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EDU4SDG

Accelerating the Contribution of Higher Education to the SDGs by Cultivating Social Responsibility, Developing Emotional Intelligence, and Training Agents of Change

The #edu4sdgs project (technical sheet) aims to accelerate the contribution of higher education to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by cultivating social responsibility, developing emotional intelligence (known as EQ), and training agents of change. It is aimed at students, academic and administrative staff, higher education institution (HEI) leaders, and non-university students who wish to enhance their skills in SDGs and EQ.

It is funded by the European Commission (Erasmus+ Program) and coordinated by the Lodz University of Technology (Poland). The project will run from October 2023 to September 2026 in collaboration with the following organizations: Asociación Bienestar y Desarrollo ABD (Spain), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona UAB (Spain), Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities ACEEU (Germany), Team Coaching (Poland), and RIGAS TEHNISKA UNIVERSITATE (Latvia).

About EDU4SDG:

Context:

The project reflects the need to accelerate the contribution of higher education to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to develop an innovative approach to address this need. According to the needs analysis conducted by partner entities, the 2030 Agenda is at risk as progress on the SDGs has stalled since 2019. The project focuses on areas where the contribution of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is particularly significant: the development of “SDG promoters” through Education for Sustainable Development Goals (ESDG). This means empowering students with the ability to take action to address the SDGs and shift their approach towards these goals.

The SDGs should serve as a source of inspiration to generate a positive impact, and they must be integrated with emotional intelligence (EQ) education.

Who is it aimed at?

The project is aimed at students, academic and administrative staff, HEI leaders, and non-university students who wish to enhance their skills in SDGs and EQ to expand their professional experience and meet the demands of the job market.

General Objective

The main objective of the project is to accelerate the contribution of higher education to the SDGs by cultivating social responsibility, developing emotional intelligence, and training agents of change.

Specific Objectives:

√ Improve the capacity of participating organizations to collaborate internationally in achieving the project’s objectives and ensure optimal and transferable results.

√ Enhance standards of university planning, implementation, and monitoring of sustainable development policies.

√ Design a new university approach to training in empathy as a pillar for the effective implementation of the SDGs.

√ Develop recognition, understanding, and management of one’s own emotions to actively contribute to the implementation of the SDGs.

√ Develop a university approach to create an ecosystem of micro-credentials related to the SDGs.

√ Improve and update the knowledge, skills, and competencies of target groups in the area of the SDGs.

√ Share information, resources, and best practices to achieve successful social and institutional contributions related to the SDGs.

Main activities:

Analysis of current European Union policies and practices related to micro-credentials and proposal of a new competency framework for micro-credentials/digital badges in the field of SDGs and emotional intelligence (EQ).
Development of the SDGs University Knowledge Hub: an online learning space with training pathways and resources to learn about different aspects of the SDGs and EQ in higher education, and to obtain a micro-credential.
Creation of a board game: as a resource for strengthening and developing emotional intelligence (EQ) in relation to the SDGs.
Trainings and webinars: workshop “Working with Emotions” in Poland and training “Cooperation between Higher Education Institutions and NGOs for the SDGs” in Spain, so partner entities can implement the knowledge acquired and train future agents of change in their institutions. The trained individuals will, in turn, implement the board game and train the following user groups. Additionally, expert-led webinars will be conducted for other internal and external stakeholder groups.
Summer school “EQ = Social Responsibility” in Riga for students from higher education institutions, academic and administrative staff, and representatives from partner entities. The event will serve to test the board game, training pathways related to EQ, and the micro-credential mechanism.
Development of a practical roadmap for higher education institutions on how to successfully implement new educational components related to the SDGs.

Expected impact:

Increased students commitment to engage with SDGs actions and their EQ
development leading to improved personal and professional lives, with positive
implications for the labor market.
Greater capacity among academic staff and institutions, improving the quality
and relevance of education which leads to a higher progression towards SDGs
The integration of EQ and SDGs will boost the local community and citizens‘s
participation in SDG initiatives.
Enhanced role of national and foreign HEIs when fostering knowledge-based
societies in Europe. This will also foster interest among stakeholders outside
the EU and lead to the exchange of valuable experiences.
Enhanced integration of micro-credentials in HEIs, even in countries without
national micro-credential policies.

EDU4SDG

The project aims at accelerating higher education’s contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by cultivating social responsibility, developing emotional intelligence (EQ) and shaping agents of change.