On May 7, the Polytechnic University of Setúbal hosted a Student Mini Hackathon at the Casa da Cultura in Setúbal. This initiative, organised under the E³UDRES² Student Board, took place during the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) “Technological Solutions for Healthy Development” and aimed to provide students with small, concrete challenges related to the alliance.
The event brought together students from different European countries who were participating in the international program, providing an informal, collaborative, and peer-learning-oriented space where the students themselves were invited to reflect on the E³UDRES² experience and the future of the European university alliance, working in multicultural teams to identify challenges and gaps associated with the current E³UDRES² operating model from a student perspective – while simultaneously exploring possible solutions and new approaches capable of making the experience more accessible, participatory, and impactful for European students.
In an environment marked by creativity, dialogue, and the exchange of perspectives, the students discussed topics related to communication, student engagement, a sense of belonging, access to international opportunities, and ways to strengthen the connection between the alliance and the academic community, as, more than just an exercise in reflection, the hackathon sought to highlight the active role of students as key agents in the construction and evolution of the European higher education project.
The initiative also included a session to test and experiment with an internally developed application aimed at introducing new audiences to the E³UDRES² concept interactively and playfully; through gamified activities and educational content, the application sought to deepen knowledge about the European university alliance and bring students closer to its mission, values, and opportunities.
The active participation and enthusiasm demonstrated by the students throughout the various activities confirmed the importance of creating spaces for listening, collaboration, and co-creation within higher education institutions and European alliances. Both the moments of collaborative reflection and the app’s testing phase proved to be positive experiences, reinforcing the importance of student participation in identifying real challenges and developing innovative solutions centred on the academic community.
The first IPS edition of the Student Mini Hackathon thus represented another step forward in the commitment of E³UDRES² and IPS to a more participatory and inclusive higher education system, built in collaboration with students, recognising their contribution as essential to the growth and consolidation of the European project.
Links
➞ IPS, Polytechnic University of Setúbal
Article created by: IPS
