The core of our project is the development of a Simulation Supported HEI-level Massive Open Online Course entitled "Interdisciplinary training on EU security, resilience and sustainability" (EUSecure SimMOOC) - that also appears as an accredited elective in our universities' curricula. * Our alliance recognizes the responsibility of higher education institutions in forming a new society where citizens and leaders have a clear view of issues that are key to the European Unions’s and its citizens’ our societies’ security, resilience and sustainability. These concerns that our societies face now, are of a new and unknown magnitude and complex dimensions, which needs proper understanding and adequate policy responses. * Our generic objective is to contribute to European cooperation in security-related issues through education by offering students, professors, researchers but also to practitioners and the interested public -a new international and interdisciplinary platform of study and -cutting edge and practice oriented knowledge. We intend to train students to be able to respond to the complex challenges of rapidly developing societies in a learner centred environment. Critical thinking but also the understanding of European values will be an important pedagogical objective of the project through participatory structures and transformative education. To reach the above goals, exploiting the synergies created by the complementarity of our institutions we intend to incrementally create a series of genuine transdisciplinary modules in Security, Sustainability and Resilience Studies (SSRS) with view to further develop these gradually into a vertical modular system and eventually in joint degree courses later. The EUSecure SimMOOC will consist of a series of online and blended modules focusing on a selected security/sustainability issue and completed by a participative and extensive simulation exercise moderated by specially trained staff. The main topics: the Impact of megatrends on the EU, EU strategic autonomy in a post-Americana world order, International governance: multilateral institutions, norms, regimes, Maritime security, Migration, Artificial intelligence, Water security and water diplomacy, Social media issues and fake news, Sustainable development, and environmental sustainability, Climate security, Food security, Public health security and Pandemic Management, Humanitarian Action, Crisis management and international development cooperation, Critical infrastructure protection and cybersecurity, Qualitative Pedagogical Methodologies. The course will appear as 1) accredited electives in the participating universities’ curricula and 2) and as a Simulation Supported Massive Open Online Course as of the autumn 2022. We also see the importance of online learning as a major prerequisite for our future operational way, not forgetting about the importance of team work and team spirit and continuous dialogue among students and teachers and other stakeholders. Thus we aim to develop a method that is not an individual but a group learning experience. * All in all about 2000 students, teachers and other stakeholders will participate in the project. Researchers and teachers with diverse profiles related to the above mentioned topics and university students of a variety of backgrounds will participate, since our aim is to deliver this knowledge to all future European intellectuals. We also envisage a spinoff to at least 450 secondary school students of the EUSecure Lite Course. * -Following a Situation Analysis and a Needs Assessment and reviewing case studies and best practices in security related MOOCs we will Design a detailed Course Catalogue and guidelines for the development of the Modules on EU Security Reslience and Sustainability. This Catalogue can serve as a basis for any institution planning on elaborating transdisciplinary course material similar to ours. -We will develop an interactive electronic platform that will be suitable for the delivery of the SimMOOC. -We will develop and elaborate a manual for a blended simulation exercise that aims at putting newly gained knowledge into practice. -The main output of the project will be an interactive and blended SimMOOC for which OER will be elaborated in detail (texts, videos, databases, links, etc). -Our plans, ideas, activities, products and findings will be multiplied via Policy Dialogues, Info Days, a final conference and Policy Recommendations publicised in an academic edition. -Testing and tailoring will be supported by a pilot and a beta testing teaching/learning activity. -Intensive dissemination activities will be performed to make the new course known for a really wide audience and to be included in the teaching offering of universities globally. -Throughout project lifetime PCM quality assurance and risk and conflict management processes are foreseen.
The main objective of the EUSecure project was the development of a Simulation Supported HEI-level Massive Open Online Course (SimMOOC) and university elective course on the key aspects of the EU’s security, resilience and sustainability. We have also elaborated a module for high school students focusing on security issues (health security and fake news) which are in the centre of their interest. Exploiting the synergies provided by the complementarity of our partner institutions we have created genuine transdisciplinary modules in the most urging security issues. The teaching/learning methodology for these transnational, transdisciplinary, blended modules has used a handful of innovative pedagogies called SimMOOC, whereby students: - learn and prepare from online course materials - prepare joint assignments transnationally (online) - as well as meeting in class for problem solving exercises, presentations, role-playing and debates and - a simulation exercises has been elaborated and organised in different selected security-related situations. The course has been developed in close cooperation with a transnational and transdisciplinary professorial team. Our core activities were followed by intensive dissemination activities.
The EUSecure project partners recognized the responsibility of higher education institutions in forming a new society where citizens and leaders have a clear view of issues that are key to the security, resilience and sustainability of the EU and its citizens. We face concerns that are of a new and unknown scale and complex dimensions, which needs proper comprehension and adequate policy responses. We intend to sensitize the young intellectuals and next decision-makers that will need to respond to challenges in a comprehensive manner. Understanding security issues in its broadest context is crucial to support clear thinking and responsible decision making. In addition, we have realized that there is a lack of genuine transdisciplinary approach in the domain of security and strategic studies. Thus, the aim of the project was to educate young people who must be equipped with in-depth knowledge about the security environment with strategic and critical thinking. We intended to develop their autonomy and sense of responsibility based on deep knowledge of complex, interdisciplinary issues as well as educate to make cooperation part of their operational skills. The teaching methodology focused on curriculum digitalisation.