Barents Cross Border University development project (KO162)
Funded by Kolarctic ENPI 2007-2013

Objective of the project

The BCBU university network, which represents the most northern higher education area in the EU and North West Russia and Norway, would contribute to the establishment of higher education in the programme area. The project also aimed at meeting the labour market needs in the programme area in line with the Bologna Process. The specific objective of the project was with cost effective measures to further develop, harmonize and expand and integrate the Masters Degree programmes in the field of social work, health and wellbeing, environmental engineering and information systems in to regular activities of participating universities. And in so doing, to develop models of good practices for implementation and cooperation for master’s programmes.

Main activities

• Developing Virtual Campus • The Publication of the BCBU+ Handbook: A Guide to Establish Virtual Cross-Border Campus for BCBU Network. • Translation of Academic Materials • Competence development activities among participants, e.g.: o Online learning in the BCBU network” course for teachers o Developing Academic practices: “English for International Lecturers” o “Distance Learning in Cross-Border Environment” Pedagogy course o Multidisciplinary Dialogue Summer School • Student Exchange

Achievements

The project has improved higher education in the Barents region by developing jointly international multidisciplinary Master’s programs in the fields of Comparative Social Work, Software, Systems and Services Development in the Global Environment, Circumpolar Health and Wellbeing, and Environmental Engineering. Thus the project has also, in general, developed collaboration between educational institutions on the region.