"<< Background >>The European Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027 aims to foster a high-performing digital education ecosystem, and to enhance digital skills and competences for the digital age and specifies “online, distance and blended learning” as specific examples of how technology can be used to improve and support teaching and learning.In 2020, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic forced and accelerated the development and use of digital technologies in education. Higher education institutions (HEIs) switched very fast and to a large extent to online learning. While digital technologies enabled many students to continue their studies during the pandemic, it also proved a barrier for others. One main concern of stakeholders regarding digital transformation in education is how to ensure access, equity and inclusion and how to prevent “digital divides”. Yet the COVID-19 crisis is considered a “turning point” for technology use in teaching and learning, creating a sense of urgency, which provided continuity for education, but at the same time, led millions of students to drop out due to digital divide and other structural barriers (UNICEF, 2020). Current studies show that lack of a convenient learning place has been a barrier for students to participate in education during the pandemic (Baticulon et al., 2021; Kapasia et al., 2020).The dramatic rise of online, distance and blended learning in higher education has increased the extent and variation of learning activities, which take place outside of formal learning spaces, including synchronous/asynchronous and individual/collaborative online learning activities, in which students participate while they are physically in different locations. Due to the eroding boundaries between online and offline, the construction of space must be reconsidered. Research studies show that an integrated understanding of ""Onlife Spaces"" leads to changes of existing physical places and evokes the activation of new physical places.While barrier-free design has been recognised as precondition for inclusion, recent research findings provide broad evidence on the impact of physical learning environments on learners’ health, well-being and performance. These findings are increasingly being taken into account in the design and management of formal campus learning spaces, like seminar rooms or lecture halls. Although it is known, that students spend more time in informal than in formal learning spaces, these are only lately coming into focus.Informal and non-conventional learning spaces which can be categorized as places provided by university, by third party or personally provided (e.g. informal campus spaces, home learning environments, public spaces, learning cafés, public transport, outdoor spaces, public libraries, cafés) are thus taking on a new relevance and significant importance in the context of lifelong learning. Yet there is little information available where digitally supported higher education learning takes place, how these physical and hybrid learning environments impact students’ well-being and learning experience, and which barriers they pose on different student groups, depending on socio-economic background, gender, age, disabilities, family responsibilities and geographical location.With the project NIILS we want to address these barriers, which students in higher education face during digitally supported learning activities due to existing inequalities or lack of access to technical equipment, internet and suitable physical-spatial informal learning environments. We aim to create awareness for existing barriers, to mitigate inequalities and to promote technologically enhanced inclusive informal learning environments, which are conducive to learning and users’ well-being.<< Objectives >>One of the biggest concerns regarding the digital transformation in education is the exclusion of learners from vulnerable groups. Ongoing research activities, strategic measures and interventions address “digital divides” caused by inequalities regarding connectivity, accessibility, digital equipment and skills, as well as didactical implications and the impact of digitalisation on the design of formal learning spaces, like seminar rooms. But yet, there has been little discussion on the interaction of digital teaching and learning methods and the spatial environments in which students are located, while they participate in distance and online learning activities. Only limited information is available about where digitally supported higher education learning takes place, how these physical and hybrid learning environments affect students’ well-being and learning experience, and which barriers they pose on different student groups.In order to address the incurring chances and challenges, the NIILS project targets the following objectives: 1) Provide comprehensible information regarding the context situation and users’ perspectives in higher education institutions in different European countries and regions, as well as on the impact of technologically enhanced informal or non-conventional learning spaces on students’ well-being, self-regulation, knowledge acquisition and university belongingness2) Analyse and categorize digitally supported informal learning spaces for lifelong learning processes3) Identify structural, contextual and individual barriers related to informal learning spaces for different student groups, depending on their socio-economic status, gender, age, disabilities and geographical location, as well as approaches and strategies for mitigation and empowerment4) Create awareness among target groups and stakeholders and provide tools (mapping platform), methodological frameworks (learning communities) and practical guidance materials to promote inclusive and supportive technologically enhanced informal and non-conventional learning environments, to mitigate inequalities and to empower students with fewer opportunities5) Establish networks and enable knowledge transfer between participating institutions, involved target groups and stakeholders, to start a transdisciplinary and co-creative process and to build a foundation for further development and innovation regarding technologically enhanced inclusive informal learning spaces.Our vision for universities is to transform them as inclusive points of attraction with access to learning environments on and off campus that meet the needs of all students and learners. With the NIILS project we aim to contribute to a critical understanding on how to exploit the opportunities offered by digital technologies for teaching and learning, to increase access, participation and completion rates of higher education students with fewer opportunities. Furthermore, we want to contribute to the understanding of how the necessary spatial, technological and didactical frameworks should be created to stimulate innovative learning and teaching practices, which also relate to the inclusion and diversity aspect of the Austrian National Strategy for Higher Education.<< Implementation >>To reach the defined objectives, to ensure high quality project results and sustainability of these results, the implementation of NIILS will be carried out in 4 partly overlapping project phases: (1)Data collection and analysis(2)Engagement of target groups and stakeholders(3)Co-creation and knowledge exchange(4)Review and sharing of experiences and project resultsThese phases will lead to five project results: “Country context analysis” (PR1), “Users’ perspective analysis” (PR2), “Mapping Platform” (PR3), “Learning communities” (PR4) and “Recommendations and guidance to promote inclusive and supportive informal learning spaces” (PR5). Each project result will be led by one of the project partners according to their respective expertise and experiences. The main activities leading to the project results will include:(1)a desk search and focus groups/interviews with stakeholders to gather information regarding the “state of the art” and the context situation in the participating institutions, project countries and regions(2)a students’ survey and focus groups with students and lecturers to collect and analyse data on the users’ perspective regarding availability, characteristics and usage of informal or non-conventional learning spaces by different student groups; their impact on students’ well-being, self-regulation, knowledge acquisition and university belongingness; existing inequalities and barriers; students’ and lecturers’ awareness and enabling strategies(3)the development of a mapping platform and conducting of walking interviews with students and lecturers to mark and share data on characteristics, usage and accessibility of informal and non-conventional learning spaces(4)the development of a learning communities co-creation framework and guidelines for creating learning communities which address inclusive informal learning spaces, based on previous project results, the collection of good practise examples, resulting in the implementation of one pilot community and four further learning communities with students, lecturers and university administration(5)the development and stakeholder review of recommendations and guidance material for students, lecturers, university administration and key stakeholders to promote inclusive and supportive informal learning spaces and mitigate existing barriers and inequalitiesFive national and one transnational multiplier event will be organised to reach beyond the partnership to all interested groups and stakeholders at the local, national and international level.We will also conduct a wide range of dissemination activities to make the project visible at local, national and international levels, to exchange ideas with the interested parties and to share our project results to ensure their sustainable usage. Project management and content development as well as dissemination activities will be closely linked. Internal and external monitoring processes will ensure quality and achievement of project results. The consortium will develop a sustainability plan to regulate the further use, data management and necessary maintenance activities for project results after the project ends to ensure their further availability and deployment.<< Results >>The project will produce five main project results and a number of related deliverables:PR1 Country context analysis: availability and infrastructure of informal learning spacesDeliverables will include 5 country context analyses and 1 comparative report, providing information regarding the “state of the art” and the context situation in the participating institutions, project countries and regions.PR2: Users’ perspective analysis: usage, perception and impact of informal learning spacesDeliverables will include 5 users’ perspective analyses and 1 synthesis report providing comprehensive data on the users’ perspective regarding availability, characteristics and usage of informal or non-conventional learning spaces by different student groups; their impact on students’ well-being, self-regulation, knowledge acquisition and university belongingness; existing inequalities and barriers; students’ and lecturers’ awareness and enabling strategies.PR3: Mapping Platform: collecting and sharing data on informal learning spacesDeliverables will include 1 mapping platform on which informal learning places will be marked with their characteristics using the data from walking interview participants and volunteers (students and lecturers) for presenting data on accessible informal and non-conventional learning spaces and their usage.PR4: Learning communities for students’, lecturers and university administrationDeliverables will include 5 learning communities with students’, lecturers and university administration addressing technologically enhanced informal and non-conventional learning spaces to enhance inclusion and support students with barriers.PR5: Recommendations and guidance to promote inclusive and supportive informal learning spacesDeliverables will include recommendations and guidance material for students, lecturers, university administration and key stakeholders to promote inclusive and supportive informal learning spaces and mitigate existing barriers and inequalities.Besides these project results an important outcome of the project will be the established networks and knowledge transfer between participating institutions, involved target groups and stakeholders.NIILS will provide the first step on the way to create inclusive and sustainable learning spaces that caters to students’ and lecturers’ well-being through use of technology in higher education institutions. Thus, the project outcomes will contribute to the development of a high-performing and inclusive digital education ecosystem in European higher education institutions."

In the last twenty-thirty years, quality assurance (QA) has emerged as an essential factor for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to facilitate comparability and readability of academic achievements and degrees, enhanced cooperation and mobility. In Europe, QA is embedded in the Bologna Process, which is seen as a good practice to follow in many regions willing to improve performance in this domain.Indeed, as a crucial element to an internationally competitive HE, QA is of most importance for countries immersed in HE reform and wishing to adapt and conform to global/regional trends. This would be the case of Cambodia, which thanks to enormous efforts has turned in the last two decades from one of the world’s poorest countries to a lower middle-income country today. Cambodia has formulated an ambitious policy for HE reform, the HE Vision 2030, and QA is an integral part of the same. Main strategies of the Policy include ensuring that HEIs develop QA systems/specific units to meet national accreditation standards and allow full participation in the global system of quality-assured HE. Action lines to implement the abovementioned objective imply establishing internal QA mechanisms, fostering capacities & skills, as well as infrastructures, and conducting regular internal self-assessment of the management and programmes, amongst others.Within this framework, SICA proposes a sound scheme of activities and actions to contribute to Cambodian Higher Education Vision 2030 through the improvement of internal Quality Assurance in Cambodian HEIs. Capacity building for professional development; exchange of good practices EU-Cambodia; set-up of internal QA units; and embedding quality assurance processes are some of the priority lines of the project.

<< Objectives >>The main objective of the project is to boost the European green economy and climate neutrality through the development of innovative HE practices related to the implementation of micro-credentials designed in cooperation with European standards bodies that meet the market needs and facilitate the provision of flexible, accessible, and inclusive education in relevant industry/sector standards that support the transition to a green and digital economy.<< Implementation >>- desk research, analysis, identification of the areas in which skills, knowledge and competences should be improved, proposal of list of standards to be used as a basis for development of micro-credentials- development of curricula for micro-credential courses, establishment of a digital learning platform, development of learning contents, structuring of the courses, internal testing- translation of the courses in all partner languages, official recognition by partner universities, piloting<< Results >>- list of identified and selected at national level concrete areas and list of standards- digital learning platform, micro-credential courses with training curricula and learning content - officially recognized micro-credential courses at national level

The project European Network for Academic Integrity (ENAI) was focused on establishing a platform for cooperation and creation of innovative tools and resources in the field of academic integrity. The most important outcomes of the project are:* Establishing the association of legal entities engaged in educational activities, who want to collaborate in the field of academic integrity;* A wide range of high quality educational resources about aspects of academic integrity tailored to the needs of different stakeholders;* Materials for cross-sectoral cooperation, namely the resources linking academic and professional integrity;* Toolkit for institutions to develop or improve their policies, processes and regulations about the academic integrity issues.Most of the project partners had already been in very close cooperation before the project started. There had been efforts to communicate on a common platform before, and this project created the opportunity to formalise and expand this kind of cooperation. The “umbrella” ENAI platform has become a trans-national portal for disseminating and sharing high quality resources for promoting academic integrity to a wide range of stakeholders.But this project was not just about a platform. The main goal was to prepare content for this platform, to teach people how they should behave in education, academic research and also throughout their career. The content includes methodological materials for teachers, self-evaluation and self-assessment tools, interactive courses and many other supporting tools. All these outcomes represent a very innovative tool kit; Before this project, there were no other common materials for academic integrity on the European level of this nature.The phenomenon of academic integrity is obviously interdisciplinary topic, which was reflected by the composition of the project consortium. There are many different faculties and departments (economic, medical, ICT, sociology,...) and even Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information as a representative of a national body point of view participated in project activities. The project has 3 main outputs. The first is a set of educational materials for HEI teachers and students. We designed a course for teachers and modules for students including videos, FAQ about plagiarism, didactical notes and typology of intertextual mistakes. The second output consists of tools for cross-sectoral cooperation as a manual, real-life examples or even workshop for high school students and teachers. The third output consists of a handbook (tool-kit) including a glossary of terms related to academic integrity, general guidelines, four kinds of self-evaluation tools, academic integrity self-improvement in a nutshell.The project outputs are based on qualitative research in particular countries when researchers investigate country specifics and examples of best practice. The researchers from the project partner institutions have been working together at joint training events. Three conferences were held during the project to disseminate the project results and to get more institutions and individuals on board the ENAI association. The conferences were also a useful means of getting necessary feedback on project outputs.An important aim was to raise awareness in the matters of plagiarism, academic ethics and academic integrity. ENAI focuses not only on HEI students and their teachers (our main target group), but on the whole of academia (professors, post-docs, PhD, administration staff and management, including academic ethics committees, etc.) and future HE students (high school students) and their teachers. ENAI is addressing all kinds of academic misconduct, such as cheating, plagiarism, scientific misconduct, mobbing (bullying).One unifying international body representing the interests of many institutions all over Europe could be a great advantage in potential negotiations on higher levels. At the beginning, there were 12 core partners across Europe (project consortium) of which 11 represent universities. Even before the project started, many others claimed their readiness for future cooperation and joining the ENAI platform. Right now, ENAI has 27 member institutions from 20 countries. It is a well established and recognized platform which will ensure sustainability of the project results. The platform will continue to work on project activities after the project is finished - develop materials, organize events (including annual conferences), circulate information amongst partner universities. Operation of the platform is sustained by an office financed by membership fees. Thanks to all these activities we are able to spread the outcomes of our project to other European countries and even beyond European borders, embracing all disciplines.

Citizen Science is a rapidly expanding and diversifying field of innovation with significant implications for, and potential benefits to, society, policy, and various academic research areas. This heterogeneity leads currently to a fragmented and not fully coordinated European Citizen Science landscape. The ambition of EU-Citizen.Science is to build, fill, and promote a sustainable platform and mutual learning space providing different tools, best practice examples and relevant scientific outcomes that are collected, curated, and made accessible to different stakeholders, ranging from interested citizens over scientific institutions up to politicians and public media in order to mainstream Citizen Science in Europe. This breakthrough will be pursued through three interconnected lines of activity: (i) coordination of citizen science actions and leveraging of existing resources in the presently fragmented landscape of Citizen Science in Europe, (ii) engagement of quadruple helix stakeholders at all levels (local, national and European), and (iii) creation of a mutual learning space and a set of comprehensive co-designed training modules for the different target audiences. Moreover, following a transparent, open and inclusive approach, EU-Citizen.Science will promote interdisciplinary, cross-border, cross-sector collaboration, and give rise to significant social innovation and new business models through the creation of new partnerships and the provision of novel sustainability-supporting tools. The EU.Citizen.Science project involves 14 partners and 9 third parties, representing 14 European Member States and a variety of stakeholders ranging from universities, NGOs, local authorities, CSOs and natural history museums, along with several other project supporters. Many of the partners are already engaged in other SwafS projects related to RRI, co-creation and citizen science, as well as numerous initiatives at national or local level.