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

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. 

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.

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.

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

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)

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.

Motivation Letter

Level of english (According to CEFR)

CV

Research project outlines

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

• 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