NEWS & EVENTS

From Teaching Idea to Cross-University Collaboration: The trAIns Project in Focus

How does an innovative teaching idea grow into a funded, cross-university collaboration? And what does it take to turn a successful proposal into a project that works in practice?

In our latest podcast episode, Silvia Hlavinková hosts Dr. Ella Grieshammer from the International Writing Lab at the University of Göttingen about the 2024 ENLIGHT Incubator-funded project trAIns. The conversation places the spotlight on trAIns as a concrete example of how the ENLIGHT Incubator Call can act as a catalyst for collaborative teaching across the ENLIGHT network.

trAIns: From Concept to Implementation

Using trAIns as a case study, the episode explores how an initial teaching idea evolved into a structured, cross-university project. Dr. Grieshammer reflects on the development phase, the collaborative design process, and the practical steps that transformed the concept into a funded initiative.

Importantly, the discussion does not stop at the application stage. The episode also addresses the challenges that emerged during implementation - from coordination across institutions to aligning different academic contexts - and shares practical strategies for addressing them effectively.

Insights for Future Applicants

For colleagues considering applying for an ENLIGHT Incubator Grant, the episode offers valuable guidance. Dr. Grieshammer shares insights into the application process, highlights key success factors, and provides practical tips based on her experience with trAIns.

The conversation makes clear that the Incubator Call is not only a funding opportunity, but also a framework that supports experimentation, collaboration, and the development of innovative teaching formats across universities.

Listen to the full episode to learn how trAIns demonstrates the potential of the ENLIGHT Incubator Call — and how your own teaching idea could be the next to take shape across the ENLIGHT network.

To stimulate and support the bottom-up cooperation between the ENLIGHT university communities, ENLIGHT launched a set of calls for joint initiatives in April 2024 and a second set of calls was launched in April 2025. Now, ENLIGHT is opening its third and final call.

Each call targets joint proposals for specific types of actions involving at least three ENLIGHT instutions.

1. Call for ENLIGHT Incubator Grants: to support joint programmes, joint future-proof education projects and stepping-stones for international learning across the six ENLIGHT focus areas. The third and final call consists of two strands: 
   • Strand A: The development of joint study programmes at bachelor’s or master’s level among partner universities. A joint study programme is defined as an integrated curriculum coordinated and offered jointly by different higher education institutions. The aim is to award joint degrees, but proposals with double/multiple degree awarding are also eligible. The joint study programme does not have to be ready to run by the end of the Incubator Grant project period, but a minimum set of deliverables is expected. 
   • Strand B: International and innovative joint educational initiatives. This strand is meant to develop educational initiatives that bring innovation and internationalization to teaching. This can comprise seasonal schools, lifelong learning activities, micro-credentials, double degree scheme, and any joint courses in physical, virtual or blended format. The only exception is that this grant cannot be used to develop Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programmes (BIP’s). 

1. (ongoing) ENLIGHT+ call: to foster new emerging joint (small-scale, inclusive and/or sustainable) initiatives across disciplines. This is a call with several deadlines per year, to be continued until November 2027.

Find out more HERE.

As part of the ETN IMPULSE project, the University of Bordeaux is organising a three-day summer school module on 17–19 June 2026 in Bordeaux. The module is integrated into the annual public health programme of the Isped 2026 International Summer School.

The CoMOVE ENLIGHT Thematic Network is launching a five-part webinar series dedicated to the critical role of motor development (0–4 years) in the early identification of neurodevelopmental conditions. The series brings together interdisciplinary experts to address early motor development, surveillance strategies, parental involvement, and follow-up systems across countries.

Over two inspiring days in Bratislava, the ENLIGHT Teacher Education Network brought together colleagues from nine European teacher education programmes to exchange ideas, inspire one another, and critically reflect on the content and structure of their curricula. The meeting created space for meaningful dialogue on how teacher education across Europe can continue to evolve in response to new challenges and opportunities.

Registration is now open for the ENLIGHT Symposium on Green Labs & Sustainable Research Practices, taking place on 8–9 April 2026 in Groningen, the Netherlands. The symposium is organised within the framework of an ENLIGHT+ funded initiative stemming from the Green Network and coordinated by the University of Groningen.

Registration Open Until 29 March 2026

The second episode of ENLIGHT Insights: Knowledge Unpacked features migration researchers Maud Martens and Sebastian Benedikt from the ENLIGHT project IMAGINE, who share reflections from their recent fieldwork with people on the move.

Drawing on first-hand research experiences, they discuss how legal frameworks and societal structures shape migration journeys across Europe. The conversation highlights the complex realities behind policy debates, from administrative and legal barriers to the social challenges that influence access to rights, services, and opportunities.

By connecting academic insight with lived experience, this episode sheds light on the human dimensions of migration and the structural factors that define it.

Listen now to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges, responsibilities, and possibilities shaping migration today.

In February, twelve Student Assessors from the University of Groningen visited Comenius University Bratislava for a two-day exchange focused on governance, student participation, and innovation in higher education.

ENLIGHT has launched a new podcast series, ENLIGHT Insights: Learning Spaces, exploring innovative approaches to teaching and learning in higher education. The podcast features expert discussions on current trends in teaching, creative learning environments and ways of strengthening the connection between educational theory and practice.

Each episode brings together higher education specialists who share experiences, ideas and examples of good practice from across the ENLIGHT network. The series aims to inspire teaching staff, learning and teaching professionals and students, while encouraging knowledge exchange and collaboration across institutions.

The podcast is now available to listen to online.