Join the UNAVEX virtual exchange! (1 + 3 op / ECTS)

Una Europa Virtual Exchanges for Sustainability

Call for Students is open!

Are you interested in global sustainability and international environments? Have you considered applying for a student exchange? If so, the UnaVEx virtual exchange might be just for you!

UnaVEx offers a versatile look into sustainability, with topics including:

  • Introduction to sustainability
  • The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
  • Climate change
  • Biodiversity
  • The intersections of political economy and the arts in sustainability

UnaVex is a five-week-long virtual exchange unit consisting of a total of five sessions, 3h per day for 5 days. During the virtual exchange, you will attend inspiring plenary talks on different perspectives on sustainability. You will also be introduced to your international small group of peers and a moderator. In the groups, you will discuss and develop a collaborative, sustainability-themed action task.

No previous sustainability or natural science studies are required. UnaVEx is a platform for multidisciplinary and intercultural encounters for university students interested in sustainability and the future of our shared planet. UnaVEx welcomes students from European and African nations, building a bridge between the continents for sustainable futures.

UnaVEx is organized by:

  • University of Helsinki (Finland)
  • University of Bologna (Italy)
  • KU Leuven (Belgium)
  • University of Johannesburg (South Africa)
  • University of Nairobi (Kenya)
  • University of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo)

WHEN: 24. Feb —28. Mar 2025

Dates of the sessions (max 3 hours each):

Monday 24 Feb
Friday 7 March
Friday 14 March
Friday 21 March
Friday 28 March

Helsinki time: 13:00 – 16:00 EEST, UTC+3
Brussels & Bologna  time: 12:00 – 15:00 CET, UTC+1
Kinshasa time: 12:00 – 15:00 WAT, UTC+1
Johannesburg time: 13:00 – 16:00 SAST, UTC+2
Nairobi time: 14:00 – 17:00 EAT, UTC+3

PLACE:

Online on Zoom

COMPLETION METHOD: 

online participation and a collaborative group assignment.

AWARD:

1 ECTS (via Helsinki Open University) and a certificate of participation – useful for CV.

WHO CAN APPLY:

Bachelor, Master, Doctor and PostDoc students from Una Europa Alliance partner universities and UnaVEx African partner universities.

REGISTER HERE: https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/132355/lomakkeet.html

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: 1 Feb 2025

LANGUAGE: English

COST: no fee

More about UnaVEx:

Una Europa Virtual Exchanges for Sustainability (UnaVEx) is an international, interdisciplinary, and intercultural online bridge between European and African students for sustainability education. UnaVEx is an EU-funded ERASMUS+ project coordinated by the University of Helsinki and other leading research-intensive universities in Europe and Africa. UnaVEx offers accessible, affordable, and sustainable international online student exchange opportunities to all students interested in Global Sustainability education. The first UnaVEx virtual exchange is on February 24th, March 7th, 14th, 21st, and 24th, 2025. In total, five iterations of the virtual exchange will be organized in 2025-2027. UnaVEx aims to increase environmental awareness, knowledge of the green transition, and skills in the sustainability transformation of young generations and societies both in Europe and Africa. The virtual exchange looks at sustainability from economic, socio-cultural, technological, political, legal, and scientific perspectives.

Una Europa Micro-credential in Sustainability

UnaVEx builds from the Introduction to Sustainability (3 ECTS) MOOC (massive online open course). Completing all parts of UnaVEx awards you a total of 3 + 1 ECTS.

Introduction to Sustainability (3 ETCS) MOOC
https://courses.mooc.fi/org/uh-inar/courses/introduction-to-sustainability

Introduction to Sustainability is part of the Una Europa Micro-Credential in Sustainability 10 ECTS online unit designed for your personal and professional development in the field of sustainability. The micro-credential consists of a total of five MOOCs related to the themes covered during the virtual exchange.

The four other micro-credential courses are:

● Climate.now (2 ECTS) MOOC
https://courses.mooc.fi/org/uh-inar/courses/climate-now

● Biodiversity.now (2 ECTS) MOOC
https://courses.mooc.fi/org/uh-inar/courses/biodiversity-now

● Political Economy of Sustainability (2 ECTS) MOOC
https://www.copernicuscollege.pl/courses/course-v1:UJ+ThPoEcOfSu-UnEuMo+2024/about

● Sustainability and the Arts (1 ECTS)
https://book.unibo.it/courses/course-v1:Unibo+SUSTARTS101+2024_E1/about

After the VE unit, you can continue the Micro-Credential courses at your own pace. You will learn to analyze sustainability and its importance and impacts with an interdisciplinary approach. After studying the Micro-credential program, you will have a basic understanding of sustainability from ecological, social, and economic perspectives.

For more information:

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