Wroclaw 2023
“Become
SUStainable through Education!”
August 2023
Report of the BEST Symposia on Education Wroclaw 2023 “Become SUStainable through Education!”. Produced by the Educational Involvement Department for the Board of European Students of Technology
Authors
Angelos Kokkinis (University of Patras, Greece)
Ariel Ediang (University of Liège, Belgium)
Selma Isic (Dzemal Bijedic University of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Ljiljana Kheirawi (University of Belgrade, Serbia)
Preface
Board of European Students of Technology AISBL
The Board of European Students of Technology AISBL (BEST AISBL) is a constantly growing non-representative, apolitical and non-profit voluntary student organisation, whose vision is to empower diversity The purpose of BEST AISBL is to help European students of technology to become more internationally minded, by reaching a better understanding of European cultures and developing the capacity to work on an international basis.
To empower diversity, BEST AISBL strives to develop students of technology through various core activities and services One of the three main core activities is Educational Involvement and the BSE is a service of it Through the Educational Involvement Department, BEST AISBL strives to listen to the students’ ideas on what can be changed in their universities, study programmes and curricula BEST AISBL is eager to be in close collaboration with the stakeholders of higher education, letting them know about innovative solutions, coming from the main receivers of education - students
BEST AISBL cooperates with several corporate, career support, project and university partners to provide its services
BEST Symposia on Education
BEST Symposia on Education (BSE) were created to involve students in the process of educational improvement and raise their awareness about the possibility of students being involved in their education. Together with the other stakeholders involved directly or indirectly in educational matters, students discuss a variety of education-related topics BEST AISBL counts on both participants of the event and stakeholders to provide insights on current educational matters most actively, in order to influence changes in education across Europe
In a BEST Symposia on Education, participants are provided with the opportunity to express their thoughts on educational matters, which are then presented in events’ final reports Reports are used as a resource for writing papers on particular topics, typically submitted and presented in scientific conferences dealing with Higher Educational matters, thus making students’ voices heard
BEST Symposia on Education Wroclaw 2023
Purpose
The purposes of the BSE Wroclaw 2023 were the following:
● Raising students’ awareness of education-related matters, and gathering input from tertiary-level students of STEM fields on various methods to tackle sustainable development;
● To practice and develop the skills such as presentation skills, interpersonal and communication skills, as well as improve their international interdisciplinary cooperation and teamwork of the participants.
Content Team
Alongside the experts on education, a content team of BEST AISBL members designed the sessions for the BSE Wroclaw 2023. Their contact information is shown below.
BSE Coordinator Angelos Kokkinis aggelos.kokkinis@BEST-eu.org Angelos Kokkinis Resume
BSE Facilitator Ariel Ediang ariel.ediang@best-eu.org Ariel Ediang CV
BSE Facilitator Selma Isic selma.isic@best-eu.org Selma Isić CV
BSE Facilitator Ljiljana Kheirawi ljiljana.kheirawi@best-eu.org
Participants
A total of 20 students of technology were engaged in the sessions of BSE Wroclaw Their personal data is shown in Table 1.
Table 1. List of participants’ details; university and nationality
University
Aalto University Pakistani
National Technical University of Athens Greek
Suleyman Demirel University Turkish
Aalborg University German
Bogazici University Turkish
University of Maribor Slovenian
Technical University of Madrid Spanish
Bogazici University Turkish
Politecnico di Milano Ecuador
University of Porto Portuguese
Czech Technical University in Prague Czech
Technical University of Madrid Spanish
University of Porto Portuguese
Technical University of Madrid Spanish
University of Novi Sad Serbian
University of Belgrade Serbian
Yildiz Technical University Turkish
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid Spanish
University of Porto Portuguese
University of Belgrade Serbian
Nationality
Acknowledgements
The BEST Symposia on Education (BSE) “Become SUStainable through Education” took place from the 24th of July until the 1st of August 2023. Several contributions made the event possible, to whom the writers of this report would like to pay a special acknowledgement
Local BEST Group Wroclaw
The authors of the report would like to thank all the members of the Local BEST Group (LBG) Wroclaw who organised the BSE and provided tremendous support during it Moreover, the writers would like to express personal gratitude and acknowledgement to the Core Team and Board of LBG Wroclaw.
Main Organiser: Weronika Martyka
Social Responsible: Antonina Matczak
Participants Responsible: Dawid Strzeszewski
Logistics Responsible: Aleksandra Wróblewska
Graphics & PR Responsible: Jakub Iwaszkiewicz
Fundraising Responsibles: Natalia Piegat & Paulina Michalska
Angels: Jagoda Wierzbińska & Kacper Koler
Educational Involvement Department
BSE Wroclaw is a project initiated and conducted by the Educational Involvement Department of BEST. Through the Educational Involvement Department, BEST AISBL strives to make students' ideas, on what can be changed in their universities, study programs and curricula, heard
The writers would like to express their gratitude to all the people involved in the Educational Involvement Department.
Educational Involvement
Educational Involvement Department Coordinator Department Coordinator 2022-2023: 2023-2024: Maria Carolina Janeiro Ariel Ediang
BSE Adviser 2022-2023: Vladica Pasic
More Information
Homepage of BEST/Educational Involvement: www best eu org/educationalInvolvement
Homepage of Local BEST Group Wroclaw: http://www best wroclaw pl/ Homepage of PWR: https://pwr.edu.pl/
Executive Summary
BEST Symposia on Education Wroclaw 2023
The BSE Wroclaw 2023 was an event that took place from the 24th of July, 2023, to the 1st of August, 2023 As indicated in the title of the event, the event was held in Wroclaw, Poland, and there 20 students of technology from diverse backgrounds had the opportunity to participate and provide their insights in discussions addressing the Education for Sustainable Development. The insights from the students can be found in the outcomes of eachh session from page 11
The event was designed following the suggestions of various institutions such as UNESCO which proposes topics to tackle, and a series of internal discussions of members of the Educational Involvement Department. The main objective of this event was to raise awareness on education-related matters, gather input from tertiary-level students of STEM fields and give students a voice when looking at how sustainability is addressed in engineering education.
Programme Schedule
Official
Opening Day
The Official Opening Day of the BSE Wroclaw 2023 was a sub-activity that was held one day before the official activities of the event. There, the participants of the BSE, as well as representatives from the University, the Industry and other NGOs participated in various activities such as keynotes, panel discussions and workshops.
The theme of the Official Opening Day was Sustainable Development Goals and the activities that took place are summarised below:
Keynotes
In the beginning, official speeches were conducted by the University of Science and Technology of Wroclaw, the representing Students Council, the Local BEST Group of Wroclaw, the Core Team and the Content Team of the BSE, and by Budimex
Panel Discussion
Following the keynotes, a panel discussion took place with representatives from Budimex, ESN, EPSA, BEST AISBL and BEST Wroclaw. In the panel discussion, topics related to SDGs, skills and good practices were addressed.
Official
Activities
The day after the Official Opening Day (26th of July), the official activities were held With the official activities, we are referring to the sessions conducted during the BSE by the Content Team. The sessions can be found on page 11
List of sessions
The list of sessions is summarised below:
1. Basic skills and competences needed in the 21st century
2 What can my curriculum contribute to sustainable development?
3. Plan and implement an entrepreneurial and social project
4 Lifelong learning for a more sustainable world
5. Plan and run quality education awareness campaigns
6. Case study on the education system and access to tertiary education
7 What is a sustainable University/ School?
8. Education as a public good, a fundamental human right and a basis for guaranteeing the realisation of other rights
Methodology
The sessions designed by the Content Team of the BSE were developed with the intent to engage with the students rather than presenting a general case Therefore, various methods of facilitation were used during sessions which are summarised below.
Discussion Groups
A discussion group is an interactive oral process in which a group of people is given a topic or a situation and after thinking about it for a few minutes, they discuss their points of view with each other. The opinions and ideas are expressed in a systematic way.
World Café
World Café methodology is a simple, effective, and flexible format for hosting large group dialogues Participants are divided into groups, each starting from a different spot or table Each table has a specific topic which is being discussed Discussions are recorded and after the allocated time, groups change tables. After moving to the new table, groups familiarise themselves with what was previously discussed there, after which the new group adds their ideas. This process is repeated until all the groups have been to all the tables. Finally, the ideas from each table are presented to all the participants
Brainstorming
Brainstorming is a structured process which encourages the generation of a large number of ideas in a group setting. All ideas are recorded, and no judgments or evaluations are made. It is perhaps the most popular technique used in groups to expand the thinking process Brainstorming works on the premise that even crazy and “wild” ideas should be listed, as they may spark new and practical ideas that would otherwise not have surfaced Participants of the brainstorming session are encouraged to contribute any ideas and to build upon others’ ideas.
Sessions
The theme of BSE Wroclaw 2023 was Education for Sustainable Development. However, Sustainable Development covers a wide variety of topics and therefore to be precise, the main SDG of the event was Goal 4 “Quality Education” However, since all the Sustainable Development Goals are important, the sessions were designed in a way that made possible the connection of Quality Education with other SDGs as well such as Good Health and Well-Being, Reduced Inequalities and Climate Action. The sessions were, as follows:
1 Basic skills and competences needed in the 21st century
2. What can my curriculum contribute to sustainable development?
3. Plan and implement an entrepreneurial and social project
4. Lifelong learning for a more sustainable world
5. Plan and run quality education awareness campaigns
6 Case study on the education system and access to tertiary education
7. What is a sustainable University/ School?
8. Education as a public good, a fundamental human right and a basis for guaranteeing the realisation of other rights
9. Project Outcomes
Each of the sessions is reported in the following structure:
● Background;
● Methodology;
● Outcomes.
1. Basic skills and competences needed in the 21st century Background
The purpose of the session was to get outcomes from participants on the following topics: which skills are most important for future engineers, what is the motivation that can keep them going, and then they had to create mind maps on how to get there (how to reach the “ideal” profile of a future engineer). After presenting the outcomes, participants needed to brainstorm on: why those skills are important for them, how they can help them as future engineers, and how they will apply these skills in the future.
Methodology
The session started with a definition of a skill, and then participants were asked to write down the five most important skills for future engineers and then to discuss them out loud. After showing them the data for those, we tried to show them the difference between hard and soft skills and urgent and non-urgent skills. Then we had group work in pairs: one participant is an employer and is interviewing another one (the one who tries to get a job), and after they change roles. The first part of the session finished with group work: Participants needed to choose the skills that they wanted to achieve, see what their main motivations were, and then create a mind
map on how to get there. The next activity of the session is brainstorming on primary factors that keep participants motivated for work, skills that enable them to be in that state, and weaknesses they should improve
Outcomes
Creating mind maps - creating a plan on how to reach all the necessary/most relevant skills for the future engineer
The participants were split into four teams, and they were asked to answer the following questions:
1 What keeps you motivated to continue studying and researching the topic of your future job?
2. Which skills are necessary to create that state of mind?
3 How do I get there?
Group 1
Students presented that one of the most important things is to have a good mentorship system at work, good communication, and a good working environment. Also, that will make people love their jobs more and be more flexible, which is leading them to the main motivation: How much can you earn? They also believe that time management is really important and will make your life more balanced and effective.
Group 2
Team Two believes that one of the most important skills is discipline, which helps us improve ourselves in personal and work life as well as having the possibility to earn more They also believe that good communication is necessary, mostly for two aspects:
● Technical - effectiveness, preventing waste, better time management, and being more productive.
● Personal - prevent misunderstanding, improve teamwork, express ourselves, and share feelings.
Group 3
The third group also chose discipline as the main objective They believe that it helps with accomplishing goals, promotes motivation, and makes us learn more and improve personally.
They also think that it is important to have a concrete goal and a concrete plan for how to get there, and then to work on the following skills: balance, flexibility, time management, discipline, and also to get to know yourself better.
Group 4
The fourth team shared their vision in four main aspects:
● Good working environment
● Communication.
● Effectiveness.
● And focus as the main skill: they think that focus makes people more efficient, eliminates distractions and is more productive.
Brainstorming on primary factors that are keeping you motivated for work, skills that enable you to be in that state and weaknesses you should improve
1. Primary factors that are keeping you motivated for work
● Most frequently mentioned: salary, good working environment, productivity.
● Less/average mentioned: job based on interest, useful work for environments and society, self-development, loving the work, being able to see the impact of the work I do, knowing that I will be the CEO one day, being happy for trying to achieve my goals, working and cooperating with others, feeling of belonging, curiosity, wanting to deliver what I promised, learning new techniques, developing new soft and hard skills, feeling appreciated, knowledge and experience, being good at what you do, having clear goals, and travelling
2 Skills that enable you to be in that state
● Most frequently mentioned: communication, motivation, teamwork, critical thinking, creativity, adaptability, and problem-solving
● Less/average mentioned: time management, working under pressure, language skills, social skills, lifelong learning, computer skills, focus, organisational skills
● Habits: Positivity, hard work, knowledge, quick learning.
3. Weaknesses you should improve
● Most frequently mentioned: communication, time management, stress management, focus, teamwork, technical skills, perfectionism.
● Less/average mentioned: academic writing, out of box thinking, being mind-tidy and tidy to have a good understanding of everything, daydreaming, self-improvement, taking things personally, leadership, doubting less, decreasing my screen time, trying to be less emotional, decision making, assertiveness, strictness, public speaking, quick thinking process, positivity, social anxiety, accepting mistakes, confidence, problem-solving.
2. What can my curriculum contribute to sustainable development? & 3. Plan and implement an entrepreneurial and social project
Background
Sustainable development is a global goal that aims to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. One of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015 is SDG 8, which focuses on promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. SDG 8 recognizes that economic development is essential for reducing poverty, improving living standards and ensuring social justice, but it also calls for a transformation of the current patterns of production and consumption that are harming the environment and human well-being.
Entrepreneurship, innovation and new technologies are key drivers of economic growth and development, as they create new opportunities, products, services and solutions that can address the social and environmental challenges of our time
Quality education is a fundamental human right and a public good that enables individuals and societies to achieve their full potential Quality education also calls for the teaching of skills far beyond literacy and maths, including critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity and innovation skills that are essential for the 21st century These skills can help students develop an entrepreneurial mindset, which is the ability to identify opportunities, take initiative, take risks, learn from failure and collaborate with others. Quality education can also help students acquire knowledge and values related to sustainable development, such as global citizenship, human rights, gender equality and environmental awareness.
Therefore, the main question of this session is:
How can quality education help engineering students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity and innovation skills that are essential for the 21st century?
To answer this question, multiple activities including working groups were done An outline of the session is given in the following section.
Methodology
The workshop was structured into main parts:
● Introduction: The facilitator presents the purpose of the session, he asks the participants to share their expectations toward the session and he presents what are the expected outcomes of the session.
● World café
Five teams of 4 participants split into tables The agenda of the café is the following:
- 11:45 - 12:00 Topic: How Quality education can enhance students' creativity and innovation skills?
- 12:00 - 12:10 Discussion & exchange of ideas
- 12:10- 12:35 Topic: How STEM education can address local challenges such as health, environment, and energy?
- 12:35 - 12:45 Discussion & exchange of ideas.
● Presentations: Each team explains their ideas and main findings for each topic
● Introduction to the project: With this small project, participants will have to propose an entrepreneurial and social project that fits within the framework of sustainable development, and they will have to use what they learn throughout the BSE and use the knowledge from their curriculum to think about all the aspects of such a project. A business model may be required and participants will present their ideas on the last day of the BSE.
● Session wrap-up: The facilitator concludes the session by reviewing the objectives, highlighting the main outcomes, and thanking the students for their participation The facilitator also provides the Project description
Outcomes
First question: How can Quality education enhance students' creativity and innovation skills?
● Group 1: Quality education should focus less on written exams and more on practical activities, but also maintain a balance between theory and practice
● Group 2: Quality education should provide more practical experience, out-of-the-box thinking, and diverse perspectives Quality education can also maximise the potential of students and help them understand current problems and have a big picture.
● Group 3: Quality education should define the end goals, learn from real world examples, and foster relationships and partnerships Quality education can also offer possibilities and solutions for many problems, and increase the creativity and potential of students. Quality education should also promote tolerance and free thinking, and create a safe environment where everyone can express their opinions and try new things.
● Group 4: Quality education should be more flexible and use new technologies instead of paper Quality education should also start lectures at a young age and provide workshops, internships, and interesting programs that can give students experience and boost their creativity
● Group 5: Quality education should include sustainability into the curriculum, and facilitate experience and knowledge sharing among students. Quality education should also allow flexibility for students to find time for other activities, and help them solve problems and see more things in practice. Quality education should also encourage
students to pay more attention to classes, network with actual companies, and have a proper schedule that includes rest
Discussion: Here is a summary of the participants' opinions on the question: do you think we should change the way we teach teachers?
● All participants agreed that teachers, especially university ones, should focus more on teaching than on research. They argued that researchers are not always good at teaching, and that teaching requires different skills and methods than research They implied that teachers should receive more training and support on how to teach effectively and engagingly, and how to adapt to the needs and preferences of their students.
Second question: How can STEM education address local challenges such as health, environment, and energy?
● Group 1: STEM education can address local challenges by providing students with the skills and knowledge to volunteer and contribute to solving problems that may not be directly related to their major, but still affect their daily life STEM education can also implement new technologies and let students test and provide feedback on them
● Group 2: STEM education can address local challenges by helping students face them during their studies, by offering more practice and less theory STEM education can also encourage students to collaborate with local stakeholders, such as engineers, locals, and authorities, to address issues such as waste management, air and noise pollution, and energy efficiency
● Group 3: STEM education can address local challenges by dividing them into easier and harder ones, and organizing projects where students can solve some of them STEM education can also provide some theoretical solutions for the harder ones, and involve students in an ongoing process of community meetings and consultations STEM education can also make students aware of how their activities will affect the future
● Group 4: STEM education can address local challenges by detecting the problems, doing some research, and having contact with companies related to these topics STEM education can also provide case studies, raise awareness for better quality education and its importance, and foster a culture of innovation and creativity among students
● Group 5: STEM education can address local challenges by showing students important things that can benefit the environment, such as better understanding of relationships, more awareness of the challenges the world is facing, and more motivation to recycle more, travel by car less, etc. STEM education can also provide case studies, international conferences, and networking opportunities for students to learn from experts and peers
Discussion: Here is a possible summary of the participants' opinions on the question: What do you think is the relationship between health and energy?
● All participants agreed that health and energy are interrelated and interdependent, and that they affect each other in various ways. They argued that having healthy people can
help to find solutions applicable to energy waste, as healthy people have more time, energy, and motivation to work on innovative and sustainable projects They also pointed out that there are harmful emissions that can impact health negatively, such as greenhouse gases, air pollutants, and radioactive substances, which are produced by some energy sources and processes They implied that reducing these emissions can improve health outcomes and quality of life.
Session wrap-up and general feedback
The session ended with a wrap-up and a reflection time, where the facilitator and the participants reviewed the objectives, outcomes, and activities of the session The facilitator also asked the participants to share their opinions and suggestions about the session, as well as their learning points and takeaways
The participants generally liked the session and found it relevant, interesting, and interactive. They appreciated the ice breaker, the video, the group work, and the final discussion activities. They also learned about the concept and importance of innovation for sustainable development and the SDGs, and how they are related to their field of study and profession. They also analyzed and discussed how their current curriculum addresses or integrates sustainability and SDGs, and what are the gaps or opportunities for improvement. They also proposed and justified some changes or additions to their curriculum that would enhance their knowledge, skills, values and attitudes towards sustainability and SDGs They also shared their perspectives and practices on integrating sustainability into their curricula, as well as identified opportunities and challenges for further improvement They also reflected on the impact of quality education on creativity and innovation skills, and how STEM education can address local challenges such as health, environment and energy.
The participants also suggested some areas for improvement (for future sessions), such as having more breaks, more discussions, less questions but one or two bigger ones, more practical examples, more flexibility in choosing topics, more feedback from the facilitator, more fun activities or games.
The facilitator thanked the participants for their participation and provided some resources for further learning.
During the session the facilitator presented the project that participants will do throughout the BSE. Please refer to session 9: project outcomes.
4. Lifelong learning for a more sustainable world Background
Lifelong learning is a form of self-initiated education that is focused on personal development While there is no standardized definition of lifelong learning, it has generally been taken to refer to the learning that occurs outside of a formal educational institute, such as a school, university, or corporate training
Participants are getting familiar with the meaning and importance of lifelong learning.
The SDG: Quality education is presented
Participants are asked to name some of the global challenges that we are facing in 2023 and then to introduce possible solutions for: “How can lifelong learning help to solve them?”
The purpose of the session was to become more aware of: who is a lifelong learner, how lifelong learning can help them in their everyday lives, and how they can work together to make a change
Methodology
The session started with a presentation from our side We tried to familiarize the participants with the terms and importance of lifelong learning as well as its connection with the SDGs. Then we had group work Participants were divided into five random groups of a similar size and got the task of writing down “How can lifelong learning help to address global challenges”, and “Who is a lifelong learner?” and then presenting their ideas. Before the work, we showed them key aspects that should be their main focus Following that, there was a group discussion about the outcomes of the group work and a presentation on the following skills.
The last activity of the session was how and why to transform higher education institutions into lifelong learning ones and how universities can support students in lifelong learning.
Outcomes
Group activity: “How can lifelong learning help address global challenges?”
Group 1 (Ilich, Akrivi)
Keeping the innovations and technology will help a lot the current things
Open your minds on solving problems; it encourages you to find solution
Lifelong learning is important to continuously improve people's daily lives regarding problems and how to prevent them
With lifelong learning, you could prevent issues from happening in the future
Group 2 (Jaroslav, Teodor)
Idea on analyzing the education levels in society: In society, there are people with no education, basic education and people with a college/university degree
People with no education
o No awareness about their rights and laws
o No awareness regarding the concept of social justice
o No knowledge regarding how to access this information
▪ Lifelong learning will help them understand their rights and know how to access it for others
▪ Lifelong learning serves as a process that will help them agree on policy changes
People with basic education
o They know few things regarding the law and the concept of social justice
o They do not know how to apply the concept of social justice
▪ Lifelong learning will help them understand how to apply the concept of social justice
▪ Lifelong learning will help them influence policymakers
People with university degree
o Lifelong learning will help them self-improve, develop their leadership skills
o They can represent their country on platforms such as UN and therefore they can influence the world
Group 3 (Milos, Sandra)
The group is presenting how we should work on our body (walk 30 minutes a day, have trainings, eat healthy), and how we should work to improve our mind and mindset-With lifelong learning, curiosity and desire, we can raise awareness, share experiences and fight against diseases such as Alzheimer
People with lifelong learning might have a better economic situation and access to more opportunities, which could lead to better physical and mental health
Group 4 (Ines, David)
Social justice- Lifelong learning promotes equality and access to education
● The goal of lifelong learning is to keep people educated, and therefore people will use the most up to date theories and hence can improve social justice practices to a better level, especially if they work as teachers or on a governmental body
● With lifelong learning, hopefully, we could decrease issues such as discrimination and inequality and reduce issues with marginalized minorities
● It empowers people and therefore we hope it could reduce issues such as with unemployment
Group 5 (Sergio, Jorge)
Lifelong learning provides you with more knowledge and perspective than the specific knowledge we are getting in formal institutions, and it also allows us to tackle environmental issues
Other benefits:
● People who are used to lifelong learning could be more accepting to changes, keep their ego aside, and identify fake news
● You get access to new opportunities that you might not have known before
● You can train yourself to be more active and engaged in society You can be a mentor for others and inspire them online. You can fight for others.
Summary
How to do it analyze the diversity in society and how can help a single group by raising awareness and providing better and more accessible possibilities for everyone
Why do it it makes your perspective wider, gives you access to new opportunities, makes you more engaged in society, improves social justice practices, decreases discrimination and inequality, reduces unemployment, and helps you build a stronger and healthier mindset. It is important to continuously improve your daily life
Group activity on ‘’Who is a lifelong learner?’’
Team Mindset Habits Skills
A (Jorge, Jaroslav, Javier, Ceren)
Proactiveness, out of the box, openminded, not afraid of failing, dreamer, curious, strong mentality and dedication
B (Akrivi, Burak, Pedro, Teodor) Risk takers, adventurous, creative, ambitious, enthusiastic, disciplined, innovative, positive, curious, and open minded
C (Sergio, Ines, Nilsu and Afzaal)
Proactive, Critical thinking, humble,
Time for self reflection, health lifestyle (mentally and physically), consistency and motivation
Reading, mediating, researching, trying new things, discipline, exercising, writing, journaling, socializing, time management, organisation, welty diet
Time management discipline, creativity, information processing, and patience
Adaptive, calm, focused, disciplined, learning to learn?, confident, consistent, persistent, organized, good teacher
Prioritize rest, learning time slots, adding ME time, and Diligence, persistence, resilience, practical
D (David, Milos, Joana and Iilich)
realistic, and ambitious mental and physical health approach, and time management
Focused, time management, open minded, disciplined, fearless, values knowledge, curious, confident
E (Natalija, Sandra, Erdem and Carsten) No fear to fail, openminded, eager to learn, adventurous, pragmatic, humble, flexible
Challenge yourself to try new things, side learning, educating yourself, questioning, active listening and sharing Social skills, time management, discipline, awareness, and resilience
Transforming Higher Education Institutions into Lifelong Learning Institutions
1. Why do it?
● For more efficiency
● To enable lifelong learning to people
● Self development
● In order to benefit
● Skill sharing
● Not paying too much money
● Socializing
● People have access to education through life
● People who have same vision come together
● Move developed society
● Show that education and learning don’t stop after college
2 How to do it?
● Offer courses and activities for older people
● A free workshop supported by the government
How can universities support you in lifelong learning?
● Open self-study areas
● Universities can offer both studies, in-class and distance learning studies
● More interactive educational events can be organized
● Trainings delivered by alumni of universities
5. Plan and run quality education awareness campaigns
Background
This session aimed to provide participants with the tools and strategies to design and implement effective public education campaigns that raise awareness and action on quality education issues, such as access, equity, relevance, and excellence. The session also explored how quality education awareness campaigns can support ESD by addressing some of the SDGs, such as SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). The session was interactive and participatory, involving group work, discussions, and presentations
Methodology
The workshop was structured into main parts:
● Introduction :
- Introduction on what quality education is and why it is important.
- Presentation of the principles and goals of quality education according to international frameworks (Agenda 2030, SDG 4, etc.)
- Presentation of examples of successful campaigns on quality education (Global Campaign for Education, UNICEF, etc.)
● Activity: discussion group
Five teams of 4 participants split into tables The agenda is the following:
- 9:25 - 9:45 Topic: Identification of the challenges and opportunities for promoting quality education in the local context of the participants
- 9:45 - 9:55 Discussion & exchange of ideas
● Slide sharing
Presentation of the tools and methods for planning and implementing effective campaigns on quality education (needs analysis, goal setting, target selection, message development, channel selection, result evaluation, etc )
● World café
Five teams of 4 participants split into tables. The agenda of the café is the following
- 9:25 - 9:45 Topic: Design of an action plan for a campaign on quality education
- 9:45 - 9:55 Discussion & exchange of ideas
● Session wrap-up: The facilitator concludes the session by reviewing the objectives, highlighting the main outcomes, and thanking the students for their participation
Outcomes
Introduction
The facilitator, Ariel, introduced the topic and its agenda, and used a presentation to guide the session. The participants shared their expectations from the session, which were mainly to learn how to sell the idea and not marketing.
Ariel explained the aims of the session, and asked the participants about their previous session on lifelong learning. The participants recalled the main concepts and skills they learned about lifelong learning, such as formal and non-formal opportunities, open-mindedness, and continuous improvement.
Presentation of the principles of Quality Education
Ariel started by explaining quality education: With quality education, you ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all In a simpler manner, you achieve:
● Lifelong learning opportunities for all;
● Equity, inclusion and gender equality;
● Effective learning and the acquisition of relevant knowledge, skills and competencies;
Relevance of learning, in terms of vocational and technical skills for decent work as well as for global citizenship in a plural and interconnected world.
All of these are connected with the fourth Sustainable Development Goal, namely Quality Education.
Discussion group
After the definition and the aims of quality education, the participants watched an educational video connected to it Then, the participants had a discussion on the following topic: Identification of the challenges and opportunities for promoting quality education in the local context of the participants The discussion was clustered by country as follows:
● Portugal: The participants from Portugal mentioned the following challenges for promoting quality education in their local context:
➔ Violence against teachers, especially in primary schools, by some families of the students.
➔ Lack of access to primary schools close to their homes for some students, due to insufficient supply and transportation.
➔ Poor hygiene conditions for some students, affecting their concentration and learning
➔ The inflation of grades by private schools, giving an unfair advantage to their students over the public school students in entering public universities or colleges.
➔ The need to educate both the parents and the children, because the home environment affects the learning outcomes of the students
● Pakistan: The participant from Pakistan mentioned the following challenges for promoting quality education in their local context:
➔ Lack of quality education in most of the country and unwillingness of people to learn because they think it is useless.
➔ High competition and pressure to get high grades and enter university, leading to loss of hope and motivation for some students
● Czech Republic: The participant from Czech Republic mentioned the following challenge for promoting quality education in their local context:
➔ The need to educate the parents first, because they influence their children's attitudes and values towards education
● Slovenia: The participant from Slovenia mentioned the following challenge for promoting quality education in their local context:
➔ The difficulty of convincing the adults who do not value education and have a fixed mindset, compared to the children who are more open to learning.
● Spain: The participant from Spain mentioned the following challenges for promoting quality education in their local context:
➔ The distraction of social media and other activities that take away time and attention from reading and learning
➔ The lack of motivation and enthusiasm of some teachers, especially those who are tired and overworked, affecting the quality of teaching and learning
● Greece: The participant from Greece mentioned the following challenge for promoting quality education in their local context:
➔ The underfunding of education, resulting in poor infrastructure, low salaries, and lack of resources.
➔ The extra benefits that private schools offer, such as recommendation letters and networking opportunities, that are not available to public school students
● Germany: The participant from Germany mentioned the following challenge for promoting quality education in their local context:
➔ The lack of funding for public schools, creating a gap between the students who can afford private schools and those who cannot
To the question asked by Ariel : In your local communities, is education accessible to everyone and also is there gender equality, a respect for every human right? Here are the answers from participants by country :
● Germany: The participants from Germany mentioned the following challenges for promoting quality education in their local context:
➔ The dependence of the education system on the socio-economic status of the parents, creating inequality and disadvantage for some students
➔ The rise of racism and neo-nazism in some schools, especially in the eastern parts, threatening the human rights and safety of some students.
● Portugal: The participant from Portugal mentioned the following challenge for promoting quality education in their local context:
➔ The labeling and stigmatization of some students as problematic, based on their income or background, affecting their self-esteem and learning potential.
● Pakistan: The participant from Pakistan mentioned the following challenges for promoting quality education in their local context:
➔ The lack of accessibility and affordability of education for everyone, especially for those who cannot afford private schools, colleges, and universities
➔ The gender inequality and discrimination in education, especially in rural areas, where there are fewer schools for women
Wold café
After the presentation of the tools and methods for planning and implementing effective campaigns on quality education, Ariel introduced the activity work: “Now you need to know what is lacking in your local communities I want you to set clear goals, a plan of how to achieve them and a target. You also need to find a way to analyse results, is it working or is it not? You also need to seek feedback You have to design a national platform, a campaign on quality education ” The participants were then split into teams and worked on the activity
● Team A
Team A presented their idea of providing free education for everyone and scholarships for students funded by companies. Their main goal is to reduce inequalities and increase access to quality education They explained how they would encourage companies to donate money to their foundation by offering them tax discounts. They also shared their achievements in the period from 2010 to 2022, such as having more than 500 companies and 200,000 scholarships in 50,000 universities.
Two questions were asked to Team A:
- The first question was about the system of scholarships, whether it would be limited to universities or also include high schools, and whether the amount of money would be sufficient for the students
- The second question was about the type of companies they have partnerships with, and whether they would also provide benefits for the students in other areas such as housing.
Team A answered the questions as follows:
- They said they are focusing on universities for now, because they are more expensive than primary or high schools, and they have enough companies to support them.
- They said they have partnerships with all kinds of companies, and they aim to benefit the students in every way possible.
● Team B
Team B presented their idea of creating better and improved schools for secondary education, with a focus on four aspects: career planning, innovation in knowledge, environmental awareness, and real-life skills They explained how they would provide students with opportunities to explore different careers, learn through applications, participate in global activities, and acquire practical skills such as finance management They also proposed to include more cultural classes and sex and gender education classes in the curriculum, to increase the students' awareness and respect for diversity
One question was asked to Team B:
- The question was about the age at which sex education should be introduced to the students.
Team B answered the question as follows:
- They said they would introduce sex education in middle and high schools, but some of them also suggested starting as early as possible, with topics such as anatomy and appropriate behavior
● Team C
Team C presented their idea of creating a more fair and balanced system of entrance exams for universities in Spain They explained how the current system is based on different exams for different regions, which creates inequality and disadvantage for some students. They proposed to raise awareness among students and teachers, conduct a referendum, compare the exams from different regions, and create a common exam for everyone. They also shared their experience from Serbia, where the entrance exams are based on the university and not the region
Four questions were asked to Team C:
- The first question was about the tendency of some regions to have harder exams than others, and how it affects the students' chances of entering their preferred university.
- The second question was about the role of teachers in the proposed change, and how they would be involved and motivated.
- The third question was about the allocation of spots for students from different regions in the universities, and whether there would be a quota or a merit-based system
- The fourth question was about the argument for the government to change the system, and what would be the benefits and challenges of doing so
Team C answered the questions as follows:
- They said that there is a tendency of some regions to have harder exams than others, and that it is unfair because all the exams have the same value regardless of the difficulty
- They said that teachers are important for the change, because they need to educate and support the students, and they also need to be aware of the problems of the current system
- They said that they prefer a merit-based system, where the students are evaluated based on their knowledge and not their region, and they gave an example from Serbia where most of the students are from different parts of the country.
- They said that the problem is that the regions need to decide on their own, and that they need someone to start the initiative and show them the benefits of having a more fair and balanced system.
● Team D
Team D presented their idea of changing the mentality and the system of education, to make it more inclusive and empowering for every student. They explained how the current system labels and stigmatizes some students as not good enough, based on their grades or their repetition of a year They also explained how some parents do not value education and do not support their children's learning. They proposed to create a more flexible and diverse curriculum, that allows students to explore and develop their talents, interests, and potentials, without being forced to fit into a one-size-fits-all model. They also proposed to create workshops, practical classes, and other activities that showcase the value and importance of every profession and skill. They aimed to motivate and inspire the students and the parents, and to create a culture of respect and appreciation for education.
● Team E
Team E presented their idea of creating a participatory and collaborative process of identifying and solving the issues of education in their local context They explained how they would interview teachers, students, and parents, and collect their expectations and experiences. They also explained how they would create a council of representatives from each group, and formulate a message and a target based on their input They proposed to use different types of media and a big gathering to communicate their message and raise awareness. They also proposed to analyse the results using various statistics and follow-up interviews, to measure the impact and effectiveness of their campaign.
6. Case study on the education system and access to tertiary education
Background
The aim of the session was to understand the concept of tertiary education and its challenges and to propose a plan/model for policy changes. During the session, a definition of tertiary education was provided as well with its distinction from other types of education Accompanied with the definition, three educational videos followed with the purpose of understanding the
challenges of education, education inequality and the future of tertiary education. In the last part of the session, the following activities took place:
1. A discussion focusing on the above questions:
a. Is education accessible to everyone?
b Is education actually free?
c. Is education preparing you for a life after school?
2 A case study where the participants, divided into groups, had to analyse the main strong and weak points of education and by using the golden circle, develop an initiative/event on education that would address those issues.
An explanation of the golden circle can be found in the following YouTube video by Simon Sinek.
Methodology
The session started by defining tertiary education and its main elements Then a discussion took place reflecting on the following questions: (a) Is education accessible to everyone? (b) Is education actually free? (c) Is education preparing you for life after school? Through this discussion, we wanted to get the point of view of our participants and slowly introduce them to the next activity which is the case study. Following the previous activity, the participants were divided into groups and they were assigned a case study to develop an initiative/event on education that would address those issues. For this activity, the groups had to use a concept called the golden circle which is a powerful tool to present your idea while focusing on its core, its vision -why.
Outcomes
The main outcome of this session was to develop and present an initiative/event on education that would address the issues stemming from the analysis of the strong and weak points of education The ideas can be found on the flipcharts below
Team A:
Team B:
Team C:
Team
Background
"The goal is to bring the concept of "smart cities" to universities and see how participants envision the University of the future based on matters related to sustainable development. "
Methodology
The workshop was structured into main parts:
● Introduction:
- Introduction on What is a smart city and how it relates to sustainable development
- Presentation of the concept of "smart cities" and its dimensions (social, economic, environmental, cultural, etc.)
- Presentation of the challenges and opportunities for applying the "smart cities" concept to universities and schools
● Activity: discussion group
- Discussion: the vision of a sustainable university/school of the future
● Video presentation
Presentation of some examples and best practices of sustainable universities/schools around the world: the city of Wroclaw and the city of Copenhagen, and the Colorado State University
● World café
Five teams of 4 participants split into tables The agenda of the café is the following
- 9:25 - 9:45 Topic: Developing a roadmap for transforming a university/school into a sustainable one
- 9:45 - 9:55 Discussion & exchange of ideas
● Session wrap-up: The facilitator concludes the session by reviewing the objectives, highlighting the main outcomes, and thanking the students for their participation
Outcomes
The session started with a presentation by Ariel on what is a smart city and how it relates to sustainability
Ariel then asked the participants to share their thoughts on life cycle analysis, a method to evaluate the environmental impact of a product or service from its creation to its disposal
The participants discussed the benefits and challenges of life cycle analysis, and gave examples of how it can be applied to compare different modes of transportation, such as electric cars and gasoline cars.
Ariel then asked the participants how they think smart city concepts can be implemented in smart universities, and what are the barriers and opportunities for doing so.
The participants suggested various ideas, such as making university buildings self-sufficient, using renewable energy sources, designing special courses or programs to tackle global problems, and creating street labs to experiment with smart technology and sustainability.
After a small break, Ariel presented an example of a sustainable university and asked the participants to reflect on the importance of small actions that can make a difference, such as planting trees, joining agricultural clubs, or raising awareness
The participants debated on whether small actions are enough or whether they need to be supported by larger institutions, such as universities or governments, and whether money is a necessary factor for making these actions possible.
The participants also discussed the role of students in creating change and challenging the status quo, and the need to think globally and not locally.
The session ended with Ariel dividing the participants into groups for their group projects, and asking them to think about a topic: “Developing a roadmap for transforming a university/school into a sustainable one”. Each group came up with different ideas.
● Group 1: suggested creating some agricultural clubs where students can learn and practice farming skills, and asking the government to provide electric scooters and cars for transportation They also proposed using renewable water sources and recycling water for laboratory purposes, and digitalised books and documents to reduce paper consumption
● Group 2: proposed a road map that shows the steps from university to sustainability, ranging from simple to complex They said that a simple step is to sort trash into specific bins, which anyone can do, and a complex step is to switch from non-renewable to renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and wind turbines They also mentioned that there are many student initiatives to plant trees and flowers on campus.
● Group 3: also considered using more electric transport and recycling papers to have less waste, and added that they could also use biodegradable materials and composting systems
8. Education as a public good, a fundamental human right and a basis for guaranteeing the realisation of other rights
Background
This session served as a reminder of why education plays an important role in things we take for granted such as public good, human rights etc.
Methodology
The session started with a big question “How would you define education?” Each participant was asked to provide their definition of education. Afterwards, the participants agreed on one definition and proceeded to tackle the question “What kind of problems are we facing?” and “Could education prevent them?”. Then, after the discussion ended, the participants had the time to reflect on each point and divide into teams to debate between themselves on the points raised
Outcomes
As was evident from the previous sessions as well, there are plenty of obstacles we are still facing in our current lives Some of those challenges are universal, while others might be centred around a specific geographical area. The obvious point is that if we sit with each other, we can provide possible solutions stemming from our different backgrounds and education plays a crucial role in the development of those backgrounds.
Some challenges that were mentioned can be found below:
● Education, today, is not so helpful in developing life skills which are essential;
○ It does not focus on a lifelong learning approach but rather focuses on getting just a diploma;
○ During the educational process, the main focus is getting a high grade rather than purely understanding the material and its importance.
● The cooperation between different majors is not taken into consideration During the work field, there are many different backgrounds and majors that come into place to cooperate with each other and achieve a specific goal, whereas, for example, it is not common for an engineer to collaborate with an arts or economics student for a project;
● Education is not completely free, as usually, students have to pay for their books in order to participate in a specific course;
● In some instances, students stemming from a private school have access to more opportunities rather than those stemming from a public school This creates an imbalance in society and discriminates the wealthy from the less rich families;
● Additionally, there are factual challenges that we are facing in our society, such as climate change, and some countries might not encourage their people to be part of the solution. For example, in Belgium, the citizens are encouraged to recycle but in Greece, this is not the case
9. Project Outcomes
Background
The session was introduced during the first official day of the BEST Symposium on Education. Now, since the participants were split into teams, they worked on their projects together by preparing a presentation.
Methodology
Each team was provided with a maximum of 15’ to present and a Q&A followed afterwards
Outcomes
As it was the last day of the BEST Symposium on Education, there were not a lot of questions being raised but rather more focus was given to the presentations of each team.
Group 1: SCHULE (Super Curriculum for High School's Unbeatable Lifelong Education)
The problems that the first group decided to investigate further and suggest solutions were the following:
● In general public, lack of understanding of sustainability;
● Education is gateway to solving/improving issues;
● Currently Sustainability is lacking in curriculum and only taught in a few subjects;
● Students are not prepared to address local and global sustainability issues;
● The government has not implemented sustainability issues in all subjects of the curriculum
To work on the existing problems, the goal set was sustainable education:
● Fortify sustainability education;
● Change Curriculum to include SDGs:
○ Becomes mandatory to teach about SDGs in every subject;
○ Knowledge about sustainability in different dimensions is spread more widely
To work on the solutions the proposed activities are the following:
● Educational and informal classes about sustainability;
● On sight and online activities (recycling)
The benefits are the following:
● Increased knowledge about different dimensions of sustainability and connections with aspects of lives;
● Higher likelihood that solutions for global and local challenges for are created
● Teaching people about sustainability they will acquire habits;
● Open Mind;
● New skills, awareness, adaptability;
● New jobs.
To promote the solution, a campaign is planned:
● Mobilise:
○ Protests;
○ Posters & Flyers;
○ Social Media & apps
● Advocate:
○ Town hall meetings;
○ Direct talks;
○ Collaborating with local educational institutions;
○ Trial runs
In regards to funding and logistics:
● National campaign office Headquarter in Berlin;
● 16 regional groups with their own Social Media media;
● Funded by donations;
● Work with volunteers
As a summary point:
● Education is a powerful tool to promote sustainability;
● Mandatory inclusion into the curriculum is increasing quality education, especially for sustainable education;
● Public multi-media campaign is a strong tool to pressure governments.
This project tackles the following Sustainable Development Goals:
● 3: Good Health and Well-being;
● 4: Quality Education;
● 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities;
● 13: Climate Action
Group 2: Ending Poverty
In the beginning, the team decided to focus on the problems identified in their countries:
● Pakistan:
○ Lack of basic Human rights;
○ Corrupted government;
○ Feudalism in rural areas;
○ Homelessness (10% live without homes);
○ Unfair resources distribution;
○ 39 3% people live below poverty line as of 2023
● Turkiye:
○ Political issues;
○ Discrimination in work spaces;
○ High prices;
○ 32 6% of individuals were at risk of poverty
● Serbia:
○ Political corruption;
○ Unaffordable housing;
○ Low salaries & High cost of living;
○ Democide
● Portugal:
○ The hourly wage for workers is extremely low compared to other countries in Europe;
○ One of the most unequal countries in Europe;
○ 16 4% of the population was at-risk-of-poverty in 2021
A solution to the problem above is the establishment of justachange pt How is this organisation going to function:
● +430 Interventions:
○ +330 family homes;
○ +95 rehabilitated social institutions.
● +4600 Beneficiaries:
○ Families and users of renovated institutions.
● +5500 Volunteers:
○ Volunteers & Corporate
● 28 Counties.
The major areas to work on:
● Sustainable group housing:
○ Volunteers help build group housing;
○ Rebuilding abandoned houses and renovating damaged ones;
○ Students are assisted by professionals
● Solutions:
○ Collaborate with hotels and travel companies to raise money for the organisation;
○ Volunteers can come from any country and accommodation is provided to them;
○ Sustainable house system
This project tackles the following Sustainable Development Goals:
● 1: No Poverty;
● 3: Good Health and Well-being;
● 6: Clean Water and Sanitation;
● 10: Reduced Inequalities;
● 11: Sustainable Cities & Communities.
Group 3: A call for air quality action
The team began by explaining the problem they are focusing on:
● Air pollution:
○ Air pollution is defined as the presence air pollution of harmful substances in the atmosphere due to human activities and natural processes;
○ Pollutants can be natural or man-made and are present in the form of gases, particles, or biological materials;
○ It poses serious health risks to humans, damages the environment (acid rain, ozone depletion ), economy and contributes to climate change
● Countries affected (as in 2022):
○ Serbia: Ranked 33 with 24 7;
○ Turkey: Ranked 45 with 21 1;
○ Poland: Ranked 62 with 16.3;
○ Chech Republic: Ranked 75 with 13 4;
○ Spain: Ranked 89 with 10.9.
● Causes:
○ Transportation: 25-30%;
○ Factories Industry: 20-25%;
○ Energy Production: 25-50%;
○ Construction/Destruction: 1-10%;
○ Residential Heating/Cooking: 15-20%;
○ Agriculture: 15-20%
The team, then, focused on their suggested solutions:
● Educate people;
● Usage of electronic transportation / public transportation;
● Filter usage in factories;
● Switch coal to renewable energy sources;
● Transportation to electric powered applications / heating systems;
● Government policies in promoting usage of renewable energy sources;
● Waste management / bioenergy production;
● Charging infrastructures
The conclusion is the following:
● Air pollution is a critical global challenge with diverse sources in cities It poses severe health, environmental, and economic consequences. However, by implementing the solutions we have found, we can address this issue Collaboration among governments, industries, and citizens is essential in enforcing regulations, adopting green technologies, and making conscious choices to reduce pollution By decreasing air pollution, we can create healthier communities, and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come
This project tackles the following Sustainable Development Goals:
● 4: Quality Education;
● 7: Affordable and Clean Energy;
● 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities;
● 13: Climate Action.
Group 4: The Plato Project
The team started by raising awareness about important issues The questions asked were the following:
● How many of you know how to
○ Do taxes;
○ React if someone anxiety attack;
○ Trace your way back with no technology;
○ Understand the political system?
● Did you learn those in your schools?
The team, then, pinpointed some important skills one should have:
● Coding;
● Taxes;
● Cooking;
● Insurance;
● Basic home repairing;
● Self-defence;
● Survival skills;
● Social etiquette;
● Personal finance;
● Public speaking;
● Car maintenance;
● Stress management.
Through the Plato Program, the team aims to elevate the academic experience and instil in students the tools they need to thrive both academically and in their future endeavours. The characteristics of the organisation are the above:
● Non-profit organisation;
● Website: forum;
● Classes: Improved CV;
● "TED talks";
● Practical lessons;
● Courses.
The business model goes as follows:
● Key Partners:
○ Educational Institutions;
○ Professional Experts;
○ Non-Profit Organisations
● Key Activities:
○ Curriculum Development;
○ Event Management;
○ Relationship Building.
● Key Resources:
○ Curriculum Development Team;
○ Network of Professionals;
○ Technological Infrastructure
● Value Proposition:
○ Enhanced Education;
○ Practical Knowledge;
○ Hands-On Learning.
● Customer Relationships:
○ Personalized Support;
○ Community Building;
○ Feedback Mechanism
● Channels:
○ Educational Institutions;
○ Online Platform;
○ Public Events
● Customer Segments:
○ Educational Institutions;
○ Students;
○ Professionals and Experts;
○ Non-Profit Organisations;
○ Sponsors and Donors
● Cost Structure:
○ Curriculum Development;
○ Event Organisation;
○ Operational Costs.
● Revenue Streams:
○ Program Fees;
○ Donations and Grants;
○ Sponsorship
The program focuses on the above:
● Social Impact:
○ Promoting inclusivity and Tolerance;
○ Empowering critical thinkers;
○ Cultivating global awareness;
○ Enhancing problem-solving skills;
○ Empowering marginalized communities;
○ Strengthening civic engagement;
○ Preparing global citizens;
○ Inspiring social change;
○ Reducing prejudice and stereotyping
● Economical Impact:
○ Economic stability;
○ More skilled workforce;
○ More inspiration which leads to new business and innovation;
○ Network and collaborations
● Environmental Impact:
○ Sustainable education;
○ Innovative solutions for environmental changes;
○ Eco-friendly careers;
○ Enviromentally focused industries;
○ Responsible consumption.
The challenges identified by the team are the following:
● Resistance to change;
● Need for additional resources and teacher training;
● Lack of consensus on which contents to address.
This project tackles the following Sustainable Development Goals:
● 3: Good Health and Well-being;
● 4: Quality Education;
● 5: Gender Equality;
● 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
Group 5: STUDENTS FOR LIFELONG LEARNING
In the beginning, the team started by focusing on the problems:
● Education is not easily accessible for non-students;
● Lack of opportunities;
● The majority of older people think these topics are too complicated for them;
● They have no insight on the topics
The solutions proposed are the following ones:
● Students forming teaching classes as an optional activity;
● More groups with fewer people;
● Once/Twice a week 1-2 hours;
● Basic computer skills, languages and others
The impact of the project are the following ones:
● Economic- larger working power;
● Social – bridge between generations;
● Environmental- neutral impact
What is the viability of the project:
● Can be easily implemented;
● Doesn’t cost much;
● Doesn’t take much time;
● Doesn’t need much convincing.
The risks are the following ones:
● Students not interested in teaching;
● Adults not interested in attending;
● University not accepting it (“small risk”).
The next steps for the project are:
● Present the idea and its benefits to the university officials;
● Advertise the project through social media, newspaper, TV, radio and other channels
The topics which are going to be tackled are:
● Programming Languages:
Python;
C++;
○ Java.
● Building websites:
○ Wordpress
● Foreign languages:
○ English;
○ German;
○ Spanish;
○ French
● Basic computer skills:
○ Microsoft Office Programmes;
○ Gmail;
○ Video Editing;
○ Graphic Design;
○ Photoshop.
The conclusions are the following ones:
● This idea is very simple, doesn’t require much hard work and is very easy to implement;
● Offers people who are not familiar with technology a chance to get familiar with it;
● Provides an opportunity for students to test and develop their teaching skills;
● Gives older people an option to spark their interests in the topic and maybe further encourage them to explore it more deeply.
Comments and Suggestions
Contact Details
Angelos Kokkinis
BSE Wroclaw 2023 Coordinator
Board of European Students of Technology AISBL aggelos.kokkinis@best-eu.org
Ariel Ediang
Educational Involvement Department Coordinator 2023-2024
Board of European Students of Technology AISBL ariel.ediang@best-eu.org
Board of European Students of Technology
BEST AISBL will develop activities in order to help European students of technology to become more internationally minded, by reaching a better understanding of European cultures and developing the capacity to work on an international basis.
BEST AISBL will serve European students of technology in a non-representative way, in matters concerning them and their education
Educational Involvement Department
The purpose of the Educational Involvement Department is to:
● increase students’ awareness and involvement in educational matters;
● gather students’ input on educational matters and disseminate it to relevant Higher Education stakeholders