Introduction

Exploring parental engagement in the BioBeo Project took center stage during a recent training session held at the University of Hohenheim. Dr. Judit Horgas from the International Parents Alliance led the charge, propelling advancements in bioeconomy education. Here, we delve into the highlights of this transformative event.

Day 1: Exploring Parental Engagement in BioBeo

The inaugural day commenced with an immersive session led by Dr. Judit Horgas, alongside esteemed colleagues Dr. Evelyn Reinmuth, Sabiha Gökçen Zwack, and several research students. Noteworthy discussions and insights resulted in the recording of over 1 hour of video material. This footage will be utilized to produce a video focusing on parental engagement in the bioeconomy. Additionally, the Resource – Don’t Go game, designed by IPA, sparked interactive discussions conducive to BioBeo’s mission.

During a lively winter barbecue, the participants could further engage in networking while enjoying a delicious lunch prepared by the teaching staff of the Bioeconomy Department.
In the afternoon, a dynamic online workshop session was conducted, introducing participants to the concept of parental engagement in the bioeconomy. This session not only served as an educational opportunity but also facilitated follow-up contacts, laying the groundwork for continued collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Day 2: Advancing Parental Engagement in BioBeo

Building upon the momentum of day one, the second day emphasized further exploration and enrichment of training content. Dr. Judit Horgas and Sabiha Gökçen Zwack engaged in illuminating discussions, shedding light on pivotal aspects of parental involvement in bioeconomy education. Their insights promise to fuel BioBeo’s dissemination efforts and foster community engagement.

Conclusion

The collaborative spirit at Hohenheim exemplifies BioBeo’s commitment to driving positive change in bioeconomy education. With an abundance of recorded sessions and interview segments, the path towards sustainable innovation is clearer than ever. Join us in advancing the BioBeo mission, one insightful training session at a time.

Do you want to know more about BioBeo? Look no further!

BioBeo project

BioBeo Festival in Brussels

BioBeo Blended Intensive Programme in Amsterdam

The BioBeo Project, funded by Horizon Europe, has recently made strides towards innovating circular bioeconomy education with its innovative BioBeo Blended Intensive Programme (BIP). BIP is an integral output of the BioBeo project offering a fresh approach to fostering engagement in bioeconomy policy-making among youths and citizens.

The Aim of the BioBeo Blended Intensive Programme

Dr Máire Nic an Bhaird and Dr Laoise Ní Chléirigh, both from Maynooth University, Ireland, spearheaded the development of the BioBeo Blended Intensive Programme (BIP). Their initiative brought together students from University College Dublin, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, and Odisee University of Applied Sciences. The BIP aimed to deepen participants’ understanding of bioeconomy concepts and facilitate the dissemination of knowledge. This comprehensive programme included pre- and post-research elements, allowing students to delve into bioeconomy concepts before and after the main learning sessions.

The European BioBeo Festival

These sessions, spanning eight days, provided immersive, in-person learning experiences. The culmination of their efforts was the European BioBeo Festival, held in Brussels on March 15, 2024. The schedule of the BIP was crafted to provide participants with a comprehensive, hands-on learning experience. Activities ranged from forest bathing conducted by Katriina Kilpi from Bos+ to consultations on bioeconomy led by esteemed speakers such as Dr. Evelyn Reinmuth from the University of Hohenheim. Participants also engaged in workshops on integrating bioeconomy content into educational settings, and interactive sessions on biodiversity exploration.

The BIP also featured an interactive, in-person workshop demonstrating hands-on, active learning techniques for student teachers. Dr Judit Horgas from the International Parents Association led this session, aimed at equipping participants with practical skills to effectively communicate the bioeconomy concept.

The BioBeo Bioeconomy Festival

One of the highlights of the programme was the BioBeo Bioeconomy Festival which was held in Brussels on the 15^th March 2024 led by academic Bart Hempen and a team at Odisee University with input from BioBeo partners,participants engaged in reflective sessions, simulated panel discussions, and even created videos for the EU Bioeconomy Changemakers Festival. These activities fostered a deeper understanding of bioeconomy principles and encouraged active participation in shaping the future of bioeconomy education.

Key Takeaways from the BioBeo Blended Intensive Programme:

1. Enhanced understanding of circular bioeconomy concepts.
2. Practical strategies for integrating bioeconomy content into educational settings.
3. Improved ability to engage children, families, and communities in bioeconomy learning.
4. Hands-on experience through guided tours, nature retreats, and biodiversity exploration.
5. Opportunities for networking and collaboration with peers and experts in the field.

The BioBeo Blended Intensive Programme empowered participants to become advocates for sustainable practices and champions of circular bioeconomy education. Through this innovative initiative, the BioBeo Project Consortium provided a meaning contribution towards the achievement of a more informed and engaged society, ready to tackle the challenges of the future.

Do you want to know more about BioBeo? Read on!

The BioBeo Festival in Brussels

The BioBeo Project

Introduction

Project PARTICIPATE’s Winter School in the beautiful town of Stavanger, in Norway, kicked off the first of Project PARTICIPATE‘s 2024 network-wide training events. Our ten Doctoral Candidates arrived at the University of Stavanger campus on 19^th February for an intensive week of training and networking organised by our Norwegian partners Prof. Hildegunn Fandrem, Prof. Simona Caravita and Dr. Ida Risanger Sjursø from the Norwegian Centre for Learning Environment and Behavioural Research in Education.

Keynote Addresses: Exploring Insights from Project PARTICIPATE’s Winter School

Each morning, the Project PARTICIPATE‘s Winter School began with a compelling keynote address from one of our partners and leading figures in the field of cyberbullying bullying research. Prof. Peter Smith from Goldsmiths College in London spoke about understanding cultural differences in bullying, Prof. Dorte-Marie Søndergaard from Aarhus University in Denmark presented a fascinating keynote titled ‘Situating bullying in the assemblage’, and Prof. Christina Salmivalli from the University of Turku in Finland spoke about research and applied perspectives on cyberbullying.

Enhancing Skills: Training Sessions at Project PARTICIPATE’s Winter School

The Doctoral Candidates also took part in sessions on open science publication, new cyberbullying research and scientific writing. A highlight of the Project PARTICIPATE’s Winter School was undoubtedly the soft skills training in ‘How to communicate science to the public’, which ran over three days. This intensive course taught the researchers how to communicate complex ideas to the public on camera by improving their communication and interview techniques, and culminated in a presentation of all ten video interviews. The researchers did an excellent job and received very positive feedback from their trainers, Maria Gilje Strand and Ida Nummestad, as well as from the audience.

Hospitality and Networking: Strengthening Collaborations

In addition to the excellent training sessions, our Stavanger colleagues treated us to wonderful hospitality, beautiful food and a guided tour of the city. We even got to travel on the bus of the local football club, Viking Stavanger! We got to know each other better and to learn more about one another’s research projects, progress and challenges. This great week of hard work, fun and networking in Stavanger showed how this truly interdisciplinary project is going from strength to strength.

Original article by Professor Debbie Ging

Find out more about PARTICIPATE:

PROJECT PARTICIPATE

PARTICIPATE Training in Amsterdam

PARTICIPATE Doctoral Candidates meet for the first time

“We couldn’t have planned this better”

That’s what you say to express surprise and joy when things spontaneously go really, really well. “Surprise” and “joy” appropriately describe what we felt during BioBeo Festival in Brussels. Here’ why.

The Vision of BioBeo Festival: A Horizon Europe Programme

BioBeo is a far-reaching, ambitious Horizon Europe programme aiming at promoting innovative approaches to circular bioeconomy education, focusessing on five themes: Interconnectedness, Outdoor Learning, Forestry, Life Below Water, and The Food Loop.

Energetic Atmosphere: Highlights of BioBeo Festival

The whole festival was planned very carefully and thoughtfully, to the point that the attendees’ participant tags contained seeds and could be physically planted! The last thing you would expect was finding one of the project coordinators basking at the entrance of the building hosting the conference with a pair of very young musicians, but we’ve got that covered too…

Inside, the mood was just as energetic, with a teen band providing a live rendition of pro-rocks smash hits from the 70s, good laughs from BioBeo-themed stand-up comedy, and over a hundred people of all ages and walks of life roaming around the stands representing BioBeo related projects or activities.

We, as IPA, where there with a special treat: carefully hand-knit anti-stress balls were available to all those who would take part in an anonymous survey to gather information and further the works towards reaching the project’s aim. Not only the proposal was met with overwhelming enthusiasm from the younger portion of the attendees, but something very heartwarming start happening almost immediately: within minutes, boys and girls where outside, in the intermitting spring shower, playing all sorts of games together, not even shying away from occasional, good-natured rough and tumble play.

In the end, we said goodbye to old and new friends and brought back with us lots of positive energy, and renewed confidence in the transformative power that lies in the combination of youth, experience, values, and ideas.

Curious about BioBeo? Find out more:

The BioBeo Blended Intensive Programme

Project BioBeo

About the Training

PARTICIPATE Training in Amsterdam. From the 4th to the 8th of March, IPA hosted a unique Ph.D. training for the PARTICIPATE project in Amsterdam, focusing on parental engagement and risk mitigation. This training was not just another academic exercise. It drew from our extensive experience in projects like SAILS, Parents Engage, Open School Doors, CoMap, ParENTrepreneurs, etc. The students from diverse national and research backgrounds were immersed in hands-on activities, role play, and deep reflection on their research projects.

This was not just about academic learning but also about understanding how their unique backgrounds might influence their research subjects’ perceptions and how to address this. IPA was proud to provide a safe space for these young researchers to engage in difficult but necessary conversations on trauma, identity, and parenting, preparing them for the challenges they might face when working with parents and children.

Parting from the PARTICIPATE Training in Amsterdam

The students gave positive feedback to the PARTICIPATE Training in Amsterdam at the end of the training, reporting that they enjoyed stepping out of the academic environment and approaching their project in a different, more personal way.

The recent Tallinn Conference hosted by the EU Horizon-funded “DEMOCRAT” Project provided a platform for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to delve into the critical intersection of education and democracy. Held over two days, the conference showcased insightful discussions, research presentations, and collaborative sessions aimed at exploring the challenges and opportunities surrounding democratic citizenship education in today’s context.

Day 1: Exploring the Role of Education in Democratic Citizenship

The conference commenced with a welcoming session featuring key figures such as Leif Kalev and Daniel Montolio, who provided an overview of the DEMOCRAT project’s objectives. Francisco de la Torre from the European Commission emphasized the project’s significance in fostering democratic values across EU countries.

The first session, chaired by Leif Kalev, focused on the relevance of education for democracy. Keynote speaker Gerry Stoker highlighted the importance of democratic citizenship in contemporary society. Following this, Beatriz Toscano and Georgios Kostakos discussed the conceptual approaches of the DEMOCRAT project, sparking crucial conversations on the learnability of democracy.

The subsequent sessions delved into the state of democracy education in EU countries, featuring statistical insights, comparative perspectives, and case studies from esteemed researchers across Europe. These sessions provided valuable insights into the socioeconomic backgrounds, citizenship values, and political participation trends among European youth.

Day 2: Tackling Challenges and Opportunities in Democratic Citizenship Education

The second day commenced with discussions on balancing agency and responsibility in citizenship education, led by Leif Kalev. Panels featuring experts like Mike Osborne and Mare Oja delved into the challenges and opportunities posed by digitalization, curriculum changes, and teacher preparation in democratic citizenship education.

Moderated sessions facilitated interactive discussions, gathering input for the DEMOCRAT project’s pilots. Participants engaged in a World Café format, addressing key questions on pilot focus areas, teacher preparation, evaluation methods, and scalability of existing practices. These sessions fostered collaboration and idea exchange among stakeholders, laying the groundwork for future initiatives.

Closing Thoughts

The conference concluded with reflections from project advisor Mike Osborne, expressing gratitude to all contributors and organizers. The event not only shed light on the complexities of democratic citizenship education but also paved the way for collaborative efforts and innovative solutions.

As participants dispersed, some opted for an optional Tallinn medieval tour, symbolizing the journey towards a more inclusive and participatory democracy. The Tallinn Conference served as a testament to the collective commitment towards strengthening democratic values and fostering informed citizenship across Europe.

Stay tuned for further updates and developments from the DEMOCRAT project as it continues to shape the landscape of democratic education in the EU.

More on DEMOCRAT:

Education for Democracy Panel Presentation

Our Director Invited to the Human Capability Initiative

Our Director received an invitation to be a speaker at the first meeting of the Human Capability Initiative by the Government of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh. The event brought together experts from all over the world with co-speakers such as Ministers of Education from Saudi Arabia and other countries, leaders of educational initiatives of OECD, the World Bank, UNESCO and other key players, practitioners with inspiring practices and academics.

The Human Capability Iniative: a first start

According to the invitation “the Human Capability Initiative (HCI) is the first-ever global cooperative platform designed to unify the international efforts and enrich the global dialogue on the challenges and opportunities for developing human capabilities. HCI will consider skills, the future of work, education, talent, and technology, bringing together policymakers, thought leaders, investors and entrepreneurs to catalyse international collaboration and maximize resilience, exploring opportunities and promoting innovative policy design and solutions.”

The overarching theme of the two interesting days was future readiness and it provided plenty of opportunity for discussions during and in between more than 60 sessions with a total of 150+ speakers who brought and exchanged their experience and opinion about and worked for developing new concepts to optimize human capability within our rapidly changing modern world.

IPA’s contribution was about innovation in school leadership with special emphasis on shared and inclusive leadership solutions, especially the engagement of students and parents in the process, and the necessary professional/competence development of education professionals to also make them active agents of change and capable of the necessary collaborative approach.

IPA’s role

The Gulf Area is relatively new ground for IPA, this is why it was especially important to engage with the education ministers of the host country as well as his peers from Qatar, Bahrain and Malaysia. We also had the opportunity to find new potential collaborators in the field of entrepreneurship in education, citizenship education and education modernisation.

According to the plans of the host, the discussion will continue also in person in the second edition of the HCI event in 2025.