Developing connections between civic engagement and internationalisation for an inclusive society
What is ECEM?
Ensuring active citizenship and participation in society is acknowledged as a key element to making mobilities more inclusive and societies more integrated. Nevertheless, students volunteering in the local community during their exchange are still a minority. The Enriching Communities through Engaged Mobilities (ECEM) project strives to design measures to increase students’ participation in civic engagement initiatives by building connections with Higher Education Institutions and Civil Society Organisations.
Increasing the civic engagement component of mobilities in the field of internationalisation of Higher Education, contributing to making interaction with local communities the norm in mobilities.
Recognition
Ensuring recognition of learning outcomes for participants that take part in civic engagement initiatives.
Cross-sectoral cooperation
Improving the collaboration frameworks between Higher Education Institutions and other societal actors to make mobilities contribute to societal change and common European values.
News
Find here the news and latest updates about the Enriching Communities through Engaged Mobilities project.
Launch of Awareness Raising Campaign on the Rights of Mobile Students
The ECEM project consortium is launching an awareness raising campaign ...
February 2025
Invitiation to training ECEM training in Zagreb
The Enriching Communities through Engaged ...
December 2024
New publication "Inclusion and Engagement in Mobility through Volunteering"
December 2024
Release of the Toolkit "Volunteer on Exchange Activities"
The ECEM Project Consortium is publishing a toolkit ...
December 2024
Successful ECEM Conference at Vrije Universiteit Brussel
On the 1st of October 2024 the Enriching Communities through Engaged ...
December 2024
Publication of the ECEM Handbook for Service-Learning in Erasmus+
The ECEM project consortium is ...
September 2024
Enriching Communities through Engaged Mobilities Conference
On the 1st of October the Erasmus Student Network will host another milestone of the ECEM project, the Enriching Communities through Engaged Mobilities Conference. Participants are welcome to explore how enhancing student participation ...
September 2024
ECEM Staff Training in Porto
From the 15th to the 17th of May 2024, the ECEM Staff Training 2024 took place in Porto,...
June 2024
ECEM Peer Community of Practice
The Enriching Communities through Engaged Mobilities project launched the Peer Community ...
June 2024
The ECEM Survey “Service Learning During Student Mobilities”
The ECEM project consortium launched ...
June 2024
Learning through Engagement Lab
The ECEM project consortium organises the "Learning through Engagement Lab", which will take place from ...
July 2023
The ECEM project launch
Although active citizenship and participation in society are acknowledged as key elements to making mobilities ...
May 2023
Project timeline
Take a look and learn more about the timeline of the ECEM project. This project started in January 2023 and will be finalized in November 2025.
February 2023 - January 2024
Handbook for Service-learning
The Handbook for Service-learning will provide an educational framework that gives theoretical and practical instructions to encourage Higher Education Institutions to shift their educational methodologies and include community-engaged learning in their Erasmus+ mobility opportunities.
December 2023 - September 2025
Good Practice Compendium
As a second step we will engage in mobility promotion activities EU-wide via a selection of the best tested engagement activities ranging from international dinners and flag parades to conferences, sports events, exhibitions and much more.
June 2023 - September 2025
Connecting Community Engagement and Internationalisation: Challenges and Opportunities
This report will offer an overview of the challenges and opportunities of the “Community Engagement-Internationalisation” pair taking into account the experiences of the volunteering activities organised during mobility and the outcome of a workshop with Civil Society Organisations, Universities and students.
March 2024 - October 2024
Volunteer on Exchange - Activities Toolkit
The Volunteer on Exchange Activities Toolkit will help local student associations organise and implement community engagement activities.
April 2023 - May 2024
Inclusion and Engagement in Mobility through Volunteering
Based on desk research on active citizenship, an institutional survey, and a focus group with students, this report will bridge the theoretical concepts related to active citizenship and the need for students’ access and support to contribute to their local community actively.
September 2024 - February 2025
Awareness campaign
Social Media campaign on access rights on student exchange
February 2023 - September 2025
Policy framework
Policy Recommendations to foster inclusion and integration on Mobility.
October 2025
Policy Report
Policy Report on the integration of Service Learning.
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The ECEM project launch
Although active citizenship and participation in society are acknowledged as key elements to making mobilities more inclusive and societies more integrated, students volunteering in their host community during mobility are still a minority. The Enriching Communities through Engaged Mobilities (ECEM) project strives to design measures to increase students’ participation in civic engagement initiatives by building connections with Higher Education Institutions and Civil Society Organisations.
The aim of the ECEM project is to:
Increase the civic engagement component of mobilities in the field of internationalisation of Higher Education by making interaction with local communities the norm in mobilities
Ensure recognition of learning outcomes for participants that take part in civic engagement initiatives
Improve the collaboration frameworks between Higher Education Institutions and other societal actors to make mobilities contribute to societal change and common European values.
The ECEM project consortium organises the "Learning through Engagement Lab", which will take place from the 5th to the 7th of October 2023, in Berlin, and targets students/student representatives, Higher Education Staff, and workers of Civil Society Organisations.
The lab will be an opportunity to explore the potential of stronger collaborations between community organizations, students, and universities to address local needs effectively, and delve into transformative and innovative solutions to societal challengestransformative and innovative solutions to societal challenges through co-creation within the framework of Community-engagement learning programs for international students.
The ECEM Survey “Service Learning During Student Mobilities”
The ECEM project consortium launched the
survey “Service Learning During Student Mobilities”survey “Service Learning During Student Mobilities” to understand the HEIs’ views on service learning. The survey should take approximately 5 minutes to complete. The responses will be kept confidential and will be used for research purposes. The data collected will be analysed by ECEM experts and the results will be presented as a group and not individually so that participants’ anonymity is guaranteed.
Why a survey on this topic?
One area of interest of the ECEM project is service learning, especially in the context of student mobilities. According to the European Association for Service Learning in Higher Education, service-learning in higher education is an experiential educational method in which students engage in community service, reflect critically on this experience, and learn from it personally, socially and academically. It involves structured and graded student placements in organisations in response to the needs of the community and is different from volunteering because it is part of mandatory coursework. (2021) The results of the survey will help us understand the state of play of service learning in Higher Education.
The ECEM Survey “Service Learning During Student Mobilities”
The ECEM project consortium launched the
survey “Service Learning During Student Mobilities”survey “Service Learning During Student Mobilities” to understand the HEIs’ views on service learning. The survey should take approximately 5 minutes to complete. The responses will be kept confidential and will be used for research purposes. The data collected will be analysed by ECEM experts and the results will be presented as a group and not individually so that participants’ anonymity is guaranteed.
Why a survey on this topic?
One area of interest of the ECEM project is service learning, especially in the context of student mobilities. According to the European Association for Service Learning in Higher Education, service-learning in higher education is an experiential educational method in which students engage in community service, reflect critically on this experience, and learn from it personally, socially and academically. It involves structured and graded student placements in organisations in response to the needs of the community and is different from volunteering because it is part of mandatory coursework. (2021) The results of the survey will help us understand the state of play of service learning in Higher Education.
The Enriching Communities through Engaged Mobilities project launched the Peer Community of Practice to exchange practices, views opinions and ideas regarding civic engagement, inclusion and service-learning implementation. The Community of Practice started with a Training in Porto and will keep working online as of the end of June through video meetings and a LinkedIn group to share updates, suggestions and accomplishments about community engaged activities within their institutions.
The Peer Community of Practice will connect practitioners from different fields and countries. If you wish to join it, register here.
Date: June 2024
ECEM Staff Training in Porto
From the 15th to the 17th of May 2024, the ECEM Staff Training 2024 took place in Porto, Portugal, hosted by SGroup, partner of the consortium.
SGroup was pleased to welcome participants from all over the world, in person and remotely, who shared their interest and experience in Service Learning and community-engaged learning Implementation, including challenges, suggestions, and ideas for further development. The Training was highly interactive and combined lecture-style sessions with practical group activities, where participants were asked to start from a macro perspective before analysis their specific institutional contexts. The social programme allowed participants to network and set the base for a successful cooperation within the Community of Practice.
Training’s Speakers:
Cecilia Christersson- Professor Emerita | University of Mälmo, Sweden Vice-President of the Association SGroup Universities in Europe
Ana Skledar Matijević Dr.sc. / PhD and Higher Education Project Manager Institute for the Development of Education
Avril Lombardi Bolaño Tècnica Programa d'Aprenentatge Servei (APS), Oficina de Compromís Social, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Campus Catalunya
Alina S. Rusu European Association of Service-Learning in Higher Education – EASLHE University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca (USAMV Cluj-Napoca)
Christine Zarb University of Westminster
Ben Powel University of Westminster
Coralie OSTERTAG International and European Networks manager, 3i University Network & French-Dutch Network (RFN), General Office of International Relations - International Outreach and Promotion unit, Université de Lille
Date: June 2024
Enriching Communities through Engaged Mobilities Conference
On the 1st of October the Erasmus Student Network will host another milestone of the ECEM project, the Enriching Communities through Engaged Mobilities Conference. Participants are welcome to explore how enhancing student participation in civic engagement initiatives drives societal change, in alignment with the fourth priority of the Erasmus+ programme.
The conference will take place at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, specifically in U-Residence, Blvd Général Jacques 271, 1050 Ixelles / Brussels, on the 1st of October between 10:00 and 17:00.
Registration for the conference is free but mandatory. Spaces are limited and will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis and confirmed on a rolling basis.
Please complete the following registration form here.
Date: September 2024
Publication of the ECEM Handbook for Service-Learning in Erasmus+
The ECEM project consortium is publishing a Handbook for Service-Learning in Erasmus+ “Service-Learning: Enriching Communities Beyond Borders” ahead of the ECEM Conference, taking place on the 1st of October from 10:00 to 17:00 CET, at U-Residence, Blvd Géneral Jacques 271, 1050 Ixelles / Brussels.
The Handbook is an outcome of an in-depth consultation undertaken by the ECEM consortium. It introduces a theoretical framework for Service-Learning and guidelines for implementation of Service-Learning in Erasmus+. It further presents five models to develop Service-Learning-infused curricula available for Erasmus+ students.
Successful ECEM Conference at Vrije Universiteit Brussel
On the 1st of October 2024 the Enriching Communities through Engaged Mobilities Conference took place at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. The Conference organised within the ECEM project, brought together around 90 participants, namely students, student representatives, civil society organisations, and representatives from the European Commission and the European Parliament, to discuss and share views on student involvement with local communities and civic engagement during exchange.
Release of the Toolkit "Volunteer on Exchange Activities"
The ECEM Project Consortium is publishing a toolkit "Volunteer on Exchange Activities", practical guidelines for organising impactful volunteer activities for students during their exchange. The Toolkit aims to support student representatives and activity organisers when designing community-engaged activities for international students, bridging the gap between academia and society through internationalisation.
New publication "Inclusion and Engagement in Mobility through Volunteering"
The ECEM Project Consortium is publishing a new publication titled "Inclusion and Engagement in Mobility through Volunteering". This Publication has been prepared, aiming to bridge the theoretical concepts related to active citizenship and sense of belonging, and the needs for access and support for students to actively participate and contribute to their local community while on exchange. The Publication is a result of a combination of various methods, such as extensive desk research aiming to identify the importance of active citizenship in inclusion, a focus group with students from various backgrounds, as well as analysis of student data on access needs to engagement and integration on exchange and institutional survey for university staff with a focus on inclusion and integration measures. The results of this research is presented in this publication, exploring the correlation between community engagement, active citizenship and integration of international students. Based on this research, the Publication outlines recommendations for improved models of integration and civic engagement in student mobility.
Invitiation to training on the creation and effective execution of community-engagement learning programmes
The Enriching Communities through Engaged Mobilities (ECEM) consortium invites you to a training on the creation and effective execution of community-engagement learning programmes designed for students. The training aims to explore transformative and innovative approaches under the guidance of Service Learning experts.
Thanks to a participatory approach, participants will be engaged in meaningful conversation to share their experiences, approaches, and challenges, and they will have the opportunity to identify the most relevant stakeholders, as well as to envision potential scenarios and implementation actions within their institutions by also using the material developed within the ECEM project.
Date: 22nd - 23rd January 2025 Location: Zagreb, Croatia
For whom: practitioners (both academics and Higher Education administrative staff) with experience or interest in community-engaged learning practices and internationally-focused societal missions.
How to participate: Please fill in this registration form by the 16th of December 2024.here
The ECEM consortium will select up to 18 participants from at least seven Universities, to create a diverse group of practitioners from across Europe. Priority will be given to participants who participate in the ECEM Peer Community of Practice.
The ECEM team will send you a confirmation to the selected participants by the 19th of December 2024.
We are looking forward to seeing you in Zagreb!
Date: December 2024
Launch of Awareness Raising Campaign on the Rights of Mobile Students
The ECEM project consortium is launching an awareness raising campaign with a special focus on students’ rights and obligations during their Erasmus+ mobility experience. Recognising the low awareness levels of students about their rights on mobility as an obstacle to a quality and meaningful experience, this initiative aims to support students by informing them of their rights and further encourage active engagement with local communities.
The Erasmus+ programme has become synonymous with the internationalisation of Higher Education and cultural enrichment, offering life-changing experiences to millions of students. However, insights from previous studies, such as the ESNsurvey XV edition, reveal that an increasing number of participants face challenges in integrating with local communities and actively engaging in them. In this context, such barriers not only hinder student mobility but also challenge the broader goal of fostering integration, highlighting the need for effective preparation and support to help students engage fully with their host communities.
One crucial step to address these challenges is through more comprehensive pre-departure support. Ensuring that students are well-informed about their rights, available services, and support systems can significantly enhance their ability to integrate into their host communities and make the most of their mobility experience.
The introduction of the Erasmus+ Student Charter aimed at providing a framework to inform students about their entitlements as well as their responsibilities before, during, and after their stay abroad, such as taking an active part in the local society through intercultural or civic engagement activities. It is essential that students receive this information as part of pre-departure preparation, as the Charter equips them with the knowledge they need to navigate the complexities of mobility confidently.
Despite its importance, findings from the ESNsurvey XV edition indicate a significant gap in the promotion and dissemination of the Erasmus+ Student Charter. Only 38% of students reported receiving information about their rights as Erasmus+ students when they first learned about Erasmus+ opportunities. Alarmingly, 20.7% of respondents reported not being informed about the Charter at any point during their mobility journey (Dias et al., 2024).
Figure1: Time of the provision of the Erasmus Student Charter to exchange students, percentage (general sample, N= 14.751). ESNsurvey XV edition
In this evolving landscape, widespread support from mobility Alumni and Ambassadors is vital to ensure that their peers are fully aware of their rights. Initiatives such as mentorship programmes offer an opportunity to improve. In fact, among the pre-departure support considered important by students, hearing from previous exchange students stood out. However, while 41% of universities report pairing students with alumni or peers to provide pre-departure guidance, the lack of widespread adoption limits their impact. These programmes are particularly effective in connecting theoretical knowledge of students’ rights with practical advice, reducing pre-mobility stress, and building confidence.
The Erasmus+ programme has the power to transform lives, but its true potential can only be reached when students are fully informed and prepared for their journey. In an effort to bridge the gap between rights awareness and pre-departure support, the ECEM project consortium is launching a large-scale European campaign, targeting students at different stages of their mobility journey. Through an interactive social media campaign and in-person activities the project consortium aims to engage with students and point their attention to their entitlements and duties during mobility.
Anyone interested in the campaign can follow the social media channels of ESN International, and support the efforts of the consortium to reach out to students all around Europe.