Grand societal challenges - students as change agents
Eight educational institutions and 5 municipalities across the Scandinavian countries are partners in the project ’Students as change agents in grand societal challenges’.
Climate change, resource scarcity, demographic challenges, and social inequality are among the most complex and pressing grand societal challenges we face today. These issues, also known as wicked problems, require innovative thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, creative solutions and active citizenship. As a student, you can play a crucial role in addressing these challenges and act as a change agent who promotes and facilitates change within organisations or communities.
In August 2026, students can participate in a joint Scandinavian workshop, hosted by the University of Bergen in Bergen. The workshop will be held as a Blended-Intensive-Programme (BIP) within the Erasmus+ framework, where you, as a student, can earn 5 ECTS points by participating in a week of online activities and a 5-day physical workshop in Bergen. You will also need to write a reflection paper on your return.
The language of instruction is Scandinavian.
Who can join?
Full-time students from our Academy Profession and bachelor's programmes.
Practical information
Timing
Online week:
10-14 August 2026
Introduction to the course and the challenges you will work with, meet your team, readings and Q&A sessions (expect two days of joint online activities + team assignments)
Physical challenge workshop at the University of Bergen in Norway:
17-21 August 2026
Guest speakers, interdisciplinary teamwork, social activities, presentation of ideas and proposals
Content and form of work
As part of the online activities, you will be introduced to the course, your team colleagues, the municipalities and the grand societal challenges they would like your input on.
The workshop in Bergen will be a combination of presentations by experts and the municipalities, and working in teams with students from other Scandinavian countries. At the end of the week, you will present your ideas and proposals to representatives from the municipalities.
During this BIP, you will:
- get experience with interdisciplinary team collaboration and innovation in an intercultural context
- gain thorough insight into current societal challenges defined by the participating municipalities in Norway, Sweden and Denmark, as well as input from various keynote speakers and experts
- work with actual societal challenges so that they can be translated into your own subject area in a local context, and possible future internships and jobs
- based on your working style and professional expertise, focus on reflection on your own practice facilitation
- collaborate with students at bachelor’s and master’s levels from different Scandinavian educational institutions
Learning outcomes:
After completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- explore complex societal challenges
- select an appropriate method to apply in the ideation process
- work in interprofessional Scandinavian teams and collaborate with stakeholders
- identify ethical aspects and discuss and assess their consequences in relation to specific problems
- communicate and convey information, problems, methods, and design/development processes, both orally and in writing
Funding
Erasmus + Blended Intensive Programmes