NETT Devise: Erasmus+ helps practising what we preach

Climate change is a wicked problem requiring broad action in Europe, including by the institutes for higher education. Viaa is embracing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Taking good care of Creation is close to our hearts. At the same time, Viaa aims to increase international exchange, within as well as outside of Europe. We believe that our society needs teachers, nurses, theologians and social workers who can think outside the box. International exchange, however, was not always that eco-friendly. In addition, conventional ways of international exchange excluded those groups of students who could not afford to participate financially. If we want to lead by example, we need to review how we operate, including within our precious agenda of internationalisation.  

With the support of Erasmus+, Viaa participates in a European project that explicitly looks into virtual forms of international collaboration and student exchanges. In the next two years, the teaching faculties of participating institutes will work together and develop new tools for enhanced virtual exchange cooperation. Therefore it won’t come as a surprise that the content of the virtual curriculum will focus on education for sustainable development. This curriculum will give education institutes in Poland, Germany and The Netherlands helpful tools to virtually enhance awareness and knowledge on how to better care for our planet, aiming at teachers and students. Teachers will be trained in how to offer the newly developed curriculum on sustainable development. Intercultural mentoring programmes are designed, all-in-all leading to a fully recognized and accredited virtual course.

Facilitating increased virtual exchange will discontinue putting a strain on the environment and will be more inclusive because it will offer opportunities to those students excluded from exchange programmes so far. In this process, Viaa cooperates with Uniwersytet Pedagogiczny in Komisji Edukaji Narodowej Krakowie, Pädagogische Hochschule Freiburg, Pädagogische Hochschule Ludwigsburg and Arnhem and Nijmegen University of Applied Sciences (HAN).