Research Newsletter - Issue 96: Good News
Principal Investigators at DCU have participated in 40 applications for Erasmus+ project funding in 2024. Of the 19 submissions for which the results have been received, DCU has seven awards.
Congratulations to all awardees, in particular those in the role of project coordinator: Dr Seline Keating (School of Human Development) and Professor Federico Fabbrini and Dr Niall Moran (School of Law and Government).
Details of all seven awards are below.
PI: Dr. Mercedes Vasquez, School of Chemical Sciences
Project Title: Material Digital Inclusivo sobre Ciencia de la Saliva (Edu-Saliva)
Coordinating Institution: University of Murcia.
EdU_Saliva aims to create an open-access multilingual digital educational resource on saliva as a non-invasive biosample. This resource will include an e-textbook, a practice workbook, a video library, and self-assessment activities. Its purpose is to promote the inclusion of this topic in the curricula of various disciplines in European HEIS, aiming to bridge the gap between labour market demand and EHEI graduates' knowledge and skills in saliva bioscience.
PI: Dr. Seline Keating, School of Human Development, and Research Fellow of the National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre (ABC)
Project Title: Igniting the confidence and capacity of school leaders, teachers, and parents in providing quality Comprehensive Sexuality Education to children (SPARK)
Coordinating Institution: DCU
Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) plays a vital role in promoting the health and well-being of children and young people. The overall project aim is to develop and implement CSE courses across 5 countries, using the European approach to micro-credentials, to equip school communities. Target groups are school leaders (500), teachers (650), preservice teachers (500), parents (500), and trainers (100).
PIs: Dr Lucia Pintado Gutierrez, SALIS, and Dr Aisling Ní Dhiorbháin, School of Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education, and Director of the DCU Research Centre for the Learning and Teaching of Irish (SEALBHÚ)
Project Title: Handling Our Wor(l)ds in Translation: Intersemiotic strategies for Minority and Endangered Languages’ promotion among Youngers (How Timely)
Coordinating Institution: Roma Tre University
Within the EU’s commitment to comprehensive language learning, linguistic diversity and heritage awareness and preservation, HOW TIMELY promotes Minority and Endangered Languages’ (MEL) revitalization among youth through Intermedial/Audio-visual Accessibility & Translation. Focusing on 3 member-states and MELs (Catalan, Irish, Sardinian) and developing from the Rise Up Horizon project, it plans to expand to other MELs post-piloting, employing innovative digital tools for teaching/learning.
PI: Dr Yvonne Crotty, School of STEM Education, Innovation and Global Studies
Project Title: Vlogging Beyond Classrooms (VIBES)
Coordinating Institution: Norwegian University of Science and Technology
VIBES is a vlog exchange project where media literacy and intercultural knowledge is being developed. The project’s main objective is to inspire schools to adopt a vlogging practice to achieve a more inclusive and diverse primary school education. Using vlog as a method and tool for learning could have significant impact on both pupils and teachers. It expands pupils’ repertoire of communicating knowledge and understanding, revealing new competencies to teachers.
PI: Professor Federico Fabbrini, School of Law and Government, Director of the DCU European Law Institute (DELI) and founding director of the DCU Brexit Institute
Project Title: Project to Research Options for Strengthening Prosperity and Economic Resilience in the EU (PROSPER)
Coordinating Institution: DCU
PROSPER establishes a network of experts in economics, law, politics, and social sciences to conduct research and policy analysis, exploring options to strengthen prosperity and economic resilience in the EU. The project will generate critical debate and rigorous peer-reviewed research and policy, and will host 16 main events, including multiplier events held in partnership with EU institutions.
PI: Professor Christian Kaunert, School of Law and Government
Project Title: United in Knowledge: EU-Latin America Academic Synergies (EULAS)
Coordinating Institution: Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals
The EULAS network brings together 25 institutions from the EU and from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), to promote dialogue and understanding between these regions. One of its main objectives is to generate and disseminate innovative knowledge on the interplay between EU foreign policy and LAC affairs.
PI: Dr Niall Moran, School of Law and Government, Deputy Director of the DCU Brexit Institute
Project Title: Levelling the Playing Field in EU Trade and Competition Law (EU-LPF-Law)
Coordinating Institution: DCU (Mono-beneficiary)
The module will be delivered as part of DCU’s Master of Law (LLM) and Master in Public Policy (MPP) as a specialised module that will complement DCU’s general EU studies curriculum. With a strong interdisciplinary grounding in law, politics, and political economy, this module will focus on EU trade law and policy and on EU competition law and policy.
See also details below regarding the Community of Practice alliance (FOR-EU4all) and DCU involvement in European Commission Expert Groups.
European Universities - Community of practice (Erasmus+)
European Universities alliances are joining forces in a project called FOR-EU4All: This project brings together all current and future European Universities alliances—numbering over 60—into a unified, cohesive structure. The goal is to foster a collaborative and supportive environment where best practices and experiences can be shared not only among the alliances themselves but also with the broader European Higher Education sector. Olga Wessels, Head of ECIU Brussels Office, has been chairing an informal alliance network since the start of the European Universities initiative; Olga, and thereby ECIU, will now coordinate the FOR-EU4All project.
European Commission Expert Groups
These groups assist the Commission in relation to the preparation of legislative proposals and policy initiatives, the preparation of delegated acts, and the implementation of EU legislation, programmes and policies.
Dr Monica Ward (School of Computing) is joining the Expert Group for the Development of guidelines on high-quality informatics. The group's brief is to follow-up the Council Recommendation on improving the provision of digital skills and competences in education and training.
Prof. Marina Efthymiou (DCU Business School) will join the Expert Group on Climate Change Policy. The brief here is to assist DG Clima in the implementation of its policies and in the preparation of delegated acts, especially in relation to the legislation adopted for the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
In addition, Prof Mathias Urban (School of Language, Literacy & Early Childhood Education) is currently a member of two expert groups: one looking at affordable childcare legislation, and another early childhood education and care.
You can see details and information about the EC Expert Groups here
If you are applying or have been invited to join an EC Expert Group, please contact Sophie Ball (sophie.ball@dcu.ie)