Collaborative, multidisciplinary, international, and societal relevant: A framework combining challenge-based learning and thesis writing across European universities

Abstract

ECIU University is an EU-funded European University initiated by a network consisting of 13 universities across Europe. At its core is collaborative learning and research on a European level in close connection with various stakeholders to tackle societal challenges. Learners are engaged in joint project work based on the approach of challenge-based learning (CBL). Here, learners are actively involved in a real and relevant setting. Teams are composed of learners coming from different cultural backgrounds, disciplines, and levels of progress in their individual studies. A challenge within the ECIU framework starts with a “Big Idea” in the area of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 “Sustainable cities and communities” that has potential for societal impact. ECIU University offers four types of challenges that differ in length and depth. Within this paper, the first run of an ECIU Strategic Challenge, the most complex challenge type, is introduced. The Strategic Challenge is a six-month format that combines individual working phases while writing on one's master's thesis with collaborative working phases while cooperating closely in the team challenge. Hence, it offers a framework in which the progress of challenge and master's theses are expected to go hand in hand. The concept of how students collaborate in the Strategic Challenge builds up upon the Erasmus+ projects COLIBRI (Collaboration and Innovation for better, personalized, and IT-supported Teaching) and its follow up EPIC (Improving Employability through Internationalisation and Collaboration).