Transnational Cooperation and European Values in Higher Education: Perspectives and Challenges

Join a transformative learning experience that helps you to increase sensibility for common values and European transnational cooperation

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CIVIS focus area
Society, culture, heritage
Open to
  • Master's
  • PhD candidates/ students
Field of studies
  • Social Science and humanities
Type
  • Blended Intensive Programmes (BIP)
Course dates
2 June - 11 July 2025

By gathering the diverse expertise of the five partner institutions, this BIP will create a dynamic and enriching learning environment that, at its core, promotes transnational cooperation and European values in higher education. Through a blend of online and face-to-face activities, the program will equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and networks needed to address contemporary challenges and drive positive change in higher education, which would also translate into their research.

The activities will be carried out in a blended format, combining online and face-to-face activities to maximize the learning outcomes and ensure the transferability of the knowledge in the research the selected participants conduct. 

Main topics addressed

The virtual component will debut with an opening lecture with discussions starting from the BIP’s objectives, structure, and assessment criteria, followed by a discussion with the participants about their expectations and perceived needs. Then, participants will be invited to attend four online lectures addressing the role and impact of European higher education institutions in shaping European values, citizenship, and employability. Based on these lectures, participants will conduct individual work by reviewing the literature and by preparing assignments.

Following the virtual part, participants will join a summer school in Bucharest, Romania. Scheduled activities include a series of lectures and workshops relevant to transnational cooperation and European values. These activities will be carried out by professors from 5 of 11 CIVIS members (University of Bucharest, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Sapienza University of Rome, University of Tübingen, and the Autonomous University of Madrid).

The lectures will explore the impact of European University Alliances and the European Education Area in fostering European values. One of the workshops will focus on flexible learning pathways and innovative pedagogies, while the other will focus on the regulation of cross-border mobility in the context of European integration.

Field visits include exploring the University of Bucharest’s heritage sites, visiting the Sinaia Research Station and Ruse (a city in Bulgaria), and mentoring sessions. The program culminates in an eight-hour seminar where students will present their research projects, creating a platform for academic exchanges and networking.

Learning outcomes

After the completion of the course, students are expected to:

  • understand ideas and theories relevant to transnational cooperation and European values in higher education;
  • operationalize concepts relevant to transnational cooperation and European values in higher education;
  • critically analyze the relevant literature and draw informed conclusions;
  • synthesize research findings and present them in a comprehensive manner;
  • identify good practices and provide relevant examples for transnational cooperation and European.
Dates: 2 June - 11 July 2025 Total workload: 77 hours
Format: Blended ECTS: 3*
Location: Bucharest, Romania Language: English (B2)
Contact: ahe-ro@unibuc.ro  

*Recognition of ECTS depends on your home university.

Physical mobility

The physical mobility part will be running between 7 - 11 July 2025 in Bucharest, Romania. The anticipated list of activities includes:

7 July 2025:

  • The European University Initiative and Contemporary Challenges Facing European Higher Education - Prof. Sophia Papaioannou, NKUA.
  • one activity to discover the university's heritage (visit the Botanical Garden of the University and/ or the University’s Museum).

8 July 2025:

  • The impact of European Universities Alliances on the European Higher Education Area - Prof. Luciano Saso, SUR
  • European Education Area as a way to forest European Values - Prof. Javier Valle, UAM
  • Taking Transnational Cooperation Seriously in Higher Education: The Case of Global Awareness Education at the University of Tübingen - Dr. Glaucia Peres da Silva

9 July 2025:

  • workshop: Flexible learning pathways and Innovative pedagogies - Prof. Romiță Iucu, Prof. Lucian Ciolan, and Assist. Prof. Alexandru Carțiș, Ph.D.(c), UB
  •  field visit at Sinaia

10 July 2025:

  • workshop: The Regulation of Cross-Border Mobility in the Context of European Integration - Prof. Bogdan Murgescu, UB & Dr. Gabriela Biliga-Nisipeanu
  • field visit at Ruse (Bulgaria)

11 July 2025:

  • student research presentation seminar

Virtual part

The online courses will be held between 6 - 27 June 2025. The anticipated list of activities for the virtual part includes:

  • 6 June 2025: Universities and Citizenship. The idea of European Higher Education - Prof. Amos Sigrid Karin, UT (2 hours)
  • 13 June 2025: Does it exist an “European values”? The intersubjective way to foster an European Values Sphere - Prof. Javier Valle, UAM (2 hours)
  • 20 June 2025: The impact of European degrees on employability in Europe - Prof. Luciano Saso, SUR (2 hours)
  • 27 June 2025: Sharing Memories of European Integration and Historical Sense-Making - Prof. Bogdan Murgescu, UB (2 hours)

Requirements

This course is open to Bachelor's, Master's and PhD's students at CIVIS member universities, engaged in or prospect of engaging in research related to higher education studies and/ or transnational cooperation in the framework of European integration. A short presentation of their research projects will be required, and during the activities, participants will carry out work based on their research interests. 

Also, the participants should have excellent English skills (B2), critical thinking, networking skills, knowledge transfer skills, transnational cooperation skills, and public speaking skills. 

NB: Visiting Students - Erasmus Funding Eligibility

To be eligible for your selected CIVIS programme, you must be a fully enrolled student at your CIVIS home university at the time you will be undertaking the programme. Click here to learn more about the eligibility criteria.

Students from CIVIS’ strategic partner universities in Africa cannot apply for participation in this course.

Application process

Send your application by filling in the online application form by 31 October 2024, including:

  • CV
  • Motivation letter
  • Research projects outlines

  • Level of English (According to CEFR)

Applications will be evaluated based on the documents above. Doctoral students benefit of priority in selection. 

Apply now

Assessment

Students will be assessed using a mixed approach, including a portfolio comprising all assignments from the online lectures and an individual presentation of their doctoral research projects during the summer school.

The portfolio will demonstrate their understanding and application of the course material, while the presentation will provide an opportunity to disseminate their research and receive feedback.

Students will be evaluated in the pass/ fail system. Both components will be mandatory to graduate from the BIP.

Blended Intensive Programme

This CIVIS course is a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP): a new format of Erasmus+ mobility which combines online teaching with a short trip to another campus to learn alongside students and professors across Europe. Click here to learn more about CIVIS BIPs.

GDPR Consent

The CIVIS alliance and its member universities will treat the information you provide with respect. Please refer to our privacy policy for more information on our privacy practices. By applying to this course you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.

  • Prof. Bogdan Murgescu, University of Bucharest (Faculty of History/ ISDS), professor, vice-rector, member of Academia Europaea
  • Prof. Romiță Iucu, University of Bucharest (Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences/ ISDS), professor, UNICA EduLAB Group Coordinator
  • Prof. Lucian Ciolan, University of Bucharest (Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences/ ISDS), professor, vice-rector, Secretary General Elect of the European Educational Research Association
  • Prof. Sophia Papaioannou, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Faculty of History and Archaeology), professor, vice-rector of academic affairs
  • Prof. Luciano Saso, Sapienza University of Rome (Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine), professor, Secretary General of the UNICA Network (former president of UNICA, former Deputy Rector at SUR)
  • Prof. Javier Valle, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Faculty of Education and Teacher Training), professor, Coord. of the Research Group on ‘Supranational Education Policy’ (GIPES)
  • Prof. Karin Amos, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen (Institute of Education, Department of Social Sciences), professor and vice-president of academic affairs
  • Dr. Glaucia Peres da Silva, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen (Division III – Academic Affairs), Global Awarness Educator
  • Dr. Gabriela Biliga-Nisipeanu, University of Bucharest, (Research Institute of the University of Bucharest), researcher
  • Assist. Alexandru Carțiș, Ph.D.(c), University of Bucharest, CIVIS Head of Education Unit