Description
The project addresses the needs to enhance collaboration of Warsaw University with stakeholders from private, public and non-governmental sectors in the field of environment and climate change. The project's main objective is to increase knowledge and skills of students and employees of the University in the field of environment and climate change by creating a new learning module, enabling work on solving the problems of stakeholders. The main expected result will be a new module and an implementation toolkit (syllabus, handbook, principles of cooperation, portal). The results will be developed in the framework of joint workshops eCoLabs, tested in the academic year 2015/2016, evaluated, modified and disseminated. The most important benefit of the project will be opening the university to the real problems of stakeholders. The Partner - "Shipyard" will contribute to the achievement of the objectives by conducting design thinking workshops, developing a web portal and evaluation.
Summary of project results
The main idea of the project eCo-Solving - enabling students to write practical diploma papers adjusted to the needs of external stakeholders, was new to many departments of the University of Warsaw, and research proves that it is still innovative in most Polish universities. Students are rarely working on research projects carried out by universities together with business. More often they are involved in basic research funded by the state. This makes the project very important as a means of achieving two of the main goals of higher education: (1) transfer of knowledge to business; (2) providing education and research according to the needs of the labour market. Thanks to the project, a systemic solution has been created at the University of Warsaw, which is ready to be implemented in other higher education institutions. In order to achieve the planned results, a whole new model of cooperation between Academia and external stakeholders has been elaborated, including the following outcomes: syllabus of a special interdisciplinary course for students, preparing them to co-operate with business and institutions; a toolkit for implementation for other campuses, including a manual for mentors and supervisors; an internet portal for matchmaking between students, supervisors and stakeholders (
www.pracademia.eu); 5 eCo-Lab Workshops, one international conference and disseminating seminars have been held to disseminate the results of the project; and 18 MA, ENG or BA applicable theses have been partly completed (to be fully completed this year), addressing the needs of external stakeholders. During the project 18 students and 15 supervisors cooperated closely with stakeholders.
Summary of bilateral results