RuralCOM project is initiated by five universities: Estonian University of Life Sciences (EMU), Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LLU), Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), Ruralia Institute of Helsinki University, Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE) to develop joint Master's Curriculum of Rural Community Development (RuralCOM). This joint RuralCOM Master's curriculum will be implemented by three Baltic States partners from September 2022, Finnish and Romanian partner (UH and ASE respectively) adapt selected courses/ modules and the e-learning content. UH and ASE are chosen as important partners for further networking, lecturing, mobility and collaboration for students' Master thesis work. UH is leading the development of the MOOC of Social Entrepreneurship for Rural Community Development and ASE leads Output 3 of adult learning courses for rural community leaders. By developing a new joint curriculum on rural community development this RuralCOM project aims to implement joint initiatives together by promoting cooperation, peer learning and exchange of experiences at European level. Rural community development encompasses a range of approaches and activities that aim to improve the welfare and livelihoods of people living in rural areas focusing on rural sociology, tourism, local economy and sustainable environment. Rural community development curriculum/program differs to a great extent from rural development in general. RuralCOM focuses on villages and people, including the sociological aspects of human beings (not only infrastructure and economic aspects). The overall objective of the RuralCOM project is to support rural community development, social entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability of rural areas. Currently, there are no holistic and integrated rural community development curriculum in Master’s level in partner areas. RuralCOM consortium will develop, implement and test a new approach to promote creativity, entrepreneurial thinking and skills for designing innovation in close cooperation with the rural communities in which the universities are embedded. This will be achieved by three core activities and outputs - the new joint Master’s curriculum on Rural Community Development (O1), RuralCOM e-learning materials and the RuralCOM MOOC (O2) and continuous and adult learning courses with materials for rural development leaders (O3).
Feedback from rural community experts, rural NGOs, activists and stakeholders highlighted the necessity of opening a curriculum in Rural Community Development, due to the urgent need to provide rural communities with professional specialists able to focus particularly on the support required to strengthen and renew rural communities. Such industry feedback stressed the need for experts who can support communities to take a wide perspective on their societal challenges and search for comprehensive solutions. The project aimed at capacity building of local development actors in project preparation, public administration, consulting and entrepreneurial skills and the capability to adapt quickly to changing agricultural and rural development policies, new "green deal", "from farm to fork" strategies guidelines, and to develop sound, sustainable, environmentally oriented local strategic solutions based on valid sociological methodologies. Additionally, capacity building tools including training courses and a MOOC would support members of local communities with tools for developing their communities and businesses.
Through their networks with rural community leaders the project partners had all recognised the urgent need for a developing the multidisciplinary approach to rural development and the rapidly growing need for community involvement in local processes. Community leaders stressed the need for a new master programme curriculum and associated adult learning and MOOC training materials covering a wide range of topics: community and rural sociology, the changing countryside, research methodology and community needs assessment, rural and social entrepreneurship, rural economy, leadership, ecological and environmental capacity, biodiversity, nature-based tourism and alternative rural economic activities, strategic management in rural development, community resilience, rural social partnership and innovations, theories and methods of support consulting. The need was a new approach to promote creativity, entrepreneurial thinking and skills for designing innovation in close cooperation with the rural communities. This comprised 3 core activities and outputs - the new joint master curriculum on Rural Community Development, e-learning materials and MOOC, continuous and adult learning courses with materials for rural development leaders.