Call for proposals Educational innovation programme Comenius 2023

Theme 1: Accessibility in higher education

Students from diverse backgrounds enter higher education with varying degrees of success. They may have different needs and encounter a variety of obstacles in the process. Therefore, a key question is how different student groups can be better assisted in successfully navigating their way into and through higher education. The initial accessibility to higher education is an important issue here as students may encounter problems when transferring between educational institutions or programs. Furthermore, the question of how higher education institutions can cater to the (social) diversity in students from the moment of entry is an area of attention. Diversity within higher education requires teachers and students to learn how to deal with differences in order to make education more inclusive and – thus – accessible to all students who have the ambition and potential to study in higher education.

Projects within this theme strive to make higher education more accessible, to research the educational needs of students who encounter specific obstacles and to properly support and guide them during their studies.

Theme 2: Well-being in higher education

Various studies have shown that the mental vitality of students has been under pressure for quite some time, with loneliness and performance pressure being identified as major causes in particular. Before the COVID-19 pandemic there were already concerns about the mental health of students, but the corona virus crisis seems to have magnified the situation. Students feel less connected with each other and with the university of applied sciences or university. Furthermore, the brisk pace at which they sometimes finish their studies leaves little room for reflection and broad orientation. For example, the performance pressure which might be caused by exams and a possible lack of individual attention due to large student groups are points of attention. It is therefore important to research how we can increase the well-being of students.

Projects within this theme strive for the prevention, early identification and guidance of students who experience performance pressure and loneliness in order to increase their mental well-being and functioning. This could include changes in the design of the curriculum, didactics and testing, or attention to the connection of students among each other and with the program and educational institution.

Theme 3: Working on the challenges of the future

There are multiple global problems, such as the climate crisis and the gap between rich and poor, where young people are often the centre of hopeful attention when it comes to finding solutions. The United Nations has summarized these challenges in seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Both universities of applied sciences and universities aim to prepare students to participate in a changing society and labour market, in order to contribute positively to the solution of these challenges of the future. In curricula, knowledge development and gaining practical experience are increasingly intertwined, and the importance of learning and using skills for solving social issues is growing. Internships and other forms of workplace learning are important components of the study programmes at universities of applied sciences, and these are also becoming more important for universities.

Projects in this theme focus on the question of how students can be educated so that they can contribute to solving national and global challenges of the future. This may involve for example internships or other forms of education, but also how universities of applied sciences and universities can learn from each other or cooperate.

Theme 4: Open theme – The entire breadth of ‘Fit for the future’

The open theme covers the entire breadth of ‘Fit for the Future’, the strategic agenda for higher education and research. Projects within this theme connect with the subjects and ambitions stated in the strategic agenda.