Background

General information about EELISA

In November 2020, the European University EELISA (European Engineering Learning Innovation and Science Alliance) was established. EELISA unites nine universities from seven countries: BME in Hungary, ITU in Turkey, SNS and SSSA in Italy, UPM in Spain, UPB in Romania, FAU in Germany as well as ENPC and PSL in France. It thus represents more than 180,000 students, around 16,000 academics, 11,000 administrators and around 50,000 graduates.
In November 2023, ZHAW from Switzerland will join EELISA officially and entirely as the 10^th full partner university. EELISA already invites students from ZHAW cordially to participate in activities offered in the EELISA alliance.
EELISA is committed to transforming European higher education by pooling and opening up learning offers and combining innovative teaching methods across institutions. EELISA focuses on engineering, innovation and entrepreneurship and on creating a model for Europe for solving societal challenges through smart and sustainable solutions.
EELISA Communities are one cornerstone of this innovative approach. EELISA Communities are mission-driven, multi-stakeholder (students, teachers, researchers, companies, NGOs, start-ups and public authorities), multi-disciplinary and international working groups. EELISA Community members collaborate to contribute to solving European challenges and working on a common mission related to the European environment, economy and society.

Call for action

Through this call for action, EELISA will work together to generate new opportunities for all members of its partner universities with two different topics focusing on challenge-based and multidisciplinary learning opportunities.

Topic 1 – Challenge-based learning projects

Scope and rationale

The European University EELISA calls for active participation in EELISA Communities by working jointly on challenges across Europe. In this context, EELISA will provide financial support for SDG-related challenge-based learning (CBL) activities in EELISA Communities recognized with EELISA Credentials. The goal is to attract students from all EELISA Universities and to recognize active participation in challenges with EELISA Credentials. Working on challenges will not only provide an opportunity for defining challenges and solving technical problems together but it will also provide a chance to create a learning ecosystem with diverse international teams to offer challenge-based learning (CBL) activities. Following this line of thought, challenges combine academic learning opportunities with real-world practical impact and partners.

Challenges can be broadly defined as “situations or activities that create a sense of urgency and spur action”[1]. In this context, challenge-based learning is “a multidisciplinary approach to education that encourages students to leverage the technology they use in their daily lives to solve real-world problems. By giving students the opportunity to focus on a challenge of global significance and apply themselves to developing local solutions, CBL creates a space where students can direct their own research and think critically about how to apply what they learn”.[2] In the scope of this call, EELISA encourages on the one side the collaboration with university-external ecosystem stakeholders. On the other side, EELISA encourages joint collaboration on university-internal challenges of different EELISA partners.

Specific objectives

Promoting and sustaining innovative learning practices in EELISA Communities and encouraging partners to work on challenges to provide impactful solutions (SDGs) in a playful and cooperative manner
Recognizing students’ learning experiences in challenge-based learning with EELISA credentials
Boosting transnational mobility (physical, virtual, blended, hybrid formats) and international exchange
Fostering cross-sectional and cross-institutional networking within EELISA and increasing the visibility of EELISA Communities

Eligible activities

With respect to this call, EELISA wants to promote challenges in EELISA Communities as one type of activity. The call is open to university educators, researchers, students, and staff from all EELISA institutions. Applications from all disciplines are welcome. A challenge suitable for EELISA is a, e.g. socially, economically, technically or environmental, relevant problem on a local, regional or global scale for which solutions are elusive, inadequate or non-existent. In this context, a challenge can also be an expected problem or situation that will likely unfold in the future with especially dire consequences (e.g. climate challenges, demographic challenges, healthcare challenges, globalisation and connectivity challenges, mobility challenges, security challenges, etc.).

A challenge in the context of this EELISA call should be…

1) connected to the mission of an EELISA Community (overview of EELISA Communities) and open to all EELISA students with clear admission procedures.

2) aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and impactful on the European environment, society or economy.

3) aligned with the EELISA mission statement, vision and values: evolving interdisciplinary learning in the context of engineering, encouraging knowledge, skills and technology transfer, enabling scientific co-creation, students’ self-efficacy and teamwork.

4) an exciting task that motivates EELISA community members and demands the collaboration of EELISA community members – ideally multiple key stakeholder groups like students, academics and external partners – for action.

5) manageable for the target group, but broad enough to discover opportunities for new, innovative and improved solutions.

6) defined in time, meaning there is a clear life cycle with a defined beginning and end.

7) providing clear criteria that define which requirements need to be fulfilled to solve a challenge.

8) – once solved – the learning experience is recognized with an EELISA Credential (level engagement/action) and if possible, solutions are in some kind awarded by the challenge provider and/or by the EELISA community (e.g. letter of recommendation for winning teams, financial reward by external sponsors, internship opportunities, scholarships for mobility etc.).

Challenges can be – but do not have to be – embedded in the context of seminars, lectures, summer/seasonal schools, BIPs etc.

In the design phase of a challenge, the following items can be included:

Define the challenge type, evaluation criteria and impact of a challenge proposed (define the challenge clearly- manageable for the target group, but broad enough to discover opportunities for new, innovative and improved solutions-, provide clear criteria that define which requirements need be fulfilled to solve a challenge) and launch the challenge
Time period to register for the challenge
Time period to develop solutions
Deadline to submit / present solutions
Evaluation of solutions and results
Rewarding & winning

In the framework of the joint actions in solidarity with our partner İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi (ITÜ) and the victims and those affected by the 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquake, proposals to Topic 1 applying disaster resilience, disaster management concepts, or any other relevant support to problem owners from the affected areas and involving colleagues from ITÜ, will receive additional points during the assessment (see ‘Evaluation criteria’).

Evaluation criteria

Relevance (Maximum 25 points)

Concise proposals written in English with clear challenge concept and goals, and reference to the SDGs (< 15 Points)
Comprehensibility and adequacy of the methods and evaluation frameworks (< 5 Points)
Use of innovative learning practices and approaches (< 5 Points)

Quality and efficiency (Maximum 30 points)

Number of EELISA institutions involved in the organization (< 10 Points)
Participation and role of external stakeholders (< 10 Points)
Resource efficiency (expected impact / requested funding) (< 10 Points)

Impact on the Alliance (Maximum 45 points)

Long-term effect of the collaboration raised within the activity; likeliness that the activity can be sustained or prolonged without further funding from EELISA (< 15 Points)
Number of participation spots (distinguished in physical, virtual or blended) and number of EELISA Credentials that can be potentially awarded (< 25 Points)
Complementarity with other EELISA activities and projects (< 5 Points)

Bonus (Maximum 10 points)

Challenges support either way

easing the consequences of the earthquake in Türkiye-Syria, e.g. by applying disaster resilience and disaster management concepts, or any other relevant support to problem owners from the areas affected by the earthquake and involving ITÜ members
or easing consequences of the Russo-Ukranian war for affected members of the academic familiy

EELISA considers proposals with at least 70/100 points for funding.

Topic 2 – Multiskilling pilots

Scope and rationale

EELISA will provide support to the development of multi-skilling pilots. On top of the traditional pathways to educate engineers as managers and designers, EELISA’s mission is to re-shape the future of the European engineering, inspired by the concept of “Renaissance engineers” who are also multidisciplinary scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs, and are able to interact with other disciplines in a holistic manner.

EELISA Disciplinary Broadening Workshops contributed to identify educational needs suitable to enrich the skill sets for the engineer of the future with non-engineering competences and, conversely, to introduce engineering competences in other academic macro-areas.

A major outcome of the EELISA Disciplinary Broadening Workshops is a consensus on the relevance of the T-shaped model to explain how engineers achieve the same background knowledge by “basic” education (horizontal axis of the T), and then they focus on vertical themes when they specialize. Furthermore, it has been suggested that a rotated H-shaped model can fit better into the EELISA vision based on three elements: foundations, specialization, and broadening. The rotated H-shaped model can introduce and ensure a solid background for sustainability transformation within engineering education.

Specific objectives

To organize meetings for the design of multiskilling pilots that can be considered for support in EELISA 2.0 (starting in Nov 2023) or through other synergistic initiatives supported via other sources of funding.

Eligible activities

According to a three-phase work plan, EELISA is now calling to actively participate in the design process of multiskilling pilots suitable for multiskilling and the hybridisation of engineering education, and, vice versa, suitable models for the multiskilling and hybridisation of professions that increasingly require the absorption of some knowledge from engineering.

The call is open to Faculty members of EELISA institutions from all disciplines.

Proposals to design a multiskilling pilot submitted by at least 2 EELISA partner institutions with the involvement of Faculty members of 1 additional EELISA partner institution.

Not-limited-to list of eligible pilots:

Joint Degree (Bachelor, Master or PhD)
Seasonal School
Blended Intensive Programme (BIP)

In the framework of the joint actions in solidarity with our partner İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi (ITÜ) and the victims and those affected by the 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquake, proposals to Topic 2 applying disaster resilience, disaster management concepts, or any other relevant support to problem owners from the affected areas and involving colleagues from ITÜ, will receive additional points during the assessment (see ‘Evaluation criteria’).

Evaluation criteria

Relevance (Maximum 30 points)

Clear multiskilling pilot concept and goals (< 15 Points)
Reference to the T/rotated-H model of Disciplinary Broadening as methodological frameworks for the design of multiskilling pilots (< 15 Points)

Quality (Maximum 30 points)

Number of EELISA institutions involved in the organization (< 10 Points)
Participation and role of external stakeholders[3] (< 10 Points)
Resource efficiency (expected impact / requested funding) (< 15 Points)

Impact on the Alliance (Maximum 40 points)

Inclusion of courses already registered in the EELISA catalogue OR brand-new courses complementary to existing ones based on results of analysis (< 5 Points)
Contribution to the implementation of Joint Ph.D. programmes within EELISA (< 10 Points)
Contribution to explore the research content of educational activities in EELISA capable to enable joint research activities engaging students, researchers, faculty members and external stakeholders (< 10 Points)
Link with the task forces on specific topics in process of creation in EELISA (e.g., those in Biomedical engineering and Civil engineering) (< 5 Points)
To have organized or, at least, actively contributed to one Disciplinary Broadening Workshop with remarkable prior awareness, inclusiveness, and feedback by relevant stakeholders on (< 10 Points)

Bonus (Maximum 10 points)

Proposals applying disaster resilience, disaster management concepts, or any other relevant support to problem owners from the areas affected by the Türkiye-Syria earthquake and involving colleagues from ITÜ (< 10 Points)

EELISA considers proposals with at least 70/100 points for funding.

Important dates

Call published 31.03.2023
Information session with Q&A 14.04.2023
Submission deadline 30.04.2023
Announcement of results 08.05.2023
Funded proposals to be executed in the time period 15.05.2023-30.09.2023
Challenge duration (only applicable to Subtopic 1) up to challenge organizer
Results and final report submitted until 15.10.2023

Dimensions of financial support

The joint budget for this call in Euro is:

COSTS	TOPIC 1	TOPIC 2	TOTAL
Personnel	56,500	29,000	85,500
Travel and subsistence	248,500	129,000	377,500
Other costs	10,000	10,000	20,000
Subtotal	315,000	168,000	483,000

Funding rules

Personnel, travel and subsistence and other costs are eligible for Topic 1 and 2 under the following constraints:

ELIGIBLE COSTS – BOTH TOPICS

	Personnel	Travel and subsistence	Other costs
BME	For BME organizers/instructors	Travel and subsistence for sending participants, instructors, conductors, non-academic staff from BME to other EELISA partners	N/A
ENPC	Yes	Yes	N/A
FAU	Student assistant support	Yes	Catering; external room / location booking
PSL	> 2,000 € per activity organised by PSL	2 expected outgoing mobilities for each activity not organized at PSL	> 1,800 € for invited speakers (not coming from EELISA) > 1,200 € for organizational costs (coffee break, catering…)
ITU	Student assistant support	Yes	N/A
SNS	N/A	Yes	N/A
SSSA	N/A	Yes	N/A
UPB	Yes	Yes	Yes
UPM	N/A	<5,000 € per activity	N/A

Application process and template

Please follow the application process as indicated below:

Design your proposal completing the PDF Template.
- EELISA 2^nd Joint Call Subtopic 1 Challenge-based learning projects
- EELISA 2^nd Joint Call Subtopic 2 Multiskilling Pilots
Save and rename the PDF with the title of your activity.
Upload the PDF latest by 30.04.2023 through:
- Topic 1 Challenges EELISA 2^nd Joint Call
- Topic 2 Multiskilling Pilots EELISA 2^nd Joint Call

Information session

The recording of the info session on the call, held on 14 April 2023, is accessible via the EELISA Youtube channel. The slides presented during the session are available here.

Questions & Answers from the session

Q: What are the restrictions on eligible costs for partner N?

A: Please refer to the table included under ‘Funding rules’ for partner-specific restrictions. ‘Yes’ indicates no restrictions, whereas ‘N / A’ indicates that the cost category is not eligible for funding by the institution in question. Some institutions have chosen to place a limit on the amounts that can be requested, whereas for others no such limit applies. However, it is important to bear in mind that resource efficiency (expected impact/requested funding) is an evaluation criterion for each Topic.

Q: Is there a minimum number of EELISA partners that must join the proposal?

Topic 1: at least 2 EELISA partner institutions involved.

Topic 2: at least 2 EELISA partner institutions with the involvement of Faculty members of 1 additional EELISA partner institution.

Q: Is the former ‘Additional mobilities’ category of the 1^st Joint Call now included under ‘Travel & subsistence’?

A: Yes.

Q: Can you confirm that the activities need to have concluded by 30 September 2023 sharp?

A: Owing to reporting needs of the current EELISA funding period, ending on 31 October 2023, this is indeed the case. However, if your activity extends beyond this time limit please do reach out to the team and we will try to look for a solution.

Q: I am thinking to apply for Multiskilling Pilots call. Can you provide some information or a reference for T/rotated H model of Disciplinary Broadening methodology?

A: Please find here a presentation with references to the T/rotated-H-model of Disciplinary Broadening, and, in general, the WP8 methodology which led the working group to a consensus on this model.

Q: Is there a budget limit per project? I kindly request you share detailed information about the project cost (lower limit-upper limit, budget to be allocated for students, etc.).

A: The applicable restrictions by each of the involved partners are indicated in the table included under ‘Funding rules’. Some institutions have chosen to place a limit on the amounts that can be requested, whereas for others no such limit applies (lower or upper). However, it is important to bear in mind that resource efficiency (expected impact/requested funding) is an evaluation criterion for each Topic.

Q: What are the expectations for the number of days or people to be budgeted within the project’s scope?

A: No restrictions apply to the duration or number of people involved in the challenge, as the nature of the challenges can be very diverse. However, both elements should be clearly indicated in the proposal.

Q: Regarding the challenge application with incentives to proposals dealing with the consequences of the Türkiye-Syria earthquake, it may be quite difficult to carry on-site studies within the earthquake areas. If the main expenses should be related to materials, e.g. for a hands-on building workshop with students, how do we outline this in our budget proposals?

A: In that case, the specific requirements should be described in the section “Challenge description” of the proposal template for Topic 1. Regarding the budget, it will be included in the section “Estimated budget (in €)”, subsection “Other costs” of your home institution. Nevertheless, please consider that not all the institutions have budget for “Other costs”.

Q: Can we request an additional budget from the ITU EELISA Office within the scope of costs that are not eligible for the project?

A: These requests will be referred to ITU institutional contacts for its evaluation. ITÜ colleagues will provide the appropriate response according to their budget availability.

[1] SUMMARY of CHALLENGE BASED LEARNING (from Nichols et al 2016) – Google Drawings

[2] https://www.apple.com/ca/education/docs/NMC_CBLi_Report_Oct_2011.pdf

[3] Involvement of industrial profit/no-profit (or for social use) stakeholders, i.e., playing a pivotal role in the co-creation of challenges to be addressed within the pilot (use cases), based on their contacts established with Universities OR new contacts regulated by IP regulations.