Partners

Univerzita Mateja Bela v Banskej Bystrici (UMB) – SK (Coordinator)

Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica (MBU) is a public university and in 2010 defended the status of a university. It is a member of the European University Association and provides quality tertiary and further education in line with the development of science and practice needs, and develops new knowledge through creative scientific and artistic research. At the moment, Matej Bel University in Banska Bystrica (UMB), is the leading university in Central Slovakia. It consists of 6 faculties (Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Political Sciences, and International Relations, and Faculty of Education). The university offers a classic range of university education opportunities at all three levels and forms of studies in the areas of education, social issues, economy, law, politics, humanities, and natural sciences, in the fields of international relations, economic specializations, and mathematics. In addition, it also provides Anglophonic and partially Francophonic studies. MBU develops joint study programs and has contacts with major foreign universities, where the students have the opportunity to complete part of their studies. Therefore, MBU graduates are efficient in finding their place in the labor market not only at home but also abroad. MBU is the first university in the Slovak Republic whose study programs are part of the international CFA Institute University Recognition Program. It runs a Globsec Academy Center, a young leader incubator, supported by the worldclass think tank of the same name, and the Talent and Research Center. Education at MBU, which is assessed positively by both students and employers, is provided by professionals and practitioners. The University has almost 600 university teachers and researchers, and around 7,000 students. International cooperation has been rapidly developing in recent years mainly through numerous EU programs including the Framework Programmes. Most of the research projects focus on multidisciplinary research especially in the fields of socio-economic sciences and humanities (sociocultural anthropology, sociology, economics, history, political sciences, and education) and natural sciences (mathematics, physics, chemistry, and environmental sciences). As the first Slovak institution, Matej Bel University was granted the ‘HR Excellence in research award. MBU implements lifelong learning in various study programs and forms from the MBU Children’s University to MBU’s Third Age University. In their leisure time, a student can create a space for the various social activities provided by the sports clubs, artistic groups, and student organizations which are run at the MBU. Among the MBU’s graduates and educators are several Olympic winners and their trainers, outstanding artists, and scientists.

Sveuciliste U Zagrebu (UNIZG) – HR

The University of Zagreb (UNIZG) is the flagship educational institution in Croatia with 31 faculties, 3 art academies and various university centres and departments. As a comprehensive public Central European university, UNIZG offers education programmes in all scientific fields (arts, biomedicine, biotechnology, engineering, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences) and a broad spectrum of courses at all study levels, from undergraduate to postgraduate for more than 62,000 students. The University excels not only in teaching but also in research, contributing over 50 percent to the annual research output of Croatia. Being one of the constituent units of UNIZG, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FFZG) is participating in the project proposal as a partner organisation. It is the largest higher education institution in Croatia which carries out research activities and executes university programs in the field of humanities and social sciences, as well as a significant cultural institution with a great impact on Croatian culture and society.

FFZG offers 42 BA and 33 MA programs, has more than 700 employees, with more than 500 academic staff as well as more than 600 part-time lecturers. There are 18 doctoral study programmes and 2 professional postgraduate study programmes. Besides accredited BA, MA and PhD studies, the Faculty also provides lifelong learning educational opportunities in the “Centre of lifelong learning of teachers”. Besides mentioned, almost all departments (23 in total, with 125 Chairs) regularly run diverse short-term programmes, workshops, summer schools. FFZG is currently involved in more than 50 projects financed from different national and international funds (European Social Fund, European Fund for Regional Development, Horizon 2020, Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions, European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST), Connecting Europe Facilities (CEF), Operational programme competitiveness and cohesion (OPCC), Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives (CESSDA ERIC), Pilot projects and Preparations Action Grant, Programme Research Cooperability, Erasmus+, German Academic Exchange Service, Croatian-Swiss Research Programme (CSRP), Croatian Science Foundation, etc.). FFZG has more than 300 Erasmus+ agreements with the institutions from the Programme countries, but also agreements (on the University level) with Partner Countries from all over the World.

Libera Universita Maria SS. Assunta Di Roma (LUMSA) – IT

Libera Università Maria Ss. Assunta (LUMSA) is a highly ranked Italian Non – State University, principally located in Rome and Palermo, with over 7,000 students and 500 staff (teaching, research, and administrative staff). It offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in the human sciences, education and communication sciences, psychology, law, business administration, and banking, economics, political sciences, and modern languages. LUMSA awards Ph.D. degrees in social policies, law, developmental psychopathology, education, and economics. All training programs, including Ph.D., are open to international students. LUMSA has signed more than 160 bilateral agreements worldwide (Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa). It has been awarded by the European Commission with two Excellence Labels: ECTS and DS (Diploma Supplement) Label. LUMSA is very well known in Italy as a university devoted to teachers’ initial training as well as for organizing courses for the training of in-service teachers. The School of Education awards first-level diplomas in professional education, social work, psychology, and educational sciences, second-level diplomas in the same fields, as well as Ph.D. degrees. LUMSA is a member of EUCEN (European University Continuing Education Network). Furthermore, the university has carried out many joint projects to modernize teaching methods, materials, and curricula. LUMSA has also a Postgraduate School called EIS (Educare all’incontro e alla solidarietà), whose aim is to support the development of Service-Learning within and outside the University, in schools and in other Higher Education institutions. The School seeks to examine closely the theoretical foundations of the Service-Learning approach and put them into practice so as to fulfill the enormous potential that Service-Learning offers to students, teachers, managers, teaching and non-teaching staff in schools and universities for professional, cultural, and human growth. The EIS school organizes meetings, lectures, seminars, and conferences; it promotes research, keeps records of projects, and publishes material on the theme of active citizenship and Service-Learning. EIS has a scientific board composed of both Italian members (teachers from different Italian Universities) and international members (representing Higher Education Institutions from 5 continents: Europe, Africa, Asia, America, Australia). EIS collaborates with different organizations: the Italian Ministry of Education in spreading Service-Learning in the schools; the Scholas Occurrentes Foundation, an international organization created by Pope Francis, that works with schools and both public and private educational institutions, of all religious and secular confessions. A further research initiative is represented by the collaboration with the Congregation for Catholic Education, which consists of an international.

Universitat Ramon Llull Fundacio, La Salle Campus Barcelona (URL) - ES

Universitat Ramon Llull (URL) is a non-profit making private entity structured under a federative agreement between the university, the formal holder and responsible of the centres that form it (such as La Salle-URL), and the different entities that manage each centre with their resources preserving their juridical personality, heritage and responsibility.

Specifically, URL will be involved in CIVENHACE with the Engineering Department of La Salle Campus Barcelona which offers high-quality education through its Undergraduate and Master’s Programs and trains professionals with a high ethical commitment and the necessary values to be innovators, to know how to adapt to changes and to lead society’s transformations. La Salle-URL offers high-quality education through its Undergraduate and Master’s Programmes and trains professionals with a high ethical commitment and the necessary values to be innovators, to know how to adapt to changes and to lead the transformations of a society in continuous progress.

Pädagogische Hochschule Wien (PHW) – AT

The University College of Teacher Education Vienna sees itself as a cosmopolitan educational campus for all pedagogical professional fields and stands for research- and practice-led education, further education and continuing education.

The tasks of the University Colleges of Teacher Education are defined as follows: Initial, in-service and further training of teachers with a focus on the pedagogical profession and its professional fields within the framework of teaching and research according to international standards through offers of education science, subject science, subject didactics and pedagogical practice training. Research in all pedagogical professional fields to gain scientific knowledge for the further development of teaching. Participation in school development and in the quality development of educational institutions, and primary schools, within the framework of their academic-professional teaching and research by providing support and advice. To impart the qualification for the responsible exercise of pedagogical professions through appropriate school and professional practice as well as through scientific-professional field-related research and teaching.

Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB) – ES

The University of Balearic Islands is a public entity created in 1978 but the oldest origin of the University studies is to be found in the course of the fifteenth century. The main campus is located in Palma but there are two branches: Minorca Campus and Ibiza-Formentera Campus. In addition, there is a whole network of university centres spread over different towns to bring the University closer to the citizenry. Today, the university through ancient wisdom combined with its modern status is fully committed to its historical, cultural and linguistic reality, and continually strives to be an institution dedicated to the generation and distribution of knowledge, research and culture—activities that seek to attain the highest quality and academic rigour in the service of the society. The UIB is committed to foster a climate of tolerance that enables the defence and promotion of their own cultural and linguistic values , solidarity, respect for diversity and environmental protection. The UIB offers 42 bachelor’s degrees, 36 master and 25 PhD programmes, in addition to a wide range of permanent training courses for more than 15.000 students. It includes 10 Faculties, a Postgraduate Education Centre and Doctoral School. Teaching and research are organized into 20 academic departments, 8 research institutes, 27 research laboratories and 6 innovation units. Among those it is worth mentioning the Institute for Educational Research and Innovation and the Innovation Unit in Sustainable Development, Health and Global Justice through Service-Learning. The UIB currently develops 26 projects (Horizon Europe) and has developed more than 20 Erasmus + projects in the last years. UIB belongs to the EUNICoast alliance for the European University of Islands, Ports and Coastal Territories. As for digital training, it has extensive experience as evidenced by the more than 4000 subjects that are taught annually with digital support. In addition, the UIB is part of the DigiALL project, along with 20 other Spanish universities to promote the development of digital skills.