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Co-creation for Digital Equity

The project “Co-Creation for Digital Equity: Civic Technologies and Multilingual Communication in Service-Learning Projects across Europe and Africa” addresses the digital and multilingual communication gap faced by local associations and NGOs in Sfax (Tunisia) and Casablanca (Morocco).

It is part of CIVIS alliance and contributes to the creation of the LaCoTT Open Lab (Languages, Communication, Knowledge Transfer & Technologies), a transnational initiative involving seven European and North African universities.

The project combines service-learning and co-creation to design multilingual websites and applications tailored to civic partners’ needs. Students, academic staff, and NGOs collaborate across six phases: needs analysis, co-design, content strategy, localisation, digital outreach, and implementation.

Its main objectives are to enhance civic visibility, strengthen digital and linguistic capacities, and foster sustainable university–society cooperation. The initiative also aims to develop a replicable model of civic co-creation within the CIVIS Open Labs framework.

Learn more about the project

Main Beneficiaries & Social Impact

Main beneficiaries

The project primarily targets local associations, NGOs, and civic organisations in Sfax (Tunisia) and Casablanca (Morocco) that face challenges in digital and multilingual communication. Around 8–10 organisations will directly participate in co-creation activities, including workshops, design sessions, and training events.

 A second group of beneficiaries includes 50–80 undergraduate and postgraduate students from partner universities, who will engage in service-learning activities across all project phases (needs analysis, co-design, content development, localisation, and outreach). Academic and technical staff (15–20 participants) will act as facilitators, trainers, and mentors throughout the process.

Indirect beneficiaries include local citizens and end-users—such as youth, migrant families, and women in vulnerable situations—who will access improved, multilingual digital services. 

Participation is ensured through co-creation workshops, collaborative online meetings, training sessions, and pilot testing of the developed websites and applications.

Partner universities inclided: Aix-Marseille Université (France), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain), Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), University of Bucharest (Romania), National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece), Université de Sfax (Tunisia) and Université Hassan II de Casablanca (Morocco)

Social Impact

The project generates a strong social impact by improving the digital visibility, accessibility, and communication capacity of local associations and NGOs. Through the co-creation of multilingual websites and applications, civic partners gain practical tools to reach wider audiences, strengthen their outreach, and enhance their long-term sustainability. 

Beneficiaries develop key skills in digital communication, multilingual content creation, and basic web management through hands-on training and continuous collaboration with academic teams. This capacity-building process fosters greater autonomy, enabling organisations to independently update and manage their platforms.

For students, the project provides real-world learning opportunities, strengthening transversal competences such as teamwork, intercultural communication, problem-solving, and civic engagement.

At a broader level, the initiative promotes inclusive access to information for diverse communities, reinforces collaboration between universities and civil society, and contributes to a more equitable and participatory digital environment across Europe and North Africa.

Core Methodology

The project follows a service-learning and co-creation approach, combining participatory workshops, collaborative design, and community engagement. Students, academics, and civic partners jointly develop multilingual digital tools through iterative phases: needs analysis, co-design, content strategy, localisation, and implementation, supported by continuous feedback and transnational coordination.

Events in the Project

Year

Title of the conference

Description

Speakers

Link

26 March 2026

Towards an Equitable Integration of Emerging Linguistic Fields:
A Case for African–European Scientific Co-Construction

Presenting a proposal for a project aiming to introduce new fields of linguistics to help fill a gap in the current linguistic curriculum, encourage research-led teaching and enhance the faculty’s innovation and international visibility. To this end, we propose establishing a research group called the “Research Group on Cognitive and Applied Linguistics”, organised around three themes: (1) cognitive and psycholinguistic approaches, (2) corpus and digital linguistics; and (3) multilingualism and second language acquisition.

Aránzazu Gil Casadomet (UAM) and
Hafissatou Kane (UCAD)

First CIVIS African-European Forum for Research and Education 2026 | Université Hassan II de Casablanca (Morocco)

March 2026

Building Digital Equity through Languages and Technologies: The LaCoTT Network between Europe and Africa

Aránzazu Gil Casadomet (UAM) and Imane El Imadi (UH2C)

First CIVIS African-European Forum for Research and Education 2026 | Université Hassan II de Casablanca (Morocco)

TBC

Final Online Meeting & Project Closure

Final transnational meeting bringing together academic staff, students, and civic partners (NGOs and associations) from all participating institutions. The event will present project results, showcase the multilingual websites and applications developed, and conduct a collective evaluation of outcomes. It will also facilitate feedback exchange, share best practices, and define recommendations for future iterations of the LaCoTT Open Lab.

Take-aways

  • Co-creation with civic partners ensures that digital tools respond to real community needs.
  • Multilingual communication is essential for inclusive and equitable access to information.
  • Service-learning strengthens both student competences and civic impact.
  • Transnational collaboration enhances innovation through diverse perspectives and expertise.
  • Sustainable impact depends on capacity-building and autonomy of local organisations.

Testimonials

Our students are not only learning—they are contributing to real social change through multilingual communication.

Aránzazu Gil Casadomet, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

The collaboration with civic partners in Sfax demonstrates how digital tools can empower local associations and communities and increase their visibility

Chafik Aloulou, Université de Sfax

Through this project, associations gain not only tools, but also the skills to manage and sustain them independently

Imane El Imadi, Université Hassan II de Casablanca

Contact point

Coordinator

  • Aránzazu Gil Casadomet
  • Email

Coordinator