Successful delivery of objective 1 will result in a pool of e-courses, with each of the 6 URGENT cross-cutting themes (see D1) covered by courses tailored to fit the educational needs of learners from science, engineering & planning, but also from bachelor’s & master’s levels (75 ECTS of new and updated disciplines in IN & 39 ECTS in MN) enrolled to academic programs at PIs & beyond. We expect that the courses also will be picked up by doctoral students, however, we only lightly touch them, as Ph.D. studies in India & Mongolia do not include substantial training components. Each course will be openly available via e-learning and accompanied by original learning materials (including syllabi, assignment descriptions, lecture notes, as well as interactive elements and video lectures for selected courses), case study databases & reading; except Higher Education learners, they also will be advertised to formal & informal LLL learners. The thematic relevance, broad scope, and fit to the demands of target audiences will be secured through the diversity of academic institutions in PCs involved in curricula-development (science, engineering & management departments operating in different socio-political contexts), input of high-profile expert support from EU partners as well as engagement of stakeholders from the world of praxis (in planning, development, piloting & review stages). Dissemination of the curriculum offer within URGENT and beyond and easy pick-up by faculty & student will be ensured by URGENT e-learning. Core deliverables also include URGENT research framework based on in-depth analysis of partners’ (i.e. both PCs & institutions) research objectives, profiles & capacities, and outlining internationally- & policy-relevant research topics, questions & methodology suggestions.
Tangible outputs include a suite of URGENT e-learning & e-science services (URBAN learn) that in part will be a standing alone service and in part a web gate to dedicated URGENT sections in e-learning systems of partner institutions. It will provide free access to URGENT contents, including courses, case study databases & summary modules with interactive & video contents introducing 6 cross-cutting URGENT themes and supporting blended learning. URGENT Ph.D. students & their supervisors will have access to tailored e-science modules providing planning services & quick access to important information.
The tangible output is established URGENT stakeholder interactive platforms (SIPs) in India & Mongolia assembling representatives of praxis communities involved in GBI&NBS issues. Their aim is to create “communities of practice”, where academia would disseminate innovative ideas, visions of the future, inform evidence-based management, and offer flexible LLL trajectories, while praxis partners enhance educational provision with their in-hand experiences & know-how, review curricula, participate QA mechanisms & support graduates’ entry to the workplace.
URGENT partners will institutionalize their relationship through framework agreements, and set up rules for physical & virtual mobility, joint research & thesis supervision, and common use of research & experimental facilities; the latter will be also supported by an updatable catalog of such facilities available at each PI.