately opted for the online-based tools of Google Workspace for Education. Specifically, the privately funded school uses the Education Plus version, as it allows them to set the data region at the EU level and provides advanced features for video conferencing, among other things. In addition, we offer free admin support to Education Plus customers.

Jan Hülsmann, Director of CIS/IFK, explains: 'We tested various solutions, but above all, the easy collaborative work in a document convinced us.' He is also impressed by the straightforward administration: “During a workshop, Public Cloud Group supported us with the setup, and they are available as contacts if needed. Otherwise, we handle it independently. You don't need in-depth IT knowledge for that.” He also finds the operation of the apps intuitive: “The teachers receive a brief introduction to the key features, while the students simply try them out and quickly find their way around on their own.”

Both internal communication via email, chat, or video conferencing and the conduct of digital classes are easy and secure with Google Workspace for Education. Distributing assignments and documents using Google Classroom saves a lot of time and simplifies school life.

The use of the cloud solution also means the ability to use devices with different operating systems. Especially in the higher grade levels, students bring their own devices. Since the apps run in the browser, there are no issues in working with documents. Whether on iPads, Windows, or other devices – the formatting remains consistent.

"We tested several tools, but none were as easy to administer as Google Workspace for Education."

Jan Hülsmann, Director of CIS/IFK

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