From September 18th to 20th, the ACEEU Europe-Africa Forum 2024 took place in Lisbon, organized in collaboration with the GRIT project. The GRIT project is a three-year collaborative effort aimed at promoting a social innovation process through the creation of a set of organized resources. These resources include a theoretical handbook, a digital game, and an AI system designed to help students build their grit. The ACEEU Europe-Africa Forum provided an excellent opportunity for exchanging knowledge on engaged research and intrapreneurship in higher education while strengthening connections with international partners. Our lab member, Špela Pečnik, represented us at the event. The forum concluded with a project meeting, where participants reviewed their progress and joined forces to tackle current challenges.
In addition, our lab member Lucija Brezočnik recently participated in the HITS Project meeting held between October 1st and 2nd, 2024, in Valladolid, Spain. The HITS project aims to boost a behavioral change model and implement targeted interventions to promote pro-digital behavior. This change is primarily based on personal growth and digital mindsets, facilitated by new technologies. The goal of HITS is to establish a more academic, digital-friendly approach to teaching and learning, enhancing motivation, willingness, and autonomy among students. The project is grounded in three main theoretical and methodological approaches: Nudge Theory to motivate educators to produce better digital education outputs and improve competencies in technology-based study programs, Artificial Intelligence (AI) to predict success in studying and gamification as a practice for non-formal learning, and Participatory Action Research (PAR) as a means of engaging both internally and externally.
It’s inspiring to see how both the GRIT and the HITS projects are shaping the future of education and fostering meaningful conversations. We are excited to contribute to these discussions and collaborate with our international partners!
