<p>Join the ECIU University to address important, real-life challenges and contribute to the building of a better world!</p><p>The European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU) is a consortium of young and innovative universities that offers a broad range of international opportunities for students. As a student at Tampere University, you are welcome to join the activities. If you are looking to spend a period studying abroad, participate in an intensive course in an international setting or experience a virtual mobility, ECIU might be the way to go.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Tampere University is one of ECIU’s member universities. The other <a href="https://www.eciu.org/member/eciu">member universities are</a>:</p><ul><li>Dublin City University, Ireland</li><li>Hamburg University of Technology, Germany</li><li>National Institute of Applied Sciences (INSA), France</li><li>Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania</li><li>Linköping University, Sweden</li><li>Lodz University of Technology, Poland</li><li>Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain</li><li>University of Aveiro, Portugal</li><li>University of Stavanger, Norway</li><li>University of Trento, Italy</li><li>University of Twente, the Netherlands</li></ul><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Read on learn more about ECIU’s demand-driven, interdisciplinary and flexible approach to education that is tailored to the needs of both students and society.</p>

<p>The European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU) is a consortium of young and innovative universities that offers opportunities for students, researchers and other staff.</p>

<p>The ECIU University is creating an innovative educational model to reshape the higher education landscape in Europe. The ECIU University brings together learners, alumni/ae, teachers, researchers, companies, civic organisations, the public sector and citizens to address complex multidisciplinary challenges in a spirit of continuous learning. The goal is to change the way that education is delivered from degree-based to challenge-based.</p>

<p>In 2019, ECIU received a three-year grant to develop an innovative model for higher education in Europe. Tampere University is one of ECIU’s member universities. In a groundbreaking pilot project, ECIU’s member universities will pioneer challenge-based education on a European scale.</p>

<p>The ECIU University brings together students, researchers, companies and other stakeholders across borders. It will offer demand-driven, interdisciplinary and flexible education that is tailored to meet the needs of students and society. The challenges to be addressed are related to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 to “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. At the ECIU University, students will tackle major real-world problems and contribute to the building of a better world.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>


What is ECIU?

<p><a href="#challenges">Challenges</a> | <a href="#micro-modules">Micro-modules</a> | <a href="#summer schools">Summer Schools</a></p><p>The ECIU University offers international challenge-based courses and micro-modules and also enables students to attend the summer/winter schools hosted by its member universities. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><h2><a class="ck-anchor" id="challenges"></a>Challenges</h2><p>The core of the ECIU University is the challenge-based approach – a model where learners, teachers and researchers cooperate with business and society to solve real-life challenges.</p><p>Ways to participate&nbsp;</p><ul><li>Engage in solving challenges</li><li>Join micro-modules</li></ul><h4>How it works</h4><ol><li>The challenge is provided by a city, region or business stakeholder and is entered onto <a href="https://challenges.eciu.org/challenges/">the ECIU University Challenge platform</a>.</li><li>Learner registers to the <a href="https://challenges.eciu.org/challenges/">challenge</a> she or he finds relevant.</li><li>A team is formed from registered participants and a team facilitator is assigned.</li><li>The team works with the challenge provider (and other participants), engages and investigates the challenge, and proposes solutions using the challenge-based learning methodology.</li><li>During the process, the team can select relevant <a href="https://challenges.eciu.org/micro-modules/">micro-modules</a> from ECIU member universities that help them gain additional knowledge or skills that are needed to solve the challenge.</li><li>Finally, teams deliver their outputs – which may include services, products, research questions, start-ups and spin-offs.</li><li>At the end of the process, the learner can achieve a certain amount of academic credits, or a certificate that will record their new skills gained during their challenge-learning process. Do <a href="https://www.tuni.fi/studentsguide/handbook/uni?page=3127">the recognition of prior learning </a>to count the studies towards your degree for example with the course unit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tuni.fi/fi/opiskelijan-opas/opintotiedot/opintojaksot/otm-bb359540-18a9-4c87-b668-75e379e895c9?year=2024">TAU.ECIU.000.</a></li></ol><p><a href="https://challenges.eciu.org/challenges/">Explore ECIU University challenges</a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><h4>Requirements for students to join the ECIU University Challenges&nbsp;</h4><ul><li>Studies in one of the <a href="https://www.eciu.org/about-eciu#members">12 ECIU University member institutions</a>.</li><li>Enrolment in a master’s degree programme or final year of a bachelor’s degree programme.</li><li>Completed 120 ECTS of higher education studies at undergraduate level. &nbsp;</li><li>English language proficiency: B2 (<a href="https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/table-2-cefr-3.3-common-reference-levels-self-assessment-grid">Self-assessment, CEFR of languages</a>).</li><li>Optional requirement: Experience with entrepreneurial work.</li></ul><h4>Why participate?</h4><p><strong>Real impact</strong><br>Participation in challenges will allow learners to make a real impact in the community, city or region by solving real-time challenges.<br><br><strong>New skills</strong><br>Learners will develop problem-solving and team-work skills and knowledge, and take micro-modules.&nbsp;<br><br><strong>Inter-cultural environment</strong><br>Working in multi-disciplinary and/or international teams, learners will build up their inter-cultural competences and increase their network of expertise.<br><br><strong>Co-creation</strong><br>Learners will get an opportunity to experience and experiment with a new way of learning, and in doing so, help to co-create the ECIU University: the new way for education on the European scale.</p><h2><a class="ck-anchor" id="micro-modules"></a>Micro-modules&nbsp;</h2><p>At the ECIU University we are piloting ways of re-designing traditional study programmes at universities and to smaller micro-modules. These micro-modules are offered by the ECIU partner universities, and can take from several days to several months to complete. They will also vary in what they are worth within the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).</p><p>In addition to this, the micro-modules will enable students to learn more about regional and international societal issues related to different aspects of making cities and regions sustainable and therefore addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11), as well as learn foreign languages.</p><p>After completing the micro-module, the learner can achieve a certain amount of academic credits, or a certificate that will record their new skills gained during the course. Do <a href="https://www.tuni.fi/studentsguide/handbook/uni?page=3127">the recognition of prior learning </a>to count the studies towards your degree for example with the course unit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tuni.fi/fi/opiskelijan-opas/opintotiedot/opintojaksot/otm-ef81d1e1-b5d4-4489-8831-36889ad974aa?year=2024">TAU.ECIU.001</a>.</p><h4>How does it work?</h4><p>While working on the challenge, the participants may find out that they lack certain knowledge or skills to solve the challenge. They will be given an opportunity to participate in micro-modules related to the challenge they are working on. &nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://challenges.eciu.org/micro-modules/">Explore micro-modules</a></p><h2><br><a class="ck-anchor" id="summer schools"></a>Summer schools&nbsp;</h2><p>Are you looking for an inspiring way to spend your summer? The ECIU Summer Schools offer you a number of high-quality courses to choose from. Students at Tampere University can attend the summer schools of ECIU’s member universities for free or at a reduced rate.</p><p><a href="https://www.eciu.org/for-learners/summer-schools">Explore ECIU’s summer schools.</a></p><h2>&nbsp;</h2><p>Short-term physical mobility is accompanied by a daily grant, about which you can find more detailed information on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tuni.fi/en/students-guide/handbook/uni/internationalisation-during-studies/apply-student-exchange-0/funding-studies-abroad">funding studies abroad page</a>, in the short-term mobility section. The grant can be awarded for a minimum of 5 days of physical mobility. The grant is applied for using the Mobility-Online application form (the form opens during February).&nbsp;</p><p>You must independently seek admission to the challenges, micro-modules and summer school courses. Please visit <a href="https://challenges.eciu.org/">the ECIU University’s website</a> to learn more about the application process. NB! For Tampere University courses register directly through Sisu or <a href="/en/node/3175?channel=study_guide&organisation=uni" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="d8ffb42c-6072-4f1b-8bdb-5caa7b190a89" data-entity-substitution="canonical">cross-institutional studies</a>.</p>

Short-term study opportunities through ECIU

<p>Students can apply to spend an exchange period in ECIU’s member universities. The instructions for applying for student exchange are available in the Student’s guide: <a href="https://www.tuni.fi/studentsguide/handbook/uni/4675/4686?">How to apply for student exchange</a>. Information about eligible fields of study and potential host universities will be&nbsp;listed in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.service4mobility.com/europe/MobilitySearchServlet?identifier=TAMPERE17&amp;kz_bew_pers=S&amp;kz_bew_art=OUT&amp;sprache=en">Mobility Online portal</a>.&nbsp;</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.dcu.ie/international">Dublin City University</a> // Ireland</li><li><a href="https://www.tuhh.de/alt/tuhh/international/incoming-international-students/exchange-students.html">Hamburg University of Technology</a> // Germany</li><li><a href="https://www.groupe-insa.fr/en/education/courses-taught-english">National lnstitute of Applied Sciences (INSA)</a> // France</li><li><a href="https://en.ktu.edu/erasmus/#Erasmus-studies">Kaunas University of Technology</a> // Lithuania</li><li><a href="https://liu.se/en/education/exchange-studies">Linköping University</a> // Sweden</li><li><a href="https://p.lodz.pl/en">Lodz University of Technology</a> // Poland</li><li><a href="https://www.uab.cat/web/mobility-international-exchange/mobility-international-exchange-programmes/erasmus-studies-incoming-1345671989604.html">Autonomous University of Barcelona</a> // Spain</li><li><a href="https://www.ua.pt/en/mobility-incoming">University of Aveiro</a> // Portugal</li><li><a href="https://www.uis.no/studies/student-exchange/">University of Stavanger</a> // Norway</li><li><a href="https://international.unitn.it/">University of Trento</a> // Italy</li><li><a href="https://www.utwente.nl/en/education/exchange-students/">University of Twente</a> // the Netherlands</li></ul>

ECIU University

OpenWhat is ECIU?

OpenShort-term study opportunities through ECIU

OpenStudent exchange opportunities through ECIU