The ECIU Board is meeting in Tampere University. The Management Team of the ECIU University, the local ambassadors from member universities and the working group developing the digital platform of the #ECIUuniversity also had meetings in Tampere this week.
In 2019, the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU) received three-year funding from the EU for developing European University and an innovative model for higher education. Tampere University is one of ECIU’s twelve member universities. In the three-year pilot project, the member universities will pioneer challenge-based education on a European scale as opposed to the conventional degree-based approach.
“We have had a lengthy agenda of topics, including many of the key themes relating to the ECIU University’s future. With the development of the ECIU University’s concept moving forward, it is important to ensure the new concept finds its place in the European higher education sector.”
says ECIU Vice President Mari Walls.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, ECIU’s Board, networks and groups have been working remotely for a long time. The meeting in Tampere offers them a long-awaited opportunity to discuss ECIU’s future and strategic directions face to face. The parties have discussed, among other things, the ECIU University’s challenge-based research and education, international mobility and impact on society.
“The atmosphere, the commitment and the different contributions and discussions are the best proof of the value of this huge enterprise we’re building together, called ECIU University. A lot done and still a lot to do together but, we’re on the right straight way of innovating in Higher Education in Europe.”
tells ECIU President Màrius Martínez.
ECIU’s mission to deliver demand-driven, interdisciplinary and flexible education that is tailored to the needs of students and society is a new approach to the development of expertise in a higher education context.
“Two-thirds of the pilot project has been completed and there is still one year to go. The development activities are well underway, and we are already gearing up for the next phase and the new funding period. It is important for Europe to gradually tap into the opportunities offered by the ECIU University in the sphere of research, education and innovation activities”
says Heli Harrikari who leads the ECIU project at Tampere University.