Over 150 hours of workshops, nearly 800 participants involved in project activities, and more than 20 free materials to read, listen to, and watch! These are just some of the results of the UNICOMM – University Community Active Participation Project. Now we invite you to explore our publications, infographics, podcasts, and videos – all containing ready-made tools and practical tips for building engaged academic communities where everyone feels heard, seen, and valued.
Motivation
The UNICOMM – University Community Active Participation Project project has been implemented since 2022 by a consortium consisting of the University of Warsaw, the European Students’ Union, Palacký University in Olomouc, and the University of Applied Sciences in Upper Austria.
The idea behind the UNICOMM project is based on the belief the potential of higher education institution extends beyond research and education and includes a strong community focus. It’s also a space where everyone should have the opportunity to get involved in initiatives that matter to them. The main motivation for undertaking this project was the willingness to strengthen students’ sense of agency and belonging within their university community.
The partners’ experiences show that active student participation in initiatives and projects strengthens the relationship between students and the university. When we planned the project, we were just emerging from the pandemic. Young people had spent most of their studies online and were unsure what their future education would look like. Due to the rapid changes in study formats, universities focused on providing the best possible solutions to maintain the high quality of online education, and the social aspect often took a back seat. At the same time, the pandemic highlighted the importance of relationships and a sense of belonging.
From an institutional perspective, another motivation for this project was to implement the university’s social mission in practice. Given their diverse potential, universities should exert a positive influence beyond the academic environment and actively contribute to building engaged and responsible societies capable of addressing today’s global challenges.
We also understood that to achieve our assumptions, it would be necessary to provide tools and enhance the competencies of university staff. Therefore, the project’s goals included:
- identifying the factors that foster inclusive and active participation of students in extracurricular university activities (with particular emphasis on international students and professionally active students);
- developing competencies that enable both students and staff to active engagement in academic community life;
- creating guidelines for higher education institutions across Europe on how to support student participation.
By pursuing these goals, the UNICOMM project aimed to redefine the meaning of the academic community in the context of everyday challenges. The project results allow for the introduction of reliable, yet flexible solutions that support the development of a sense of belonging and agency among students and employees of higher education institutions. This is especially important in today’s dynamic and challenging times, which demonstrate just how vital solidarity and social responsibility truly are.
Goals
Project results
The Report “University as community: students’ perceptions of participation, engagement and belonging at European higher education institutions”
Presents the results of a survey conducted among 465 students from more than 20 European countries.
UNICOMM HintBook: Building Stronger Communities in Higher Education. Tools and Ideas for Navigating Student Engagement in a Changing World
Summary of the project, includes 10 practical hits based on project activities and the insights gathered over nearly three years.
“Come for Cookies. Stay for Community.”
A Toolbox for Community Building, Facilitating Participation, and Enhancing Belonging for Higher Education Communities
Collection of insights, recommendations, and scenarios created from a series of workshops held in Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Belgium.
Podcast: The Student Voice
Engaged students share their experiences and ideas for building active communities. It’s a chance to learn how young people from various countries are organising and what challenges they face.
Infographics for the HEI staff
Leveraging the diverse expertise of our professionals, we have prepared three insightful infographics which can serve as a tool for higher education professionals supporting student engagement.
Podcast: Voice of the employees
Contains valuable tips on fostering student involvement, acquiring useful skills and competencies, and taking care of personal wellbeing.
Video tutorials
Set of four video tutorials presenting important topics in student projects, such as cultural diversity, working students’ engagement, motivations, and creating safer spaces.
Co-funded by the European Union
Erasmus+ Key Action 2: Cooperation among organisations and institutions
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the National Agency (NA). Neither the European Union nor NA can be held responsible for them.
Project number: 2022-1-PL01-KA220-HED-000086907
PROJECT COORDINATOR
UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW – Volunteer Centre of the University of Warsaw
PROJECT PARTNERS
- FH OO STUDIENBETRIEBS GMBH, Austria
- EUROPEAN STUDENTS’ UNION, Belgium
- UNIVERZITA PALACKEHO V OLOMOUCI, Czech Republic