New ECIU University challenges and micro-modules underway

The UAB offers two ECIU University challenges in the first semester: 

Tackling the Housing Crisis: Strategies for Lowering Rent in urban communities 

Proposed by the Terrassa City Council, this challenge is focused on discovering which initiatives, proposals and measures can be taken by local governments to solve the problem of the rise in rental housing prices in urban communities.  

The challenge, which is open for registration until 23 September, is offered in hybrid format and will take place from October to December, with a mobility week in Terrassa.  

The challenge can be validated with 3 ECTS credits.  

Climate change and migratory moviments 

A total of 84% of refugees and asylum seekers in 2022 fleed from countries greatly affected by climate change, representing an increase of 61% when compared to 2010. Most people who are forced to leave their homes move to other parts of their own country, but international migration is also on the rise. The UAB's Fundació Autònoma Solidària (FAS) and the association Ecologistes en acció offer this challenge with the objective of quantifying the existence of forced displacements caused by climate change, providing coherence and contributing to the debate on migration caused by climate change. 

The challenge, which is open for registration until 23 September, is offered in hybrid format and will take place from October to December, and will include a mobility week.  

UAB micro-modules 

In addition to the challenges, students also have the possibility of enrolling in micro-modules, short training capsules aimed at providing students with new skills. 

A brand-new micro-module being offered by the UAB is Exploring Catalonia: An introduction to its language and culture, which aims to help international students understand and use the most common expressions and simple phrases needed to communicate in Catalan. Registration is open until 30 September.  

Energy in transportation, in which students will learn to calculate the impact of our transport systems in terms of energy and explore the best strategies to help reduce this impact; and Gender as a cross-cutting tool for understanding, diagnosing, and solving challenges, where students will identify and understand key concepts of feminist thinking and learn how to apply a gender and queer perspective to the analysis of social challenges. Registrations will be open until 14 August.  

How can students benefit from the ECIU University? 

These learning opportunities, both in terms of challenges and micro-modules, not only serve to gain new skills and foster new ways of thinking. Students will also be able to: 

• Acquire international experience, through collaboration with different European universities.  

• Build connections. Working with students, businesses and communities from around Europe to contribute to the growth of a network of connections in the private, public and non-profit sectors. 

• Become leaders in innovation, by contributing to social change through innovative projects and by proposing game-changing solutions with long-lasting effects on society. 

International experience 

Apart from challenges and micro-modules offered by the UAB, students can participate in any of the proposals organised by other ECIU University members. The programmes can be found at the new platform for challenges and micro-modules, which is updated regularly, and range from artificial intelligence to engineering. Many of these experiences include a shore mobility stay at the organising university (specified in the description of each challenge). 

More information: ECIU University platform