Redefining Higher Education on a digital context
CBHE Beach 2: 2023 – 2026
Noº: 101128509
Total funding: € 719,984
RE-DIRECTION is a Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) project co-funded by the European Union with a total grant of €719,984 (equivalent to 90% of the total project costs) and is part of the Erasmus+ program . The CBHE Action supports international cooperation projects based on multilateral partnerships between organizations active in the field of higher education. This action is specifically aimed at higher education institutions in non-European countries that are not associated with the Erasmus+ program and that benefit from cooperation with EU countries.
Since the end of 2023, Karlshochschule has been coordinating the Capacity Building in Higher Education project (Strand 2), which is co-funded by the European Union as part of the Erasmus+ program. The project involves 15 partners from Ukraine, Georgia, Greece and Germany who will work together for three years to develop new solutions to improve digital education at an institutional and structural level, with a particular focus on the specific circumstances of the project partners in Georgia and Ukraine. In addition, the partners will work together to design a common framework for inclusive pedagogical methods in digital education, update existing curricula to meet the evolving needs of labor markets in the partner countries, and provide policy recommendations to address country-specific challenges, such as connectivity issues in remote areas of Ukraine and Georgia.
Summary of the project
RE-DIRECTION focuses on the needs of 10 higher education institutions in Ukraine and Georgia to transition to a more digital, inclusive and sustainable education. The project aims to prepare academic staff to update and redesign curricula based on the current needs of the labor market and those of learners. Furthermore, the project aims to develop policy recommendations on connectivity issues faced by remote higher education institutions and their students.
Specifically, RE-DIRECTION aims to strengthen Ukrainian and Georgian universities with innovative forms of teaching that enable academic staff to redesign and update current curricula. The focus is on three key areas: Digitalization, sustainability and inclusivity.
With the aim of achieving a uniform change in teaching practice, a methodological framework will be developed that will be based on secondary and field research. The framework will shed light on current trends in teaching methods in higher education, societal skill needs, best practices and the need to identify training gaps in existing curricula.
Based on the framework, 6 curricula will be reviewed and updated, including the creation of basic and specialized courses. These courses are validated by a consultation committee to ensure that the standards and regulations are met.
Important data will be collected during the pilot phase of the redesigned curricula, with a particular focus on remote higher education institutions and/or students in remote areas. Based on the results, the partnership will engage stakeholders and policy makers in developing policy recommendations in key areas such as connectivity solutions, access to IT infrastructures, partnerships with ISPs and innovative solutions, e.g. 5G and mesh networks.
In general, the project will have a strong focus on remote higher education institutions and facilities in vulnerable communities.
Partnership
13 universities; 2 ministries, 1 international consulting firm:
Germany: Karlshochschule gemeinnützige GmbH (coordinator); BK Consult GmbH
Greece: University of Patras; Metropolitan College
Ukraine: Kyiv Medical University; Dnipro University of Technology; Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University; Kharkiv National University of Urban Economy; Uzhhorod National University; Ministry of Education of Ukraine
Georgia: Georgian International University; Shota Meskhia State Teaching University of Zugdidi; Gori State University; Ilia State University; Caucasus University; Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia
Karlshochschule’s role in this project is to coordinate the extensive partnership, which involves 12 universities, the Ministries of Education in Georgia and Ukraine and a consultancy firm based in Germany. We will also support partners in redesigning curricula, provide training on inclusion and sustainable learning and share our approach to international and intercultural education that is ethical, reflective and heterodox. It is worth noting that we are one of only seven German universities to have been given such a prestigious coordinating role in a CBHE project.
Our motivation to coordinate this CBHE project is directly related to our commitment to local and international engagement. With this project, we want to expand our international networks, create new opportunities for student mobility and international cooperation and establish closer relations with Ukraine and Georgia, which are in a difficult geopolitical situation. The experience gained from this collaboration will enrich our range of courses, particularly in the field of international relations.
Contact us
Coordinator: Lisa Wiedemann: lwiedemann@karlshochschule.org
Principal Investigator: Robert Lepenies: rlepenies@karlshochschule.org
Further information about the project can be found at: www.re-direction.org
Funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible for this.
