The Labs4Change project celebrated its in-person kick-off on 25, 26 & 27 February with an energising and productive meeting in Berlin, uniting a diverse consortium of universities, research centres, and innovation organisations from across Europe. Hosted by the Berlin branch of Mondragon University’s Faculty of Business Studies, the gathering signalled the start of a collaborative mission to embed gender equity, social innovation, and sustainability within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
Funded by the Erasmus+ programme (KA220-HED – Cooperation Partnerships in Higher Education), Labs4Change is an initiative that seeks to reimagine the role of universities in responding to complex societal challenges. The project is grounded in the belief that HEIs must be at the forefront of promoting inclusive education, with a strong emphasis on gender equality, active citizenship, and the co-creation of knowledge.
The kick-off meeting focused on several key areas:
- Co-developing the work plan for the upcoming months
- Establishing communication flows and decision-making processes
- Identifying key milestones and deliverables for 2025
- Building mutual trust and cohesion among partners
- An internal capacity-building session on gender equity and institutional transformation.
As part of the agenda, the consortium also interacted with the Travelling University project staff and students—an initiative aligned with Labs4Change’s vision of mobility, critical pedagogy, and social innovation in education.
The collaborative spirit was encapsulated in a joint statement from the consortium:
“The Berlin in-person meeting reaffirmed our shared commitment to building a more inclusive and equitable future for Higher Education in Europe. We stand together in addressing the urgent issue of gender inequality, recognising the powerful potential of co-created, participatory processes to empower students, staff, and communities. Recognising the inherent complexity of this challenge, we are committed to adapting our project to specific local contexts to ensure effective and meaningful impact.”
Having concluded the Berlin kick-off, each partner organisation is now prepared to implement the project within their institutions. The immediate focus will be on launching a webinar series aimed at teachers, staff, and administration, and setting up a co-created Audit Tool and Social Innovation Laboratories (Living Labs) to function as central points for local engagement and systemic change.
With significant momentum and a unified strategic vision, Labs4Change humbly aims to become a key reference point with open resources for those committed to transforming universities into drivers of social impact.For more information, please contact:
Efstathia Koitsanou
Assistant Project Manager of Center for European Projects, University of Thessaly
ekoitsanou@uth.gr
Project Website: http://www.linkedin.com/in/labs4change-project-88921435a
