Over 150 hours of workshops, nearly 800 participants in project activities, and over 20 free resources for reading, listening, and watching. These are the results of the UNICOMM – University Community Active Participation Project, implemented since 2022 by a consortium of the University of Warsaw, the European Students’ Union, Palacky University in Olomouc, and the University of Applied Sciences of Upper Austria.
The UNICOMM project is implemented by the University Volunteer Center of the University of Warsaw. It aims to examine the expectations and needs of students and university staff. Its main goals include:
- identifying factors that foster inclusive and active participation of students in non-academic activities offered by the university;
- developing competencies that enable students and employees to actively participate in the life of the academic community;
- developing guidelines for higher education institutions in Europe on methods of supporting student participation.
Project results
The project, implemented since 2022, has resulted in the creation of publicly available free online educational and information materials. These include:
- The report University as Community: Students’ Perceptions of Participation, Engagement, and Belonging at European Higher Education Institutions – results of a survey conducted among 465 students from European universities from over 20 countries;
- UNICOMM HintBook: Building Stronger Communities in Higher Education. Tools and Ideas for Navigating Student Engagement in a Changing World – a project summary containing 10 tips based on knowledge gathered over the course of almost three years;
- “Come for Cookies. Stay for Community” A Toolbox for Community Building, Facilitating Participation, and Enhancing Belonging for Higher Education Communities – a set of conclusions, tips, and scenarios based on a series of workshops organised in Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Belgium;
- The Student Voice podcast – a medium where students share their experiences and ideas for building an active community;
- Infographics for university staff and the Voice of the Employees podcast – materials for university staff with tips on supporting student engagement;
- Video tutorials with tips on what to keep in mind when engaging students in academic endeavors.
