Digital action at HEIs as a catalyst for social change in the COVID-19 crisis Erasmus Project

Project Title

Digital action at HEIs as a catalyst for social change in the COVID-19 crisis

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Partnerships for Digital Education Readiness

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Social/environmental responsibility of educational institutions; Civic engagement / responsible citizenship

Project Summary

Context/background
The COVID-19 crisis brought to the forefront societal challenges affecting all sectors of human activity. Numerous citizen initiatives strive to tackle these challenges through digitally enhanced, community-driven digital action (DA). These initiatives take place at the local, national and international level and highlight the dynamics and strengths of DA as a catalyst for social change in crises contexts. The three best known forms of DA in COVID-19 times, that the project addresses, are:
-citizen science in COVID-19 times;
-the maker movement (i.e. fabrication of medical equipment);
-hacktivism (hackathons, datathons, open data sprints against COVID-19).

In this realm of DA in the fight against the pandemic, HEIDI project (Digital action at HEIs as a catalyst for social change in the COVID-19 crisis) aspires to reposition HEIs with respect to society, inasmuch traditional models of knowledge creation and circulations have shifted, challenged by bottom-up, community-driven action and the networking of individuals worldwide. With the aim to offer HEIs a more central role in the ongoing debates about social change through skills development of HE staff and students and to situate HEIs as co-creators in solutions to the problems that surface with the pandemic, HEIDI project seeks to create collaborative frameworks between HEIs, voluntary-sector and civic society organizations.

HEIDI has 5 objectives
Objective 1 is to better understand the drivers and barriers of HE engagement in DA as a catalyst for social change in the current COVID-19 crisis. We will target a broad spectrum of representatives from the HE community, namely: HE decision makers, teaching and research staff, students, technical staff and librarians (O1).
Objective 2 is to create the conditions for the co-creation of DA between citizens and HE staff and students. This will be achieved through awareness raising and training events for HE students, staff and community groups to allow a broader understanding of DA dimensions, as well as real opportunities for collaborative DAs between HE actors and community groups (10 DAs in partner countries) (O2).
Objective 3 is to facilitate bottom-up innovation, driven by the communities themselves, as a means of civic engagement and digital upskilling of HE students and staff. Six grassroots DAs are planned among HEIs, social actors and people experiencing fewer opportunities (marginalized individuals and communities, immigrants and refugees who face exclusion). Training in the form of tailormade webinars will be part of this approach (O3).
Objective 4 aims at developing digital skills of HE students and staff with regard to responsiveness to crisis situations. To do so, it will map gaps in skills at a prior stage, then develop a methodology for skills development through DA initiatives, and finally provide evidence and report upskilling gains through the activities foreseen (O4).
Objective 5 addresses needs and requirements for DA during COVID-19 with community groups and within HE systems and it will be an opportunity to gain insights into HE practices that are still far from encompassing or limit the involvement of HEIs in DA. Round tables with both community stakeholders and HE decision makers will be key for the development of a guide to embracing bottom-up DA in HE practices.

In addition, 5 multiplier events in London (35 participants), Valletta (30 p.), Paris (35), Nicosia (30p.) and Thessaloniki (30 p.) will be held to promote HEIDI results and ensure transferability. COVID-19 related risks with regard to social distancing and limitations in mobility have been considered.

This ambitious and well designed project will engage more than 3,000 participants (HE actors and community groups) in 85 events ranging from co-creation opportunities at makerspaces for marginalized communities to webinars, to round tables with HE decision makers, to evidence-based publications and to
student committing to DAs with voluntary sector organizations as part of their HE studies.

Target groups
We envision engaging in this project the following target groups: a. HE students; b. HE staff; c. administration and professional services HE staff; d. community groups, voluntary sector organizations and members of the public who engage in DAs.

Partnership
The consortium is composed of partners with complementary profiles: 3 HEIs (University of Malta, University of Paris and University College London), one SME (W2L, Greece) and one NGO (CIP, Cyprus). The partnership is well balanced geographically (UK, FR, MT, GR, CY). The network of 21 Associated partners who have provided support letters makes the reach of HEIDI results pan-European.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 299890 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON & Country: UK

Project Partners

• UNIVERSITA TA MALTA
• C.I.P. CITIZENS IN POWER
• Web2Learn
• Université de Paris