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Topic 1 – Challenge-based learning projects

Scope and rationale

The European University EELISA calls for active participation in EELISA Communities by working jointly on challenges across Europe. In this context, EELISA will provide financial support for SDG-related challenge-based learning (CBL) activities in EELISA Communities recognized with EELISA Credentials. The goal is to attract students from all EELISA Universities and to recognize active participation in challenges with EELISA Credentials. Working on challenges will not only provide an opportunity for defining challenges and solving technical problems together but it will also provide a chance to create a learning ecosystem with diverse international teams to offer challenge-based learning (CBL) activities. Following this line of thought, challenges combine academic learning opportunities with real-world practical impact and partners.

Challenges can be broadly defined as “situations or activities that create a sense of urgency and spur action”[1]. In this context, challenge-based learning is “a multidisciplinary approach to education that encourages students to leverage the technology they use in their daily lives to solve real-world problems. By giving students the opportunity to focus on a challenge of global significance and apply themselves to developing local solutions, CBL creates a space where students can direct their own research and think critically about how to apply what they learn”.[2] In the scope of this call, EELISA encourages on the one side the collaboration with university-external ecosystem stakeholders. On the other side, EELISA encourages joint collaboration on university-internal challenges of different EELISA partners.
Specific objectives

    Promoting and sustaining innovative learning practices in EELISA Communities and encouraging partners to work on challenges to provide impactful solutions (SDGs) in a playful and cooperative manner
    Recognizing students’ learning experiences in challenge-based learning with EELISA credentials
    Boosting transnational mobility (physical, virtual, blended, hybrid formats) and international exchange
    Fostering cross-sectional and cross-institutional networking within EELISA and increasing the visibility of EELISA Communities

Eligible activities

With respect to this call, EELISA wants to promote challenges in EELISA Communities as one type of activity. The call is open to university educators, researchers, students, and staff from all EELISA institutions. Applications from all disciplines are welcome. A challenge suitable for EELISA is a, e.g. socially, economically, technically or environmental, relevant problem on a local, regional or global scale for which solutions are elusive, inadequate or non-existent. In this context, a challenge can also be an expected problem or situation that will likely unfold in the future with especially dire consequences (e.g. climate challenges, demographic challenges, healthcare challenges, globalisation and connectivity challenges, mobility challenges, security challenges, etc.).

A challenge in the context of this EELISA call should be…

1) connected to the mission of an EELISA Community (overview of EELISA Communities) and open to all EELISA students with clear admission procedures.

2) aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and impactful on the European environment, society or economy.

3) aligned with the EELISA mission statement, vision and values: evolving interdisciplinary learning in the context of engineering, encouraging knowledge, skills and technology transfer, enabling scientific co-creation, students’ self-efficacy and teamwork.

4) an exciting task that motivates EELISA community members and demands the collaboration of EELISA community members – ideally multiple key stakeholder groups like students, academics and external partners – for action.

5) manageable for the target group, but broad enough to discover opportunities for new, innovative and improved solutions.

6) defined in time, meaning there is a clear life cycle with a defined beginning and end.

7) providing clear criteria that define which requirements need to be fulfilled to solve a challenge.

8) – once solved – the learning experience is recognized with an EELISA Credential (level engagement/action) and if possible, solutions are in some kind awarded by the challenge provider and/or by the EELISA community (e.g. letter of recommendation for winning teams, financial reward by external sponsors, internship opportunities, scholarships for mobility etc.).

Challenges can be – but do not have to be – embedded in the context of seminars, lectures, summer/seasonal schools, BIPs etc.

In the design phase of a challenge, the following items can be included:

    Define the challenge type, evaluation criteria and impact of a challenge proposed (define the challenge clearly- manageable for the target group, but broad enough to discover opportunities for new, innovative and improved solutions-, provide clear criteria that define which requirements need be fulfilled to solve a challenge) and launch the challenge
    Time period to register for the challenge
    Time period to develop solutions
    Deadline to submit / present solutions
    Evaluation of solutions and results
    Rewarding & winning

In the framework of the joint actions in solidarity with our partner İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi (ITÜ) and the victims and those affected by the 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquake, proposals to Topic 1 applying disaster resilience, disaster management concepts, or any other relevant support to problem owners from the affected areas and involving colleagues from ITÜ, will receive additional points during the assessment (see ‘Evaluation criteria’).
Evaluation criteria

Relevance (Maximum 25 points)

    Concise proposals written in English with clear challenge concept and goals, and reference to the SDGs (< 15 Points)
    Comprehensibility and adequacy of the methods and evaluation frameworks (< 5 Points)
    Use of innovative learning practices and approaches (< 5 Points)

Quality and efficiency (Maximum 30 points)

    Number of EELISA institutions involved in the organization (< 10 Points)
    Participation and role of external stakeholders (< 10 Points)
    Resource efficiency (expected impact / requested funding) (< 10 Points)

Impact on the Alliance (Maximum 45 points)

    Long-term effect of the collaboration raised within the activity; likeliness that the activity can be sustained or prolonged without further funding from EELISA (< 15 Points)
    Number of participation spots (distinguished in physical, virtual or blended) and number of EELISA Credentials that can be potentially awarded (< 25 Points)
    Complementarity with other EELISA activities and projects (< 5 Points)

Bonus (Maximum 10 points)

Challenges support either way

    easing the consequences of the earthquake in Türkiye-Syria, e.g. by applying disaster resilience and disaster management concepts, or any other relevant support to problem owners from the areas affected by the earthquake and involving ITÜ members
    or easing consequences of the Russo-Ukranian war for affected members of the academic familiy

EELISA considers proposals with at least 70/100 points for funding.

Topic 2 – Multiskilling pilots

Scope and rationale

EELISA will provide support to the development of multi-skilling pilots. On top of the traditional pathways to educate engineers as managers and designers, EELISA’s mission is to re-shape the future of the European engineering, inspired by the concept of “Renaissance engineers” who are also multidisciplinary scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs, and are able to interact with other disciplines in a holistic manner.

EELISA Disciplinary Broadening Workshops contributed to identify educational needs suitable to enrich the skill sets for the engineer of the future with non-engineering competences and, conversely, to introduce engineering competences in other academic macro-areas.

A major outcome of the EELISA Disciplinary Broadening Workshops is a consensus on the relevance of the T-shaped model to explain how engineers achieve the same background knowledge by “basic” education (horizontal axis of the T), and then they focus on vertical themes when they specialize. Furthermore, it has been suggested that a rotated H-shaped model can fit better into the EELISA vision based on three elements: foundations, specialization, and broadening. The rotated H-shaped model can introduce and ensure a solid background for sustainability transformation within engineering education.
Specific objectives

To organize meetings for the design of multiskilling pilots that can be considered for support in EELISA 2.0 (starting in Nov 2023) or through other synergistic initiatives supported via other sources of funding.
Eligible activities

According to a three-phase work plan, EELISA is now calling to actively participate in the design process of multiskilling pilots suitable for multiskilling and the hybridisation of engineering education, and, vice versa, suitable models for the multiskilling and hybridisation of professions that increasingly require the absorption of some knowledge from engineering.

The call is open to Faculty members of EELISA institutions from all disciplines.

Proposals to design a multiskilling pilot submitted by at least 2 EELISA partner institutions with the involvement of Faculty members of 1 additional EELISA partner institution.

Not-limited-to list of eligible pilots:

    Joint Degree (Bachelor, Master or PhD)
    Seasonal School
    Blended Intensive Programme (BIP)

In the framework of the joint actions in solidarity with our partner İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi (ITÜ) and the victims and those affected by the 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquake, proposals to Topic 2 applying disaster resilience, disaster management concepts, or any other relevant support to problem owners from the affected areas and involving colleagues from ITÜ, will receive additional points during the assessment (see ‘Evaluation criteria’).
Evaluation criteria

Relevance (Maximum 30 points)

    Clear multiskilling pilot concept and goals (< 15 Points)
    Reference to the T/rotated-H model of Disciplinary Broadening as methodological frameworks for the design of multiskilling pilots (< 15 Points)

Quality (Maximum 30 points)

    Number of EELISA institutions involved in the organization (< 10 Points)
    Participation and role of external stakeholders[3] (< 10 Points)
    Resource efficiency (expected impact / requested funding) (< 15 Points)

Impact on the Alliance (Maximum 40 points)

    Inclusion of courses already registered in the EELISA catalogue OR brand-new courses complementary to existing ones based on results of analysis (< 5 Points)
    Contribution to the implementation of Joint Ph.D. programmes within EELISA (< 10 Points)
    Contribution to explore the research content of educational activities in EELISA capable to enable joint research activities engaging students, researchers, faculty members and external stakeholders (< 10 Points)
    Link with the task forces on specific topics in process of creation in EELISA (e.g., those in Biomedical engineering and Civil engineering) (< 5 Points)
    To have organized or, at least, actively contributed to one Disciplinary Broadening Workshop with remarkable prior awareness, inclusiveness, and feedback by relevant stakeholders on (< 10 Points)

Bonus (Maximum 10 points)

    Proposals applying disaster resilience, disaster management concepts, or any other relevant support to problem owners from the areas affected by the Türkiye-Syria earthquake and involving colleagues from ITÜ (< 10 Points)

EELISA considers proposals with at least 70/100 points for funding.