Virtual exchanges and education on digital skills
ERASMUS-EDU-2022-VIRT-EXCH
01/07/2023 - 30/06/2026 (36 months)
474,059 €
101111952
Sweden, Greece, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan,
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VirtuallyEDU
VIRTUALLYEDU, an international Virtual Exchange program, is designed to empower over 2,500 students from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across European Union State Members and Eastern Neighborhood Countries. The program’s core mission is to foster digital proficiency and deepen cybersecurity understanding among young learners.
This consortium is a collaborative effort involving 9 partner HEIs and youth organisations hailing from a diverse range of countries, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Greece, Georgia, and Sweden. The project symbolises a European endeavour to digitally upskill young minds, reflecting a commitment to the technological advancement of the next generation.
VIRTUALLYEDU’s curriculum, a pivotal element of the program, comprises 10 meticulously selected courses. These courses focus on digital skills and cybersecurity, ensuring that the educational content is both relevant and cutting-edge. This curriculum will be imparted through an established MOOC platform, courtesy of one of the partnering institutions.
Objectives of the project
- Ο.1. to develop digital skills and virtual collaboration capacity to support the objectives of the
established growth strategy for the Higher Education sector by creating a Joint Digital Skills Ecosystem for the HEIs, youth organizations, trainers, academic staff and students; - O.2 to upskill HEIs’ staff and youth organizations’ trainers in digital skills and online safety tailored to the needs of each learning environment
- O.3 to provide new teaching and learning approaches through virtual collaboration regarding the respect of other cultures and students who lack foreign language proficiency
- O.4 to establish a sustainable open access material for long-term use and enhance the capacity of students to participate adequately in virtual exchange activities and finally boosting employability in the digital era
- O.5 to bring together HEI staff and students from EU and Eastern Neighborhood countries to achieve a
greater impact on HEI’s digital upskilling and elimination of cyberbullying - O.6 to upgrade the Higher Education sector regarding virtual learning and teaching tools in order to decrease cyberviolence due to digital illiteracy
Expected Results
- Upskilling in Digital Competence and Online Safety: The initiative aims to elevate the digital capabilities of students, equipping them with critical knowledge in online safety and cybersecurity.
- Inter-Institutional Collaboration: It seeks to foster connections between HEI staff and students from both EU and Eastern Neighborhood countries, promoting a sense of community and shared learning.
- Innovative Educational Methods: VIRTUALLYEDU is set to introduce novel teaching and learning approaches within virtual education and training.
- Sustainable Educational Resources: A major objective is to develop sustainable, open-access materials for long-term educational use.
- Boosting Virtual Participation and Employability: The project endeavours to enhance the capacity of students to actively engage in virtual exchanges, thereby increasing their employability in the digital age.
Project Activities
- Design of the Training Curriculum
- Train the facilitators on Virtual Learning and Online Collaboration Curriculum
- Virtual Exchanges
- Implementation of Courses
- Implementation of Digital Skills Hackathon
Project Partners
- STIFTELSEN KURSVERKSAMHETEN VID U-AUNIVERSITET
- ARMENIAN STATE UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS
- CAUCASUS UNIVERSITY LTD
- INTERNATIONAL BLACK SEA UNIVERSITY LTD
- NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS OF REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN PUBLIC UNION
- MITROPOLITIKO COLLEGE
- SAGLAM DUSUNCE GENCLER TESKILATI ICTIMAI BIRLIYI
- UNION GEORGIAN YOUTH FOR EUROPE
- YEREVANI KOMITASI ANVAN PETAKAN KONSERVATORIA