INnovative curriculum for Strong Identities in Diverse Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

INnovative curriculum for Strong Identities in Diverse Europe

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 : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Quality and Relevance of Higher Education in Partner Countries; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)

Project Summary

Identity formation in adolescence and emerging adulthood is important for a person’s subsequent functioning as an individual and as a member of society. Current societal challenges related to record-high numbers of refugees, intensive international migration, and growing socio-cultural diversity in many European countries provide and increasingly complex and challenging environment for youth identity development. Some youth experience stigmatization and exclusion based on core aspects of their identities, such as ethnicity, religion, social class, gender, sexual orientation, or ability. Persistent socio-economic inequalities, socio-cultural fragmentation and general lack of tolerance in present-day Europe may hinder access to identity-related resources and support among some young people, especially those from vulnerable backgrounds.
In order to facilitate a better access to identity-related support and resources among youth in Europe, this Partnership aimed to build the capacity of students, teachers, researchers and youth workers to carry out identity-related applied and research work with youth by developing and disseminating an up-to-date, innovative evidence-based curriculum, as well as teaching/ learning materials and practical tools for identifying resources and supporting identity development among diverse groups of young people in Europe, including vulnerable youth.
The project was implemented by Mykolas Romeris University (coordinator, Lithuania), Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna (Italy), Babeș-Bolyai University (Romania), University of Bordeaux (France), Cardinal Wyszyński University in Warsaw (Poland), and Tolerant Youth Association (Lithuania).
Main activities of the project included three intellectual outputs: 1) a university-level course curriculum on youth identity; 2) two compendia of research articles on youth identity development; and 3) an open web-based educational tool with materials and instruments to facilitate identity-related work with youth. Learning and teaching activities of the project (a short-term staff training and an intensive program for students) were integrated in the process of development of intellectual outputs and served as a testing and feedback environment. Transnational partner meetings helped to plan and coordinate the development of intellectual outputs and training events. At the end of the project, a transnational multiplier event, held in Vilnius on October 11, 2018, helped to disseminate and encourage further use of the project outputs.
The results of the project include three outputs: 1) a university-level course curriculum “Support for youth identities in diverse Europe (SIDE)”; 2) two compendia of research articles on youth identity development in diverse European contexts and beyond; and 3) an open web-based educational resource I-TOOLS. All outputs are available on the project website http://inside.mruni.eu. The activities of the project have directly involved 28 university students and 18 teachers as participants of an international intensive study program; 18 university teachers and youth workers as participants of a short-term staff training; 20 scholars, teachers and trainers involved in the development of SIDE course curriculum; 37 scholars involved in the development of research articles for the compendia; 103 professionals working with youth as participants of a multiplier event; and 282 educational, civic, and public policy organizations and institutions as recipients of an info-package on tools to support youth identity development. In addition, at least 4000 other stakeholders (youth workers, civic organizations, school administrators, students, teachers, researchers and policy makers active in the field of youth identity and empowerment) have found out about the project and its outcomes through the project dissemination activities, including public communications, presentations, articles, leaflets, website, etc. Moreover, at least several thousand of researchers and students were reached through external dissemination channels, not directly related to the project (in particular, compendia publishers’ websites).
All intellectual outputs (a course curriculum, compendiums of articles, and an open educational e-platform) will be integrated into study programs of the partner universities. They are also available for use and adaptation by other interested parties. The long-term impact extends to the competences of all project participants, in terms of their expanded multicultural skills, improved academic English and ICT skills, strengthened international project management and cooperation, multicultural and research competences, as well as an applied perspective in research with youth. Building on the success of the current project, four university partners of the project have formed a new consortium with three newly attracted institutions for developing another international project proposal in the area of youth identity development.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 223188 Eur

Project Coordinator

MYKOLO ROMERIO UNIVERSITETAS & Country: LT

Project Partners

• ALMA MATER STUDIORUM – UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA
• UNIWERSYTET KARDYNALA STEFANA WYSZYNSKIEGO W WARSZAWIE
• Tolerantisko Jaunimo Asociacija
• UNIVERSITE DE BORDEAUX
• UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAI