ULB coordinates in New Erasmus+ Project "TOGETHERNESS" to Strengthen University Community Research Partnerships;
ULB is delighted to announce its participation in a major new Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership; ‘Training and Opportunities for Growing Engagement in Teaching and Higher Education Research – a New Engine for Societal Solidarity,’ (TOGETHERNESS). The project will create innovative training, teaching resources, and partnership models to support collaboration between universities and civil society organisations (CSOs) in tackling pressing societal challenges.
The project will run from 2025-2028 and is co-funded by the EU as an Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnership, through the AEF-Europe (Agence Francophone pour l’Education et la Formation Tout au Long de la Vie). It will be coordinated by Université Libre de Bruxelles, with partners Sciences Citoyennes, Technological University Dublin, and Università degli Studi di Sassari.
Universities and CSOs increasingly want to work together on research that has meaningful impact. However, challenges such as skill gaps, difficulty finding partners, and the sustainability of collaborations often stand in the way. TOGETHERNESS aims to overcome these barriers by building skills and creating tools for collaborative research and embedding stronger long-term connections between universities and communities.
Over three years, the consortium will focus on four main strands:
- Building sustainable university - CSO research partnerships by embedding collaboration in universities and creating networks to generate new initiatives.
- Innovative staff development and training through short, accredited courses and curriculum design that integrates CER into research and learning.
- Collaborative research in action, from student-led projects to larger-scale funded initiatives addressing CSO - identified challenges.
- Scaling up and sharing across Europe by developing Open Educational Resources, case studies, FAQs, and training-for-trainers workshops.
By the end of the project, TOGETHERNESS will deliver open-access resources and examples of best practice in Community Engaged Research. The outcomes will include:
- Greater research collaboration between universities and communities across Europe.
- Stronger innovation in teaching and learning.
- Increased civic participation and employability for students from PhD to undergraduate.
- Universities and CSOs empowered as co-creators of positive societal change.
Contact
For more information about ULB’s role in TOGETHERNESS, please contact:
Dr Etienne Toffin
Teacher, Boutique des Sciences ULB
Coordinator of the TOGETHERNESS project