UBU (ES)

Universidad de Burgos (UBU) is a public university which develops its mission with a comprehensive and quality education, close to the student, focused on internationalization and which, in only 25 years, has become a reference in Spanish university research and in the transfer of knowledge towards business. It occupies privileged positions both in Europe – among the best 150 – and in the world – among the best 1000 (Times Higher Education ranking). With over 8,100 students and 1000 teachers/researchers at 7 faculties and colleges, its educational offer consists of 24 diplomas, 5 of which are also taught online and 3 bilinguals in English and Spanish, 8 double diplomas, 26 masters, 3 online and 6 in semi-attendance, 11 doctoral programs and 20 own titles.

UBU leads this project through a multidisciplinary team with solid experience and funded projects in social innovation as well as meaningful learning and its didactic implications in the teaching and learning processes at different educational levels.

HAMK (FI)

Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK) is a multidisciplinary university with 28 bachelor, 12 master, and 4 professional teacher education programs and over 8000 students. HAMKs mission is to provide sustainable professional higher education to support students’ professional development, requirements and development of the world of work, and to carry out applied research and development important at regional, national and global levels. HAMK provides international education, RDI projects, as well as mobility and has a significant impact on internationalisation of the region’s enterprises and community.

HAMK also provides the nations´ only sustainability education and research programs taught in Finnish. The work of the HAMK Edu Research Unit contributes to the development of HAMK School of Professional Teacher Education (SPTE) and the overall pedagogical development at HAMK. HAMK Edu and SPTE experts are forerunners of modern pedagogy both in vocational and higher education at a national and international level.

NHL Stenden (NL)

NHL Stenden is a medium sized multi-sectoral University of Applied Sciences, a profession-oriented university with its main campus cated in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands with approximately 25.000 students. The University consists of 14 academies, covering a wide professional field and offering more than 150 accredited programs. The two Academies of Education (Primary Education and Secondary and Vocational Education) offer AD, BA and Masters teacher training programs for primary education and 15 different secondary and vocational school subjects. All programs in the Teacher Training Academies are based on the principles of Design Based Education; students develop their professional competencies by working on the basis of authentic tasks defined by the World of Work, following the design cycles of Design Based Education.

The InnovationLab and the research circle Design Based Education are the NHLS units that will participate in the project. The educational consortia NHL-Stenden collaborates with teacher training institutes Frosk and School of Education, administrative structures that operate at a level above individual schools in Friesland and Groningen. The shared objective is to develop and train competent teachers. Experts from schools and higher education institutions work together to achieve this goal. Both Frosk and the School of Education focus on educating and professionalizing both in-service and pre-service students.

TUS (IE)

The Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) is one of eleven state universities in Ireland. TUS is an independent autonomous Designated Awarding Body (DAB), with powers to make awards from Level 6 to Level 10 of the National Framework of Qualifications. TUS was designated a Technological University on October 1st, 2021, based on the merger as a new Technological University, TUS has significant scale with over 15,000 students and over 1,700 staff, located in its 5 vibrant campuses. TUS is defined by its geographical reach and regional composition, bordering almost half of Ireland’s 26 counties, transforming the availability and accessibility of university education that is student-centred research informed, regionally relevant, and accessible to all.

TUS is a strategic knowledge generator and technology transfer partner of choice for companies and organisations facing the challenges of achieving sustainable competitive advantage in their marketplace. TUS research and development activities are closely aligned with its innovation and enterprise activities and aims to maximise the impact, value, and return of our research activities. The Department of Technology Education delivers programme from undergraduate to Ph.D in the area of design and technology education. In addition, Faculty in the Department have significant involvement in STEM outreach to both primary and second level schools in the region, delivering programmes i.e. Design and Innovation, Future Tech Explorers, and LEGO workshops for both pupils and teachers.

HOWEST (BE)

HOWEST is a University of Applied Sciences and Arts, a higher education institution with more than 10.000 students enrolled pursuing 35 Bachelors covering a wide range of disciplines, including futureproof education & pedagogy. Within the teacher training program of the University College, practice-oriented research is conducted mainly focusing on future proof education (target audience: Student teachers, teachers and teachers’ educators). The research topics are tailored to the current needs in the educational field, focusing on three domains: 1) digital didactics (focus on the interaction between didactics, educational technology, digital skills and innovation); 2) well-being of students and teachers and 3) STEAM and project based working.

The expertise in Peer support, stimulating various competencies that encourage young people to become the director of their own lives and from there find the strength and develop the empathy to support others in this leading to create a necessary positive climate as a prerequisite for a successful transition, at school, to the labour market and a full participation in society. Other resounding projects: DLAB Changemakers – breaking personal and environmental boundaries. The DLAB project (Digital Learning across Boundaries) inspired by the changemaker movement, seeked to build the skills and attributes for individuals to find innovative solutions to society’s challenges.

IPLeiria (PT)

The Polytechnic Institute of Leiria (IPLeiria) is the only public HEI in the Leiria and West regions of Portugal. IPLeiria has unique and international-linked degrees and more than 10 bachelor’s and master’s degrees taught in English. As a whole, it has more than 14.400 students, including more than 1.100 international students from 60 countries contributing to a multicultural learning and research environment. The institution has been adapting itself with internal structures to support innovative pedagogical models and unique strategies to promote a general inclusion policy. This is the case of the Distance Learning Unit, providing digital technologies and expertise to support innovative pedagogical opportunities in various modalities, e.g., MOOCs, BIPs, and the “CRID – Resource Centre for Digital Inclusion” which is a reference in the “Portugal Social Innovation Program”.

Over the years, IPLeiria has developed a solid research background in digital technologies, including ICT, direct digital manufacturing, health technologies, communications, and cybersecurity, also in environmental sciences, sustainability and biotechnologies, as well as social innovation and inclusion strategies for higher education.

IPCA (PT)

The Polytechnic University of Cávado and Ave is the youngest Portuguese Public Higher Education Institution established in December 1994 with a student population of over 7400 students. IPCA’s mission is to contribute towards the development of society, stimulate cultural creation, research and applied research and promote reflective and humanistic thought. IPCA has currently six schools: School of Management, School of Technology; School of Design; School of Hospitality and Tourism; Technical Superior School; and Sports, Well-being and Biomedical Systems School.

IPCA has a Professional Master’s degree in Supporting Technologies for STEAM Education, aiming to develop skills in digital technologies and training teachers and trainers to apply these technologies in project-based learning approaches. 2AIIPCA is actively involved in education and skills development, conducting training programs and workshops under RUN-EU that emphasize best practices in teaching and research, covering topics such as effective supervision, teaching research, and digital transition. 2AI-IPCA also actively promotes research among young students through events like OpenIPCA.

CFIE Burgos (ES)

The Centro de Formación del Profesorado e Innovación Educativa (CFIE) aims to be a useful tool for information and communication within all members of the educational community in non-university educational centers. CFIE mission is to ensure that ongoing teacher training carried out assists non-university teachers in their professional updating and improvement (required to face new educational challenges), is excellent, is put into practice, and reaches the classrooms, thereby enhancing the quality of education they provide.

This mission is accomplished through anticipation (strategic level), adjusting training to needs and demands, conducting quality training activities, monitoring, and evaluating them to ensure effectiveness, efficiency, and continuous improvement. CFIE Burgos is administratively dependent on the Burgos Provincial Education Directorate of Burgos.