European universities are currently facing major challenges within the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education and research. Effective leadership, both at present and in the future, is indispensable at all levels within universities. In this context, ECIU seeks to engage its students as the next generation of leaders and managers. This challenge is unique in the world and is distinguished by its diversity in several respects, bringing together participants from different academic disciplines and from across ECIU member universities.

This student-focused challenge builds upon the longstanding Leadership Development Programme for ECIU staff, which has been successfully delivered for over twenty years. This challenge is specifically designed for students who may not yet possess formal leadership experience but who demonstrate a strong interest in acquiring and developing such skills. The insights and competencies acquired through this challenge are intended to be transferable to participants’ ongoing and future involvement in ECIU activities.

The challenge has different focuses:

- The exploration and further development of personal leadership styles,
- Examination and discussions of the latest developments in (European) higher education policy,
- Understanding and exploration of vision and strategy development, organizational cultures and leadership styles within universities,
- Experimental learning through an institutional immersion at the University of Trento, including site visits to innovative projects
- Engagement in challenge-based learning by carrying out a real-life project independently in teams.

This challenge is closely aligned with the ECIU University Vision 2030, which articulates a holistic view on the interconnection of higher education, research, and innovation, emphasising the integration of these domains with both regional and the European ecosystems, with the aim of generating sustainable, societal impact through in innovative approaches. During the challenge, students will work collaboratively on real-life problems confronting universities, particularly those associated with new, flexible and personalized educational pathways, as well as broader issues concerning the establishment of a truly European university and ecosystem that serves society.

The challenge is targeted at ambitious students with a strong interest in leadership and organizational development in the public sector, especially in higher education. Affiliation with ECIU or experience in university policy work is considered advantageous.

We expect the participating students to engage fully (being full-time present) at both the online sessions and the in-presence week in Trento. Physical presence during the Trento week is compulsory, as the sessions will not be streamed. Furthermore, students must commit sufficient time to collaborative work on the challenge - during the Trento week as well as in the subsequent period.

The seminars are taught in English. The sessions are highly interactive in nature, incorporating (small-group) discussions and exercises. Accordingly, proficiency in both written and spoken English are a prerequisite for participation.

CV (Curriculum Vitae) is a document that summarizes your educational and professional history. It must provide a detailed overview of your academic and work experience, skills, achievements, and qualifications.

Member universities may require additional information from applicants. Please read the application information section carefully and include any extra required information in this section.

Other

Transcript of Records is an official document issued by your home university. It specifies the name of the institution, the academic programme you are enrolled in, the list of courses taken up until the current period, the exams or tests you passed, the grades and the credits you earned. 

Transcript of Records

University of Trento

a group of people sitting at a table with laptops

Navigating the Future of Universities in Europe

ECIU Student Leadership Development Programme - Transforming Universities in Times of Transition

Critical and innovative thinking

### **Develop Sustainable Nanotechnology Solutions with a Global Team**

This course challenges you to co-create innovative, eco-friendly products using nanotechnology tools. Working in international and multidisciplinary teams, you’ll tackle real-world challenges with guidance from expert teachers. Your mission: to design a green product that contributes to solving society’s most pressing issues.

**Why Nanotechnology?**  
Nanotechnology plays a pivotal role in sustainable development, offering solutions for **clean water, air, and energy**—key pillars of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. By integrating advanced technology with a multidisciplinary approach, this course equips you with the skills to address global challenges collaboratively.

**What You’ll Do:**

- **Focus on three key areas:** Develop sustainable products targeting **water** purification, remediation, and reuse; **air** purification; and **energy** solutions.
- **Apply what you learn:** Use life cycle analysis and recyclability principles to design impactful solutions.
- **Collaborate globally:** Work in an international team to solve problems and learn to navigate cultural and time-zone differences.

**Skills You’ll Gain:**

Through a challenge-based learning approach, you’ll master teamwork, time management, and product development. You’ll also learn to apply academic knowledge to real-world problems, ensuring your solutions are both innovative and actionable.

Join this Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) course and be part of a global effort to create a sustainable future through nanotechnology! For more information, contact Arturo Susarrey Arce (a.susarreyarce@utwente.nl).

Motivation letter is a personal statement and it might include a brief introduction of yourself, explanation why are you interested in the learning opportunity you are applying to, any relevant experience or skills that you have, your goals and how this opportunity will help you achieve them, This document should not be more than 400 words.

Motivation Letter

University of Twente

Image of leaves and hand with hexagon tech overlay

Sustainable Nanotechnology

Help co-create sustainable solutions using nanotechnology tools.

Energy and sustainability

Entrepreneurship, technology and innovation

Inter-personal skills

Media and information literacy

Intra-personal skills

Global citizenship

The whole world is confronted with the effects of a changing climate. The challenge is how we deal with this situation. So how big is the problem in the city under study? What is at risk, and why? What is being done? What will happen if nothing is done? What would be the effect of adaptation measures?

In this course we follow the conceptual framework on risk defined by IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, www.ipcc.ch), where risk is at the centre. [Figure 1](https://www.ipcc.ch/report/managing-the-risks-of-extreme-events-and-disasters-to-advance-climate-change-adaptation/summary-for-policymakers/spm_fig1/) presents this framework, where three core concepts of weather and climate, exposure and vulnerability interact (IPCC, 2014). The risk of climate-related impacts results from the interaction of climate-related hazards (including weather and climatic events and their trends) with the vulnerability and exposure of human and natural systems. Changes in both the climate system (left) and socioeconomic processes including adaptation and mitigation (right) are drivers for changes in hazard, exposure, and vulnerability (IPCC, 2014).

There are options for risk reduction through adaptation, because adaptation measures can reduce risk by addressing one or more of the three risk factors: vulnerability, exposure, and/or hazard.This can be achieved through various policy and action choices. A visualisation of this process is in [Figure 2.](https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc/chapter/technical-summary/ts-0-introduction/ipcc-srocc-ts_4/) Risk reduction measures through adaptation (Source: IPCC 2019).

The three core concepts of hazard, exposure and vulnerability can be linked to the three core domains of Spatial Engineering: Hazard - Technical Engineering (TE), Vulnerability - Spatial Information Science (SIS), and Exposure - Spatial Planning and Governance (SPG).

Here’s what you can expect:

1. Challenge-Based Learning: Engage in a hands-on challenge that will enhance your ability to integrate knowledge across disciplines. This experience is an introduction into the learning environment of the master’s programme Spatial Engineering as well (https://www.utwente.nl/en/education/master/programmes/spatial-engineering/).
2. Core Knowledge Mastery: Choose one of the three essential pillars of Spatial Engineering (SIS, TE, or SPG) and build a strong foundation in that area, especially if it's new to you.

With expert guidance you’ll choose one of the 3 core knowledge areas, and it will be one you’re not yet familiar with. Join us and start shaping a sustainable future today!

Adapting to Climate Change with Spatial Engineering

Help the challenge provider to adjust sustainably to climate change with Spatial Engineering

Many of the grand challenges of this world are not only complex, they are also “wicked”. Wicked problems do not have single causes, and thus cannot be solved by a single intervention, they require multidisciplinary solutions and systems thinking. Designing interventions without a thorough and deep understanding of the full complexity of the situation has often led to the opposite of what was wished for. What is needed is a well cooperating and well communicating collective of mono and multi-disciplinary experts that work together in analysing a specific wicked challenge including its social context and design solutions for (parts of) that wicked challenge.

In this project, we focus on socio-technical challenges that have a spatio-temporal nature. This time the challenge provider is the Dutch provincial government of Overijssel. The provincial government sits between the national government and municipalities. Provinces are responsible for spatial planning, regional economic policy, and acting as a link between municipalities and the national government. They also play a role in environmental regulations, public transport, and nature conservation.

After having completed the challenge successfully, we aim for learners to be ready to be a valued member of the before mentioned collective of experts. They will be skilled in working with other disciplines in addressing wicked problems. Supporting this, they have become more skilled and confident in the knowledge and skills of their own discipline. They have become more understanding and appreciative of the knowledge and skills of other disciplines. They can, in a collaborative effort, integrate knowledge and skills from different disciplines to analyse the nature of a complex spatio-temporal challenge and propose mitigation strategies.

Globe surrounded by wheels, buildings, clouds etc.

Tackling Real-World Challenges: Wicked Problems in Time and Space

The grand challenges of this world are complex and wicked. In this challenge, you will develop the skills needed for addressing such wicked problems.

The overall goal of this course is to outline the identity of the biomedical engineering discipline and to generate awareness of key aspects of biomedical engineering by focusing on the key roles of the biomedical engineer in:

- Healthcare Innovation – Biomedical engineers analyze today’s healthcare problems to recognize technological limitations and to envision the potential impact of new technology.
- Technology Research – Biomedical engineers develop new concepts, tools and skills for measuring, analysis, modeling or controlling of quantities, or realization of materials.
- Technology Transfer – Biomedical engineers synthesize new technological concepts and stake-holders interests into validated and innovative solutions for health care problems.

In this course you will learn through active engagement in online and face-to-face learning activities aiming at your professional development, especially your competences in meeting societal challenges, ensuring impact of your ideas and work, and communication and collaboration with fellow professionals and stakeholders. You will be challenged to connect insights acquired from several course materials to the practice of research presently performed at the TechMed institute and to reflect on your own professional development.

Technology for Health

Engage our real world TechMed problems to discover and sharpen your Biomedical Engineering talents for a future profession developing Technology for Healthcare Solutions with Societal Impact.

This interdisciplinary, project-based course invites students to design a sustainable chemical process using carbon dioxide (CO₂) as the main feedstock. In response to the global need for climate-neutral technologies, the course challenges participants to reimagine CO₂ not as a waste product, but as a valuable raw material for future chemical production.

At the start of the course, each team selects a target product that can be synthesized from CO₂—examples include methanol, formic acid, dimethyl ether (DME), methane, or other platform chemicals. Based on this choice, the teams develop a custom-tailored process route, addressing both technical and sustainability aspects.

Over the course of several weeks, students explore topics such as green chemistry, carbon capture and utilization (CCU), process simulation, energy integration, and sustainability assessment. They engage in activities like site analysis, component data research, process modeling using digital tools, and calculation of key performance indicators to assess environmental and economic viability.

A distinctive feature of the course is its strong focus on applied knowledge and industrial relevance. An industry-focused session highlights how process simulation is used in real-world design and operation, helping students bridge the gap between academic models and industrial practice. Throughout the course, teams receive structured feedback from peers and instructors, and benefit from consultation sessions that support their technical and conceptual development.

To deepen reflection and collaboration, students are encouraged to critically evaluate their team dynamics, decision-making processes, and project planning. A dedicated unit addresses the challenges and strategies of effective collaboration in international, multidisciplinary settings.

The course concludes with a written report and a final presentation to a jury, where teams pitch their process concept and defend its feasibility, innovation, and sustainability. This simulated professional setting fosters confidence in presenting complex ideas to diverse audiences.

In addition to the academic experience, the course offers an optional opportunity to participate in the international student competition organized by the European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE): the EURECHA Student Competition. This allows students to present their projects to a broader audience, gain international recognition, and engage with peers across Europe.

Hamburg University of Technology

students sitting around a table and working with their mobile devices or pen and paper to do a prorject together

Sustainable Process Design Project

Chemical plants can have every shade of green  - in theory. Let`s try and find out how far we can push it.

In this micro-module, you are challenged to design an educational escape room that teaches the core principles of Challenge-Based Learning (CBL): Engage, Investigate, and Act. The escape room will serve as a hands-on tool for educators seeking to implement CBL effectively in their own classrooms.

University of Stavanger

Design an Educational Escape Room

An educational escape room designed to teach the core principles of Challenge-Based Learning (CBL)

European universities are currently facing major challenges within the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education and research. Effective leadership, both at present and in the future, is indispensable at all levels within universities. In this context, ECIU seeks to engage its students as the next generation of leaders and managers. This challenge is unique in the world and is distinguished by its diversity in several respects, bringing together participants from different academic disciplines and from across ECIU member universities.

This student-focused challenge builds upon the longstanding Leadership Development Programme for ECIU staff, which has been successfully delivered for over twenty years. This challenge is specifically designed for students who may not yet possess formal leadership experience but who demonstrate a strong interest in acquiring and developing such skills. The insights and competencies acquired through this challenge are intended to be transferable to participants’ ongoing and future involvement in ECIU activities.

The challenge has different focuses:

- The exploration and further development of personal leadership styles,
- Examination and discussions of the latest developments in (European) higher education policy,
- Understanding and exploration of vision and strategy development, organizational cultures and leadership styles within universities,
- Experimental learning through an institutional immersion at the University of Trento, including site visits to innovative projects
- Engagement in challenge-based learning by carrying out a real-life project independently in teams.

This challenge is closely aligned with the ECIU University Vision 2030, which articulates a holistic view on the interconnection of higher education, research, and innovation, emphasising the integration of these domains with both regional and the European ecosystems, with the aim of generating sustainable, societal impact through in innovative approaches. During the challenge, students will work collaboratively on real-life problems confronting universities, particularly those associated with new, flexible and personalized educational pathways, as well as broader issues concerning the establishment of a truly European university and ecosystem that serves society.

The challenge is targeted at ambitious students with a strong interest in leadership and organizational development in the public sector, especially in higher education. Affiliation with ECIU or experience in university policy work is considered advantageous.

We expect the participating students to engage fully (being full-time present) at both the online sessions and the in-presence week in Trento. Physical presence during the Trento week is compulsory, as the sessions will not be streamed. Furthermore, students must commit sufficient time to collaborative work on the challenge - during the Trento week as well as in the subsequent period.

The seminars are taught in English. The sessions are highly interactive in nature, incorporating (small-group) discussions and exercises. Accordingly, proficiency in both written and spoken English are a prerequisite for participation.

**Why Join?**  
Universities are navigating rapid global transformations that demand new strategies, innovative mindsets and strong international cooperation.

The International Staff Week 2026 at the University of Trento offers a dynamic learning experience for administrative and technical staff working in international mobility and research support.

Through a Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) approach, participants will collaborate in international teams to explore how universities can remain future-ready, resilient and sustainable.

**What to expect**

- Hands-on Challenge-Based Learning activities
- Two thematic tracks: International Mobility or Research
- Peer learning with colleagues from European and international universities
- Strategic perspectives on the future of higher education
- Networking and cultural activities in Trento and surrounding areas

Please note: this activity is open only to university staff members.

Member university

University of Twente

Member university

University of Twente

Learning opportunities of University of Twente