Implementation of academic innovations is one of the goals of the European Reform University Alliance (ERUA). Therefore, a group of academics, representing eight member-universities of the Alliance, and a delegation of Ukrainian academic teachers, participating in the “ER-UA Strengthening cooperation with Ukrainian universities within the European Universities Initiative” met at SWPS University mid-June to participate in a workshop focused on establishing an Academic Innovation Laboratory that will help to further this goal.
Designing ERUA’s innovative learning pathways
The Academic Innovation Laboratory is one of the initiatives within a larger project of designing ERUA’s innovative learning pathways, which is led by SWPS University. The Laboratory is an interdisciplinary education innovation project that brings together academic teachers and researchers from all ERUA member universities to collaborate on developing innovative learning paths that can later be refined and introduced to selected courses at the Alliance universities.
Professor Paweł Pyrka describes how SWPS University prepares the way to establish the innovative learning pathways:
The Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation at SWPS University, which I am a part of, works in the areas of both teaching and learning innovation. At the moment, we are focusing on incorporating more digital tools, including generative AI, in the curriculum and its delivery, as well as methods and tools which inspire and develop creativity. This involves equipping both teachers and students with the necessary skill sets through training, collaborative workshops and hands-on practice. The larger question, that of the possible changes to the intended learning outcomes in the dynamically changing technological landscape, is also something we are investigating.
Pyrka, Paweł
Center for Teaching Excellence and Innovation
Role in the Faculty
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Role in the Department
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Specialization
English Studies scholar
First and last name
Paweł Pyrka
Academic degree or title
Ph.D. / Associate Professor
Email
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Position
profesor uczelni
Role in the Research Center
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Ph.D. / Associate Professor Paweł PyrkaEnglish Studies scholar
Academic Innovation Laboratory
Enabling students to complete parts of their degrees at various universities (through mobility or online courses) requires a lot of groundwork. Apart from formal requirements and grade evaluation, partner universities must align their IT systems and learning platforms, and establish common IDs for students from various universities.
Professor Eduardo Quevedo Gutiérrez from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria University talks about the reasons behind the common innovation manual:
“The ERUA Alliance is working on a common Academic Innovation Manual, which is being developed by an international interdisciplinary team. Currently, we are taking an inventory of various methodologies used across the ERUA network, such as Service Learning, Cooperative Learning, Collaborative Learning, Project Based Learning, and Gamification, and we are looking at how these methodologies work at various universities. Our combined knowledge will provide the foundation for the Academic Innovation Manual, which can be shared not only among the ERUA members, but also across other European university alliances and consortia.
The Workshop
“Towards an Academic Innovation Laboratory – Identifying innovative methods and creating a common call” workshop took place at SWPS University in Warsaw, June 19-21, 2024.
The workshop and the preceding online meetings were attended by representatives of eight member universities of ERUA and a delegation of Ukrainian academics participating in the “ER-UA Strengthening cooperation with Ukrainian universities within the European Universities Initiative” funded by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA).
Read more about the project.