Prof. Bojana Ćulum Ilić from the University of Rijeka – an expert in the fields of university social engagement, civic education, and collaboration between higher education institutions and the local community – will lead a 10-day training program for academic staff at Nicolaus Copernicus University (UMK) titled “Social and Civic Engagement in Practice: Socially Beneficial Education and Research." Registration is now open.
The training opportunity is intended for UMK employees in teaching, research, and research-teaching positions who are interested in strengthening the social dimension of education and increasing the social impact of their research. The program aims to develop competencies related to designing social initiatives, implementing innovative teaching methods, and conducting research that addresses contemporary social challenges.
Participants will learn about European approaches to university social engagement and tools that can be used in teaching, research, and organizational work – says Magdalena Stremplewska from the Department of International Partnerships and Educational Mobility. – They will also work on ways to initiate grassroots initiatives, build partnerships, and support organizational changes that foster the sustainable integration of social engagement into the university's operations.
The training programme consists of eight thematic modules:
- University-Community Engagement in the European Higher Education Area;
- Models of Collaboration with the Wider Community;
- Integrating Social Engagement into Academic Curricula;
- Supporting Student Initiatives;
- Co-Creating Knowledge: Community-Engaged Research and Citizen Science;
- Evaluating Social Impact;
- Internationalisation of Social Engagement;
- Recognition of Social Engagement and Academic Career Development.
The modules are highly interactive and workshop-based, drawing on practical case studies, collaborative work, and the exchange of experiences.Participants may register for selected modules or for the entire programme.
Language: English (minimum recommended proficiency level: B1);
Dates: 16-27 November 2026 (Monday-Friday);
Total workload: up to 40 hours (up to 4 hours per day), scheduled either between 8:00-12:00 or 14:00-18:00.
Those interested in participating are invited to complete the registration form. Applications will be accepted until the 20th of October 2026. The number of places is limited. If the number of applications exceeds the available places, a selection committee will make admission decisions based on the information provided in the application form.
Participants who complete the training programme will receive a certificate of participation.
Questions? Feel free to ask Magdalena Stremplewska or Aleksandra Śnieć from the Department of International Partnerships and Educational Mobility: civic-yufe@umk.pl, 56 611 43 48, 56 611 20 98.The programme is organised as part of the YUFE ( (Young Universities for the Future of Europe) initiative.
Prof. Bojana Ćulum Ilić from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Rijeka (Croatia) – an expert in university-community engagement, civic education, and service-learning. She has extensive experience in international projects and initiatives dedicated to advancing universities' third mission, including work within the YUFE Alliance.