Higher Education Institution for Societal Engagement Erasmus Project

Project Title

Higher Education Institution for Societal Engagement

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: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Quality Assurance; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

Higher education institutions (HEIs) play a key role in educating people to understand the underlying values in societies and cultures, which create crucial abilities to foster social integration. To succeed in this, the managers, teachers and students of HEIs need novel ways to increase intercultural understanding and social inclusion. Hence, the project created a comprehensive educational model “Roadmap for Societal Engagement for Higher Education Institutions” which is grounded in experiential and challenge based learning to increase the higher education institutions’ societal engagement (HEISE).
The objectives were: first, to develop a toolkit for HEI teachers to integrate challenge based learning methods into their teaching supporting greater societal engagement and impact of HEIs; second, to create model for HEIs with insights on how to understand, manage and evaluate the societal impact of HEIs.

HEISE project consisted of two Intellectual Outputs (IO) which are both covered in the final publication of the project. First, IO1 is a participatory learning model for societal engagement for HEIs through a challenge solving course module with an e-publication called “Insights for Teachers”. It introduces the context and insights of challenge based learning; presents its philosophy, practical tips, tools and methods. The material is illustrated with video-clips, examples of methods, guidelines, and original case studies which are the outcome of local challenge solving processes during the project.
Second, IO2 is a model for HEIs to evaluate their societal impact and the engagement in societal projects. This outcome of the project can help HEIs to better integrate the societal impact into their strategies. The outcomes of IO2 research activities were integrated into the final project publication, presenting practical insights for managers and current situation in HEIs and in society at large.
From a methodological point of view, HEISE project carried out a systematic process including an investigation of the existing participatory learning methods. Based on the results, a challenge based learning model was developed and tested in the international HEISE Winter Academy as well as within locally organised challenge based learning courses. The modules were analysed, contributing to the further development of the challenge based learning model. To create a model for evaluating the HEIs’ societal impact the engagement with society, a similar approach was adopted by evaluating and analysing the project’s societal impact (Semantic Analysis, Google Analytics). This was accompanied with 3 stages of research on societal impact (desk research, quantitative and quantitative study).The knowledge gained from these international surveys are integrated into the final project publication available online as web-resource as well as downloadable e-publication. The final publication enables the stakeholders and interested audience to navigate within a diamond-shaped model get a brief overview of the matter first, and also deeper knowledge from various references, added reports, insights, examples etc.

HEISE was a 36-months project with six (6) partners: Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (Estonia; main coordinator), Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki (Finland), Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland), Aalto University (Finland), Estonian Business School (Estonia), Universidad del País Vasco/ Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (Spain). The partners represented widely the field of HEIs from art to business and social sciences to economics complemented each other’s expertise of social and societal challenges, higher education pedagogy, innovative learning methodologies such as arts based methods as well as evaluation of impacts.

One of the main results of the project is a comprehensive publication guiding HEI teachers and managers to integrate art and challenge based learning methods into teaching. This will further result in greater societal engagement and impact of HEIs. HEISE project affected the students and stakeholders of HEI by the challenge based learning methods which resulted in a more active dialogue between them while solving the real-life societal challenges collaboratively. The project had an impact on the management of HEIs and the way they strategically integrate the societal engagement and impact into their operations. The project added new knowledge on societal impact of HEIs and its evaluation to the participating audience of two Multiplier events. The long-term benefits lie in the further development of course content in which the challenge based learning methods are utilized. In addition, the longer-term impact of systematically evaluating the impact of HEIs will increase the importance of the topic leading to broader societal engagement of HEIs, which will further affect the way citizens understand intercultural and social inclusion.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 292412,88 Eur

Project Coordinator

Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia & Country: EE

Project Partners

• AALTO KORKEAKOULUSAATIO SR
• LAUREA-AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU OY
• EBS EDUCATION OU
• TAIDEYLIOPISTO
• UNIVERSIDAD DEL PAIS VASCO/ EUSKAL HERRIKO UNIBERTSITATEA