results of
THREE Pilot
YeaRS

The Project Management Handbook complemented the project information provided in the Grant and Partnership Agreements. It provided a more detailed planning of the project and described management structures and processes to be followed by the alliance during the project execution. It also described the management structures and processes for internal and external communication, finance aspects of the project, risk management, procedures and measures to ensure high quality of the project’s deliverables.

First progress report of the project captured the results achieved and lesson learnt from the first 18 months of the project.

The second, and final progress report of the project captured all major quantitative and qualitative achievements during three years of the pilot phase. You find summary of the results described in the final report on this page, including access to all public deliverable documents.

The Data Management Plan (DMP) described how to the ECIU University project handles the data, generated by the project, linking to several other sources: Grant Agreement, Partnership Agreement, and EC’s official summary of GDPR. The plan defined a common understanding of the data produced, established mechanisms on how data will be exchanged and stored, and how and what will be publicly available.

The Project Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (M&E Plan) provided guidance for tracking and evaluating the ECIU University project. The document described the monitoring and evaluation tools and mechanisms. The M&E activities contributed to the decision making and management control, keeping the project on track towards achieving the project’ outcomes and objectives and by integrating lessons learnt into planning.

This document outlines the results of a survey of Alliance members on their existing research support services that moment. Results show much similarity of services that are offered  across the network. This was followed by a selection of innovative practices from various alliance members and identified areas for potential joint activity.

This document presents the results of a consultation conducted among the ECIU research community on the topic of citizen science and on the proposed ECIU University Citizen Science Hub, which is planned as a joint virtual support service for citizen science activities across the alliance. This output derives from the restructured activities of WP2.

For more information, please visit also:
ECIU University Citizen Science Hub Consultation Event
Key questions on how to define, develop and promote citizen science

This document outlines the development of a process for industry engagement based on the broad scope of ECIU offerings across research, education and innovation in the context of UN SDG 11. It also describes the implementation of this process through a co-created pilot research project involving one ECIU partner university, one multi-national company and two start-up companies working together on a sustainability challenge identified by the industrial partner.

This report evaluates the results of a co-created pilot project between one of ECIU University’s original twelve supporting industry partners and its local ECIU member institution. It provides an overview of the initial 12-month results, recommendations, the opportunities for direct continuation and assesses how to expand the activities further at the network-level.

This report presents the training activities for researchers implemented by the Alliance members in order to identify best practice and create a link with the activities foreseen in WP3 and WP4. This mapping exercise examined researcher training and opportunities for professional development across different career stages, from PhD researchers to assistant professor level.

This deliverable was refocussed on research-based micromodules and tracked the number of offerings available within ECIU University over a two-semester period including the deeper examination of two modules as case studies for the Teaching-Research nexus.

This document provides a review of the existing structures, policies and practices in the member universities which determine or influence the activities and priorities of research staff.  Through analysis of these factors we seek to provide a baseline of information which will show what policy changes could be made to change researcher motivations and encourage a different focus for these staff.  This document covers institutional policies and practices on research recruitment and promotion, Open Science and Alternative metrics.

This document presents the results of a consultation conducted among the ECIU research community on the topic of research metrics, alongside incentives and supports. The recommended measures are organised in five focus areas, reflecting the objectives of ECIU University research: collaboration between researchers across ECIU member institutions, relevance to societal challenges, co-creation with external stakeholders, open science, and inclusivity. Research metrics are designed to assess research activities at ECIU University level, while incentives and supports aim to target individual researchers, unless specified.

This deliverable examined the feasibility of piloting the recommended ECIU metrics identified. The ability of institutional research offices to report and therefore implement the proposed metrics is assessed and data collection methods using common databases are explored to determine their suitability and limitations. This report identifies a subset of indicators which can be addressed through this ‘proof of principle’ mechanism and provides the baseline data for benchmarking the impact of ECIU University initiatives on the collaborative research activity of the network.

This deliverable examined the remaining alternative metrics recommended via consultation that are not easily captured at present by widely available databases or well established mechanisms in institutional Research Offices. It highlights the barriers currently faced for implementation of these metrics and also considers the avenues for future roll-out of these metrics across ECIU University.

This document presents the results of a mapping and analysis exercise to capture the infrastructures, initiatives and resources in Citizen Science across ECIU partners in order to identify best practices to inform the development of a shared Citizen Science platform.

This report evaluates ECIU University’s Citizen Science platform developed and first tested by users (researchers and technical staff) in the context of the SMART-ER project. The survey results indicate that they valued most the user experience and the possibility to connect with others to share expertise and to co-create new project proposals applying citizen science practices. Feedback from some users suggested that it would be better to use the existing online platform resources to engage researchers in Citizen Science, and to organize face-to-face meetings to develop project proposals. This assessment exercise feeds into improving the ECIU Citizen Science platform for future development.

For more information, please visit also:
ECIU's Citizen Science Community Platform  

The European Consortium of Universities (ECIU) aim for a joint long-term research strategy on smart regions, building  on  the  rapid  development  of  digital  infrastructures  across  Europe. This  is  a necessity for  a unified, strong, smart and competitive Europe, and towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as affordable and clean energy and sustainable communities. In summary, many problems that cities are confronted with also hold for more rural regions, yet the required solutions may be rather different. Strategic decisions that ECIU partners and others should take are included in the document.

For more information, please visit also:
ECIU University launches long-term joint research strategy on SMART regions

Challenge-based research (CBR) is doing research with partners from industry/business, education, government, civil society and citizens (societal partners), using the challenges they face in reality, with the objective of arriving at solutions to these challenges. Excellence and impact in CBR requires a shift in focus from individual research projects formulated around specific research questions to serial research programs formulated around challenges. Setting up and completing such programs depends on creating and nurturing experienced regional research networks: SMART Regions. In these networks, Universities work closely with their societal partners. Within ECIU University, these networks act as SMART European Regions by collaborating on shared challenges in the form of aligned or jointly created CBR-programs. Implementing this joint strategy requires initiating CBR-projects and embedding these into programs, and advocacy for impact-driven national and European research agendas. Commitment by and shared expectations amongst ECIU-members and their societal partners, as well as their ability to function as a single unit are key factors for successful implementation.

For more information, please visit also:
ECIU University presents its Challenge-Based Research strategy to stakeholders and policy-makers in Brussels

This report summarizes the organization of teams with all four components of a challenge - students, teamchers, challenge coordinators and challenge providers during the pilot phase.  It summarizes the criteria for selecting students and admissions procedures for challenges in pilots 2, 3, 4 and the criteria for the final admissions process for current and future challenges. The report describes briefly also the changes foreseen in pilot 5. It is a summary report, activity lead compiled a report annually, for alliance internal learning and accountability purposes.

The report summarizes the team formation processes during the pilots 2, 3, 4 and 5 in terms of roles and responsibilities, also the introduction of strategic challenges and factors and incentives that motivate students to join the challenges. Similar to output 1 above on Setting up Teams, this report is a summary report, activity lead compiled reports annually, for alliance internal learning and accountability purposes.

This report captures the number of completed challenges in all ECIU institutions as part of the ECIU pilot project.

Activity 3.2 focused on how the ECIU's innovative Challenge-Based Learning approach (CBL@ECIU) has been implemented at each university and what might need to be changed or adapted in the future. The review and assessment was done annually, the published report is the second assessment report out of three.

Activity 3.3 aimed to develop and harmonize educational offerings, structures and policies at the member universities to optimally facilitate CBL and create a European educational network for all stakeholders involved. In longer-term perspective, Innovation Education Labs (IEL) will not be restricted to CBL only but also provide space and opportunities to test other innovative educational practices, like co-creation, problem-based learning, digitalization, and modernizing curricula. This report describes the process of how IEL were established, reports about their activities and first identified structural and cultural obstacles that limited their acceptance and utilization.

The activity 3.3 focused also on the support of teachers on the individual dimension that is relevant for educational system transformation. The project supported their needed knowledge, believes, skills and competences to lead teams effectively whilst, working on challenges and to design educational programs / units tailored to learners in the alliance. This report describes the framework for conducting teacher training, consisting of three fundamental concerns:  (1) factors known to affect the transfer of knowledge into teaching practice (chapter 1.1); (2) subject and about target group considerations (chapter 1.2); (3) special circumstances due to Corona pandemic (chapter 1.3).

This report summarizes the workshops and activities offered to teachers and teamchers to support the implementation of Challenge-Based Learning approach (CBL@ECIU) from October 2021 to September 2022 (last year of the pilot project). This includes WP3-conducted offers as monthly CBL Round table meetings with teamcher KickOff, two workshops about basic principles of CBL as well as all activities from the local Innovation of Education Labs from each of the eleven ECIU partners. Similar annual summary reports were written also after 12 and 24 months.

The roadmap of educational innovation in ECIU University shows how the educational innovation developments has been integrally connected to the broader picture of ECIU University developments and towards a fully-fledged sustainable European university.

The objective of the annual assessments was to review the implementation of the Challenge-based learning (CBL), connect our recent findings with our previous ones and to draw conclusions with regards to upcoming second funding phase. Based on empirical research, the report presents findings on motivation, goals and competencies of tea(m)chers and students, followed by an overview of key factors that may affect the implementation of CBL. As a conclusion, the report summarizes key needs of tea(m)chers and students that should be considered in the further development of Challenge-Based Education and tea(m)cher support. A teamcher is a facilitator who supports the student teams and their working process throughout the CBL learning cycle.

This report summarizes the scientific contributions from authors of ECIU university members addressing the challenge-based approach and pedagogy within the five challenge-cycles during September 2020 and August 2022. It lists scientific contributions as publications and papers shared through active participation in conferences.

As mentioned above, the alliance realized early in the project that a more courageous and daring setting for higher education is needed. Together with external stakeholders ECIU University worked out the framework ‘Flexible Leaning Pathways’ (FLP) whose implementation will meet the demand of learners and community alike. FLP serve for the acquisition of knowledge in a flexible and personalized approach where the learner can adapt their learning journey based on their needs, interests, and circumstances at different stages of life. Important achievement has been developing all key elements of the FLP concept, summarized according to the different elements within the FLP ecosystem: needs for the FLP, the elements of the FLP, and the implementation of the FLP.

See also:
https://www.eciu.eu/for-learners/about#flp

This report presents the list of Micro-modules successfully offered through ECIU from all the partner universities between Autumn 2020 to Autumn 2022.

One of the key goals of the ECIU strategy is to offer basic language learning offerings to learners in the partner network. It is intended towards learners who want to develop basic linguistic and intercultural skills which could further help them in participating in cross institutional challenges. The report provides overview on the language modules offered during 2021 and 2022.

This output is about the work done since Spring 2021 on ECIU University on micro-credentials, including the areas of micro-modules provision and mapping, digital credentialization of activities and the development of competence passport as a part of ECIU University flexible learning pathway activities. In the micro-module mapping area, ECIU University worked on the scoping and characteristics of learning opportunities and formulated an updated approach how to map micro-modules within partner universities. The digital credentials section includes beta piloting process, and analysis. Lessons learnt from the early adopter programs, key takeaways, and current status of digital credentials within partner universities are also included. Finally, the deliverable outlines how competence passport can support ECIU Flexible Learning Pathways, presenting initial mockups from the upcoming Digital Experience Platform (DXP) for learners. For more information please contact the WP lead.

Member universities organized series of Awareness Building Workshops to engage various stakeholder groups and introduce them to the alliance approach on flexible challenge-based learning and facilitation of micro-credentials. The key target audience consisted of learners, HEI staff - teachers, administrators, research groups, management, and external partners such as City councils and local corporate partners.

This report summarizes the Supply and Demand Workshops (SDW) that were organized by the member universities to engage various stakeholder groups in order to gain insight and discuss the five pillars of micro-credentials i.e., Definitions and standards, Quality Assurance, Credits and recognition, Storage, Platforms, and Portability and Successful Uptake. The key target audience consisted of Strategic staff and institutional leaders as well as the academic/lecturing staff. The Educational director workshop included centralized workshop and presentation on the ECIU’s third micro-credentials White Paper, and participants discussed an array of topics relating to the ECIU’s values, strategic imperative in developing micro-credentials, and the potential of a distinctive European micro-credential approach.

This report summarizes the scaling workshops that were organized by the partner universities to engage various stakeholder groups in order discuss the latest information about micro-credentials and how to start scaling the micro-credentials in each partner organization. The workshops also shed light on the current challenges with micro-credentials and how to tackle those. The key target audience consisted of strategic staff and institutional leaders, administrative and support staff, and the academic/lecturing staff.

The concept of competence passport has evolved throughout the lifetime of ECIU University. When initially, the hypothesis was to build a competence passport on a specific digital credential platform, the developments in the European HE arena and considering the technical development, the choice of limiting to one platform has gaining less importance. Much of this is due to importance of a common data model to facilitate portability of digital credentials (e.g., EDCL data model), service design (DXP developments) and technological sophistication (e.g., are DCs implementable?) and maturity (e.g., solutions ready to be used). How the competence passport aligns with DXP and how activities needed to be initiated beyond what was proposed in the original project plan is described in Chapter 4 of the activity 4.2, Output 1 report combined with activity 7.5, output 4 report on Micro-credential Beta pilot results and Competence passport. For more information, please contact WP lead.

The European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU) initiative has been committed from its inception to developing relevant and demand-based micro-credentials which can both respond to the changing needs of 21st century European citizens and are scalable to be included within the wider educational offerings of member institutions. This report has been written to discuss the issues and challenges that have been observed regarding pathways for recognition over the length of the initial project. It presents an overview of the types of learners that the ECIU is targeting, the pathways towards recognition that have been developed, and the values and competencies emphasized by the ECIU. For more information, please contact the WP lead.

This output focused on two primary issues, namely i) the definition and operationalization of critical terms within the ECIU University initiative, including micro-credentials, and micro-module, and ii) reflections on progress regarding the generation of micro-modules, and what challenges the ECIU faces in their continued development. An indicative conceptual framework, the Learning Transformation Framework, is presented, to underpin ECIU University learning offerings, and to move towards the generation of valued, and valuable, micro-credentials. A distinction is made between “core” signature ECIU micro-credentials, and new digital means of representing participation in a micro-module, or challenge, and a taxonomy based on these principles outlined. For more information, please contact WP lead.

This report summarises the Supply and Demand Workshops (SDW) that were organised by the partner universities to engage various stakeholder groups in order to gain insight and discuss the five pillars of micro credentials i.e., Definitions and standards, Quality Assurance, Credits and recognition, Storage, Platforms, and Portability and Successful Uptake. The key target audience consisted of Strategic staff and institutional leaders as well as the academic/lecturing staff. The Educational director workshop included centralised workshop and presentation on the ECIU’s third micro-credential White Paper, and participants discussed an array of topics relating to the ECIU’s values, strategic imperative in developing micro-credentials, and the potential of a distinctive European micro-credential approach.

At the core of the ECIU University is the Challenge-based approach where Multi-disciplinary  teams work  on  real-life  challenges and co-develop ideas and solutions. The challenges posted on this platform originates from structured dialogues with key societal stakeholders at  a regional level within the  alliance. Through the twelve Local Partnership Arenas, set up by the  ECIU University initiative, contemporary challenges for the advancement of a future viable society are sourced, discussed, refined and eventually posted as defined challenge-based learning opportunities for the ECIU students.
Please visit:
https://challenges.eciu.org/for_partners/
https://www.eciu.org/for-business-society#partner https://www.eciu.org/news/local-partnership-arena-at-insa-70-participants-co-creating-challenges-related-to-circular-economy

See also:
https://challenges.eciu.org/for_partners/for-partners/ Transnational
Transnational LPA meeting

The ECIU member universities are all renowned for their innovation capacity, and have all well-developed support functions for technology transfer, IP-management and entrepreneurship. To further strengthen a challenged-based innovation and societal impact strategy, on European level, the ECIU University has set up Innovation Hubs at three locations:
‍
Innovation Hub North
‍Coordinated by Linköping University Including Tampere University, Kaunas University of Technology and University of Stavanger. Point of Contact: Gio Fornell, gio.fornell@liu.sev
‍
Innovation Hub Mid
‍Coordinated by Hamburg University of Technology Including University of Twente, Dublin City University and Aalborg University. Point of Contact: Monica Schofield, schofield@tutech.de
‍
Innovation Hub South
‍Coordinated by Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Including Group INSA (France), University of Aveiro, and University Trento. Point of Contact: Iván Martínez Flores, ivan.martinez@uab.cat
‍
The hubs provide our societal stakeholders, student and research entrepreneurs with a gateway addressing societal impact on a collective basis, sharing resources, networks, and expertise for the support of successful implementation of innovation.

Please visit:
https://challenges.eciu.org/for_partners/for-partners/

Through the twelve Local Partnership Arenas (LPAs), set up by the ECIU University initiative, we collectively surface and shape the societal challenges that are key to the stakeholders in the room. The Society Quest provides a methodology for higher education institutions, industry, and society across Europe to explore the potential of CBL, CBR and CBI projects that address real challenges within society. The methodology is further described in the Society Quest Guideline, A5.2, O2.

Please visit:
First Shared European SQ (ESQ):
https://www.eciu.org/news/bringing-the-outside-world-into-education-the-very-first-society-quest-event

Second ESQ:
https://www.eciu.org/news/building-industrial-partnerships-on-a-european-basis

Third ESQ –ECIU Hackathons and Creathons:
https://liu.se/en/news-item/kreativt-maraton-for-en-battre-varld
https://hubs.fi/en/sprint-innovation-festival
https://www.utwente.nl/en/summer-school-curiousu/Questions/eciu-hackathon

Example Local SQ:
https://www.eciu.org/news/local-partnership-arena-at-insa-70-participants-co-creating-challenges-related-to-circular-economy

ECIU University believes in a European-wide ecosystem based upon open and inclusive collaboration connecting industry, societal stakeholders, researchers and learners to provide European answers to future societal challenges. The challenge driven innovation methodology outlined in this document integrates ECIU’s learning objectives and SDG 11 into each part of the innovation process. This methodology provides a framework to think about and structure an ECIU-wide innovation process. Acknowledging that at this point in time each university has different operational resources and constraints, it serves as a guideline through which we encourage universities to test, adapt, pilot and refine based on their needs and context -providing input that will shape the eventual ECIU process.

Through the twelve Local Partnership Arenas (LPAs), set up by the ECIU University initiative, we collectively surface and shape the societal challenges that are key to the stakeholders in the room. The Society Quest provides a methodology for higher education institutions, industry, and society across Europe to explore the potential of CBL, CBR and CBI projects that address real challenges within society. The methodology is further described in the Society Quest Guideline, A5.2, O2.

See also:
1st Shared European SQ:
https://www.eciu.org/news/bringing-the-outside-world-into-education-the-very-first-society-quest-event  

2nd Shared European SQ (in progress): https://www.eciu.org/news/building-industrial-partnerships-on-a-european-basis

To engage key actors and stakeholders, to be involved in the creation of challenges through the local Partnership Arenas and in the Innovation Hubs, the alliance uses the methodology of Society Quests (as described in A5.2, O2). Society Quest is a methodology developed by Linköping University to capture challenges, problems, and ideas for further development. It is a meeting place for researchers, business and society where various challenges are discussed. The purpose is to initiate joint research and development projects thus exploring the possibilities of innovation. This short report presents an extended step by step overview of the local partnership arenas, supported by Innovation Hubs facilitators, the presentation include a series of innovation exploration activities.

This output report defines the concept of Challenge-based Learning (CBL) and subsequent sections outline in detail the quality criteria for a good CBL challenge and suggest steps for how good CBL challenges can be identified.  Furthermore, it describes how they can be shaped with the participation of all three contributors to CBL (learners, facilitators and challenge providers). Finally, the report discusses the learning outcomes of CBL and how they can be matched with specific CBL challenges.

The ECIU University challenge platform (CHAD), https://challenges.eciu.org, was released November 1st, 2020, thus open for posting challenges for the autumn semester of 2021 and further (pilots 3-5). Presiding the launch of CHAD, ECIU challenges were mostly handled manually, posted on institutional websites and on the ECIU main website, https://www.eciu.org. The ECIU Board approved and decided in June 2021 a plan to build an ECIU Digital eXperience Platform in several steps until 2030. A minimal viable system, replacing CHAD, has been launched in December 2022, to be further developed.

ECIU University challenge e-platform:
https://cms4-sites.webhare.com/challenges.eciu.org/challenges
‍
Second generation:
https://engage.eciu.eu/‍

As described under activity 5.2, output 2 above, the ECIU University challenge platform (CHAD), https://challenges.eciu.org, was released November 1st, 2020, thus open for posting challenges for the autumn semester of 2021 and further (pilots 3-5). Presiding the launch of CHAD, ECIU challenges were mostly handled manually, posted on institutional websites and on the ECIU main website, https://www.eciu.org. The ECIU board approved and decided in June 2021 a plan to build an ECIU Digital eXperience Platform in several steps until 2030. A minimal viable system, replacing CHAD, has been launched in December 2022, to be further developed step by step.

Hereby again the links to the ECIU University challenge e-platform:
https://cms4-sites.webhare.com/challenges.eciu.org/challenges

Second generation challenge e-platform:
https://engage.eciu.eu/‍

The ECIU University project proposed to create three Innovation Hubs in Linköping, Hamburg, and Barcelona, for the engagement of stakeholders, for the identification of the challenges and for the valorisation of the results arising from the challenges. The three Innovation Hub teams have discussed and debated with great intensity how to approach the idea of an innovation hub - how to relate this to both the need to support the development of ECIU-University and to add value to each member university.

Through several consecutive Innovation Hub meetings, an ECIU Transnational Innovation Vouchers (TIV) scheme  was developed, piloted, and evaluated. The watchword for the development project was to keep it as simple and communicable as possible. Whereby a flyer containing all information, boundary conditions and application procedures including an application form was produced, posted on-line (https://challenges.eciu.org/for_learners/TIV/) and distributed to all alliance members, illustrated below. The pilot was consequently evaluated, and the lessons learned from the first round were documented in this report. Report summarizes also recommendations for next rounds.

Please visit also:
https://challenges.eciu.org/for_learners/TIV/

This output is combined with the previous output - activity 5.4, output 2. As mentioned above, through several consecutive Innovation Hub meetings, an ECIU Transnational Innovation Vouchers (TIV) scheme developed was developed, piloted, and evaluated. The watchword for the development project was to keep it as simple and communicable as possible. Whereby a flyer containing all information, boundary conditions and application procedures including an application form was produced posted on-line (https://challenges.eciu.org/for_learners/TIV/) and distributed to all alliance members, illustrated below. The pilot was consequently evaluated, and the lessons learned from the first round were documented in this report. Report summarizes also recommendations for next rounds.

ECIU tested and implemented a collaboration platform based on Moodle to assist students and staff with their transnational collaborative work, enabling them to communicate, manage their projects (e.g. challenges), share files and design solutions online. With federated authentication, we advanced with a Moodle course template as a container for challenge-based learning and could reuse this template while creating challenges. You can log in and/or register here: https://learn.eciu.org/login.html

The aim of this activity was to develop a concept and development plan for a student-cantered travel website generated by an open online community offering updated information on affordable temporary accommodation and practical information on working in the region. ECIU University experimented with a prototype of a Erasmus Student App but took the decision not to advance with investments in that option, opting instead to create contents for the ECIU website that would complement the students’ social media accounts by providing institutional information on mobility.

This output describes how the ECIU University will pursue its already established collaboration with the ERASMUS+ program and will use its own financial resources for mobility in the coming years as it approaches the start-up phase of development. ECIU University will aim to make very significant increases in volume of learners after 2026 and as it does so, will intensify its cooperation with other EU instruments and stakeholders, availing also of business development opportunities to increase the revenue available for mobility. For more information, please contact WP lead.

These guidelines were prepared for faculty and staff of ECIU member institutions who have responsibilities to encourage their students to participate in student exchanges. Since there are serval possibilities for academic staff to encourage students to participate in existing exchange projects, and indeed to organize and lead projects, it is considered very useful to bring together in one place a summary of possibilities, with introductory guidelines about how to get mobility projects up and running, with support from the ECIU University central services and structures. For more information, please contact WP lead.

ECIUn partner institutions signed a Multilateral Agreement under ERASMUS+, stating that “the parties to the present Interinstitutional agreement agree to cooperate in student and staff mobility in any of the education fields (broad, narrow and detailed) defined in the ISCED FIELDS OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING 2013 (ISCED-F 2013).” The agreement therefore corresponds to the open doors policy that ECIU University adopts in relation to student and staff mobility and enjoys the full support of the ECIU Board.

In the current Erasmus+ programme, several HEIs may also work together as a group to apply for student and staff mobilility grants.  A group of HEIs, termed a “mobility consortium”, can only apply for funding if each participating organization in the group is established in the same EU member state or third country associated to the Erasmus+ Program. This output, which is being shared with the relevant European and national authorities, ECIU University proposes that a mobility consortium may apply for funding if each participating organization is established in any of the EU member states or third countries associated to the Program. For more information, please contact WP lead.

The ECIU Researcher Mobility Fund (RMF) aims at increasing collaboration among researchers in the ECIU network of universities. Researchers were invited to apply for a travel grant of up to 5.000 Euros for an exchange/visit to any of the ECIU partner universities in Europe and in Mexico. The idea to develop the RMS was a contribution to the realization of the mandate the ECIU Board set for the ECIU University. With the present proposal to launch an improved version of the Researcher Mobility Fund, we proposed several measures to preserve and to develop the key features of the RMF, starting from the beginning of 2021 up to the end of 2023 towards more funding and more mobility for researchers throughout the ECIUn alliance. For more information, please contact WP lead.

The alliance ensures that priority is given to the SDG 11 objectives by expanding its current published MAP of Strategic Research Areas, which are currently focused Smart Society and Manufacturing 4.0 only, to include more topics. Two research matrixes have been maintained and developed, that is, matrices of research areas covered by the ECIU partner institutions in 2 of the ECIU strategic areas: Industry 4.0 and Smart Society. Complementary to this, under the SMARTER (Horizon 2020 – SWAFS – European Universities), has been the appearance of a research group focus map covering all ECIU researchers is also available as well as a search facility to find specific people in a field.

ECIU University set out to bring the ECTS Information Packages of all the partners in the alliance into a single ECIU University information package. The result aimed for is the existence of a single platform where students can search a database of courses and course units that adhere to the ECTS key features, and specific information for mobile students in terms of access to courses within and from outside the ECIU University alliance. Given the developments in Europe-wide EwP initiative and the ECIU's own digital strategy it was considered appropriate for ECIU to focus its efforts on guaranteeing improved information services to students through its Learners Service Centre by linking students with institutional ECTS information packages from around the alliance.

This survey on recognition procedures (focusing on student mobility) serves to inform students, departmental mobility coordinators and decision-makers at various other levels of the organization regarding the recognition standards in place. The objective of the survey was to bring together short descriptions of the recognition processes at each ECIU University and to identify the main actors and key documents for students. The report includes 3 recommendations for future development: digitalisation of recognition procedures; implementing ECIU standards in terms of information provision to students; development of specific tools to improve the agility of the recognition process.

This report is related to the adherence of ECIU partner institutions to ESCI. A survey was launched in two stages, first in 2020 and again in 2022. We concluded that all ECIU institutions are using different software to manage various aspects of the outgoing and incoming mobility process (such as Mobility Online or MoveOn), but some procedures were still carried out manually (by email or personal files/data base). All partners are ready to implement EwP (IIA and OLA/SMS exchange) by the deadline of 31 December 2022. Moreover, in line with Erasmus+ digitalization process, also within ECIU University a digital strategy has been developed, envisioning a true virtual European campus connecting to the physical campuses across Europe, and another digital tool started to be implemented: the Digital Experience Platform (DXP).

This report provides an overview of the systems for institutional accreditation of study programs and courses of the ECIU University member institutions. The European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR) gives some information on the status of the systems for accreditation of study programs and courses, on a national level. However, to obtain more detailed information, we carried out a survey at the level of the partner institutions. We have categorized authority to accredit study programs and courses in four levels. For more information, please contact WP lead.

Two workshops were carried out with ECIU University member institutions as well as several NAs for quality assurance of higher education with comments from the ENQA. There is a clear understanding that the European framework for quality assurance of higher education can facilitate and describe short learning experiences. However, it needs adaptation to embrace the new developments in higher education not associated with traditional degrees. A call is made for national frameworks to implement the European framework including the European Approach to QA of Joint Programs. For more information, please contact WP lead.

In line with the vision in the proposal of the ECIU University project, these two surveys were conducted and covered a) admission and selection of students to master programs, as well as b) admission and selection of students to continuing education (part-time studies). The purpose of these surveys was to map admission and selection practices, and thereby establish a knowledge base and foundation for the next steps.

This attached document presents the overall strategy of inclusion and universal design, for the pilot phase of the ECIU University. The purposes of the strategy is to define the objectives for strengthening the dimension of inclusion in all ECIU University activities in the pilot phase; to delineate those objectives, which of those must be prioritized in the pilot phase and to outline possible relevant activities and actions.

Two workshops on inclusion and universal design were carried out in the project to map, discuss and propose suggestions for universal approach to inclusion and provide input to strategic developments. The topics were highlighted from several perspectives, including student voices and continuous learners. For more information, please contact WP lead.

Three workshops were carried out on admission procedures to discuss how joint guidelines would be developed. These guidelines now serve as the backbone of admission to educational offers in the ECIU University, and an institutional network of admission officers provided insight and clarity to discussions and end product. For more information, please contact WP lead.

This report presents the ECIU guidelines for selection criteria for admission of students to ECIU challenges. The guidelines were established during 2020 and a first version of the guidelines were finalized and in effect for the spring semester 2021. The guidelines have been developed in a joint collaboration between admission officers from all partners, coordinated and supplemented by the activity lead and by key central staff.

This report documents the results of a survey carried out in the ECIU University alliance in spring 2020 as a mapping exercise of European cooperation projects co-funded by Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020. The goal was to get an overview of externally funded project activities in education and research with a focus on relevance for SDG11, already targeted by the alliance. The results will be used for further explorations of cooperation in the alliance, such as a future joint pool of expertise on project development and external funding will be important to support activities.

External funding is seen as key to putting future goals of the alliance into practice, particularly beyond the initial pilot project period. The strategy for cooperation projects describes the background and the work leading up to a) the decision to fund coordination of external funding initiatives, b) the establishment of an ECIU expert group on educational cooperation policy and programs and c) working processes and criteria for assessment of calls and proposals within the alliance.

To stay at the forefront and provide the alliance with a tool to work proactively, we established the Strategic European Projects Office (SEPO) as a joint structure integrated in the alliance. The main goal of this platform is to scan opportunities in external funding, match bottom-up initiatives of member institutions with strategic objectives of the alliance towards 2030 and build capacity through sharing of experiences and community building. The SEPO consists of two expert groups: 1) research & innovation and 2) educational cooperation coordinated by a European funding adviser.

This survey was carried out in the early phase of the project, documenting practices for organizational and logistical issues concerning mobility and support for learners entering the educational offers of the ECIU University. For more information, please contact WP lead.

The need to ensure services of high quality for learners participating in ECIU University learning activities, both in the ongoing pilots and in the future ECIU University ecosystem, forms the background. This reports is a framework for flexible, need-based, and user-friendly support structures that, in an efficient, transparent, and inclusive manner, provides learners with all necessary information, services, and support to ensure smooth participation in ECIU University activities. The framework consists of two main elements: the joint digital platform and the virtual service office.

The objective of this report is to set the guidelines for ECIU University’s piloting plan for issuing and managing Micro-credentials in a learner’s digital storage solution. The piloting plan follows the conceptual framing presented in the conceptual framework for micro-credentials. The piloting process is prepared due to availability of existing solutions to facilitate micro-credentials. Our initial analysis has shown that none of the solutions match the demand and vision of the ECIU Learner’s Wallet. This is why a piloting plan is prepared to evaluate existing solutions on their feasibility (costs and practicality of proposed solutions).

The mapping of technologies to facilitate micro-credential exchange (activity 7.5, O1) was combined with the piloting handbook (activity 7.5, O2) in a combined report. As mentioned above, the objective of the combined report is to set the guidelines for ECIU University’s piloting plan for issuing and managing Micro-credentials in a learner’s digital storage solution. The piloting plan follows the conceptual framing presented in the conceptual framework for micro-credentials. The piloting process is prepared due to availability of existing solutions to facilitate micro-credentials. Our initial analysis has shown that none of the solutions match the demand and vision of the ECIU Learner’s Wallet. This is why a piloting plan is prepared to evaluate existing solutions on their feasibility (costs and practicality  of proposed solutions).

This output discusses the main findings and lessons learnt from the walkthrough and Alpha piloting activities. The piloting activities indicate that different stakeholder groups are aware of the value of micro-credentials to learners and to the issuing institutions. Based on those findings, this report introduces the ECIU signature competence approach which will guide the upcoming piloting activities and ECIU University’s micro-credential movement. For more information, please contact WP lead.

This deliverable summarizes the work done since Spring 2021 on ECIU University micro-credentials, including the areas of micro-modules provision and mapping, digital credentialization activities and in the development of competence passport as a part of ECIU University flexible learning pathway activities. Lessons learnt from the early adopter programs, key takeaways, and current status of digital credentials within partner universities are also included. Finally, the deliverable outlines how competence passport can support ECIU Flexible Learning Pathways, presenting initial mockups from the upcoming Digital Experience Platform (DXP) for learners. For more information, please contact WP lead.

The report provides comparative analyses of relevant (tertiary) education legislation in all 12 national and the European education systems. Given examples of topics to assess in the project proposal were challenge-based education, mobility, life-long learning, recognition, and possibilities for offering flexible education pathways. The focus of ECIU University is in continuous education and micro-credentials, as decided in the ECIU University 2030 vision paper in October 2020.

This assessment provides a first analysis of risks in developing a new European University. The analysis was carried out as part the initial draft of ECIU University business plan in spring 2021. The brief analysis demonstrates that there are multiple risks related particularly to political decision making, resourcing, future market position as well as legal risks. The second part of the report concentrates on the aspects of a European University as a legal entity, demonstrating the aspects which speak for the need for a legal entity.

This report looks at contemporary international and European accreditation practices and the European Qualifications Framework, and the possible impact of these practices on the ECIU University. Furthermore, the report includes future needs for, and suggestions for the further development of, European accreditation practices.

This document describes the ethical framework of ECIU University. The framework is applicable throughout the ECIU University community and the ecosystem.

Within ECIU University, Challenge-based Learning (CBL) is one of the focus areas to enhance the co-operation between ECIU partner universities and to promote students’ generic skills in various ways. To find out the experiences of the first CBL pilots within ECIU University, a group of interviews, a survey and an analysis of the best practice presentations have been conducted during Winter 2021. This report summarizes and discusses the findings of these reports.

This is a summary of the learners’ event of ECIU University in 2020. It describes the background for the event, the role of ECIU University in the event, and reflections on the future development of ECIU University.

This report provides an overview of ECIU University roadmap developments on the way to establishing a European University. The report describes the background, principles, and process of the roadmap development. The roadmap itself with all details is confidential, project internal information, which will not be elaborated in this document. The report shows how the road to building a true European University is a complex process with multiple layers, aspects, actors, and dependencies, which requires a coherent systematic approach.

ECIU University since its creation in 1997 is committed to including its learners in all the parts of its organisation. From the learning opportunities where they are the main target to the project itself where, since the beginning of 2021, feedback loops have been created to ensure that the products ECIU University is developing answer their needs. This Learners event was the main event of this dissemination and participation objective as well as the follow-up of an already existing practice in ECIU with the organisation of Students’ Congresses where students from all partners universities as well as students’ unions were represented to co-shape the university of the future.

This deliverable is a collection of three position papers developed together with the other 1st round European Universities Alliances in 2019-2021. The papers have not been further modified for the purposes of this deliverable but are attached as such without further elaborations.

Codes of conduct as a form of self-regulation are rules providing guidelines on the ethical principles and standards of behaviour expected from the ECIU member universities and its management, staff, students, and stakeholders. Based on a review of academic literature, policy documents, existing codes of conduct of the ECIU members as well as other national and international organisations, this report presents general introduction on codes of conducts, codes of conduct on research integrity, research ethics and good governance. For all three topics, recommendations are made on the steps the ECIU University should take in the coming years.

This document reflects on the experience of four of the ECIU member universities on the ethical issues concerning research activities, also in the background including collaboration with external stakeholders. The basis for the considerations in this document is another project document, activity 8.3, output 2 (Best practices of ethical framework for stakeholder engagement). To maintain the clear focus of the document, aspects are restricted to research context only. The reflections here support the current plans of ECIU University to develop a comprehensive ethical framework for the entire ecosystem and community, covering all required aspects of ethical considerations.

This document describes the third and final annual learners’ event of ECIU University in 2022. The event was organised as a form of a challenge, following the pedagogical principles of challenge-based learning (CBL) in ECIU University. The topic of the event – The Future of European Higher Education – is in the core of ECIU University developments, and the event provided an opportunity for both degree students as well as continuous learners to gather and work in the important aspects of future higher education providing interesting inputs for the prosecution of the ECIU University activities to be considered in the next phase of the project.

The  Dissemination plan for the ECIU University was created at the first year and served as a working document that was updated and aligned with the various project milestones. Dissemination part in the central ECIU level is a tool for aligning various dissemination and communication activities across partner institutions, meaning at the institutional level and different ECIU University work packages.

The project’s brand platform is absolutely essential to its marketing, communication and dissemination activities  as it provides uniformity for the project and the possibility for the alliance to engage and communicate in an aligned manner. The first draft of the Branding platform and part of the elements were  created as a part of a joint process among partners, namely a brief creation as technical guidelines and visual identity guidelines, i.e. the Brandbook. The Brand Values, Vision, Mission, Key elements of the ECIU University were later specified in the ECIU University Vision 2030 document.

The information materials were created on-demand and mostly include the presentation and document templates, also other visual materials such as banners, posters, booklets, document designs, among others. All materials were created continuously and on demand based on the activities of other work packages and ECIU Brussels Office. Information materials, based on common ECIU University visual identity, enhance the visibility of the ECIU University brand, and create a common ground for various communication and dissemination messages.

Some of the examples of the information materials can be found in the following ECIU university communication channels:

facebook
twitter
linkedIn

This document gives overview on the dissemination using the www.eciu.org website, namely on the main target audiences, content structure, and objectives. The website is updated continuously and on demand of the ECIU University community based on the development of the activities, results and outputs of the ECIU University and the ECIU alliance as a whole. The website design follows the common visual identity - the Brandbook of the ECIU University.

Please visit:
https://www.eciu.org/
https://challenges.eciu.org/

This document overviews the main social media channels used for ECIU University communication and dissemination activities, namely Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts. The social media channels are updated continuously and on demand of the ECIU University community based on the development of the activities, results and outputs of the ECIU University and the ECIU alliance as a whole.

facebook
twitter
linkedIn

During the pilot phase ECIU University published multiple publications in academia journals on education model.

Please visit:
https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158495
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/3/1702 https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/21/13955

Download publications directly here:

By building on current ECIU University expertise in developing and disseminating policy position documents, the alliance developed a series of position papers that showcase the activities of the ECIU University. They included the achievements and the challenges that will derive from the ECIU University development process. The alliance also seeked to provide an information resource for other higher education institutions that seek to learn from our experiences.

To convey the information through promotional events for a more conscious acquisition on ECIU University project, a delivery of ECIU University promotional events for students, staff and enterprises within partner institutions was organized during different phases of the ECIU University pilot.

The business plan has been a tool for creating shared strategic understanding on how to establish ECIU University as a European ecosystem by 2030 and how to make ECIU University a successful, sustainable endeavor reaching far into the future. The foundations of the plan are set in the ECIU University 2030 vision, its values, mission and vision. The business plan is a living but confidential document, starting as a discussion paper in the first phase, eventually turning into a decision-making document. For more information, please contact Erasmus+ project manager Mari Andela at: mari.andela@eciu.eu