Content

Initially, students will work towards acquiring a foundation and strategies for how to apply critical thinking in various situations, such as:

• in advancing their media literacy skills
• in evaluating quantitative and qualitative data
• in holding and partaking in prepared Socratic Dialogue
• in working with multidisciplinary, multicultural groups

Students will utilize the learned tools hands on in regular discussion, interaction, and debate with other course participants. After determining the focus areas for the student projects, participants will work together in collaborative global teams, working towards researching, developing, and executing a presentation highlighting their critical thought revolving around one of ENLIGHT’s flagship areas.

The target participants and audience of the project are students of arts and science, for example students at CEFR level B2 or higher according to the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment – Companion volume (2020).

The main objectives of the course are to enhance students’ online and in-person communication skills, enhance their critical thinking skills, develop and implement critical thinking resources, and successfully complete a collaborative international project.

Learning outcomes

Students who complete this course will gain a clear understanding of what critical thinking entails and how these skills can be applied to support logical and rational decision-making. In addition, students will develop transferable skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and intercultural communication and collaboration. Guided and challenged by course facilitators, students will cultivate a structured and reflective critical thinking mindset.

Course topics are organized around ENLIGHT’s flagship domains: health and well-being; climate action; the digital revolution and the impact of digitalization; energy and the circular economy; culture and creativity; and equity. Over the duration of the course, students have the opportunity to engage with and reflect on each of these domains.

The project-based work enhances both online and face-to-face collaboration, as well as students’ mediation and communication skills. Through a symposium-style format, students gain experience delivering presentations and leading Q&A sessions. Dedicated time for reflection and feedback supports the development of effective speaking skills and critical thinking, enabling students to leave the course with a clear understanding of the tools they need to continue developing their critical thinking and rhetorical skillsets.

Programme

Part 1: Virtual phase A (pre-mobility): weekly online sessions

Students are introduced to the core principles of critical thinking. Through the use of Socratic Dialogue and critical reading and research strategies, the ENLIGHT flagship domains are examined collaboratively in global teams. After all domains have been explored, students vote on their preferred areas and are assigned to global inter-university groups to investigate their chosen topics in greater depth. These groups then begin the initial development for their collaborative presentation projects based on their shared interests.

Part 2: On-Site Phase at the University of Göttingen

The onsite week consists of three main components:

• Targeted Instruction: Instruction aims to supports students in further developing their critical thinking and presentation skills. Activities include preparing for the Q&A sessions by evaluating claims and questions, refining rhetorical and presentation techniques, and integrating visual aids and the presentation booklet.
• Structured Collaborative Group Work: Students follow a checklist to ensure the successful completion of their projects and the application and implementation of critical thinking objectives.
• The Final Symposium: A symposium involving all instructors and students. Students present their final projects in a symposium setting. Here, they also make practical use the group booklets to explore the types of collaborative projects developed by other groups to choose from the symposium schedule, which of the presentations blocks from their fellow students they will be actively attending.

Part 3: Virtual phase B (post-mobility): course outlook session

The final online meeting aims to wrap up, process, and reflect on the course outcomes.

Assessment

Collaborative presentation: Each group develops a cohesive themed- presentation block on their topic, in which each group member delivers a presentation of approximately 10 minutes, followed by a student-led Q&A session.

Collaborative presentation booklet: Before the presentations begin, each group prepares and submits a booklet outlining the group’s objectives, including presentation abstracts and a list of sources used in the development and research of their projects.

Lecturers

• Laura Syms, University of Göttingen
• Dr. Smita Raman-Gyetvai, University of Göttingen
• Tomáš Hamar, PhD, Comenius University Bratislava
• Stanislav Kováč, PhD, Comenius University Bratislava
• Agurtzane Azkarai Garai PhD, University of the Basque Country
• Asier Calzada Lizarraga PhD, University of the Basque Country

Course dates

Online: Weekly from 13^th October to 24^th November from 19:00-20:30 (CEST/CET)

Onsite: 30^th November-5^th December

Online: 8^th December from 19:00-20:30 (CET)

Entry requirements: Good command of English

Students from all ENLIGHT partner universities are eligible to participate. Students will be selected at each of these universities separately. Students interested in the course need to apply via their home university. They should contact their faculty or programme to verify whether it can fit in their curriculum and to ensure academic recognition of the credits obtained. The home university will select the permitted number of students, inform the students as soon as possible, and then send these names to the host institution. Unsuccessful students will be placed on a waiting list and may get a place, if other universities do not use all their allocated places.

Please select your home university below and contact your ENLIGHT coordinator for further information on the application process or consult the linked information.

• University of the Basque Country: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• University of Bern: Application instructions for students at the University of Bern
• University of Bordeaux: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Comenius University Bratislava: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• University of Galway: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Ghent University: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (see information about BIPs)
• University of Groningen: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• University of Göttingen: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• University of Tartu: Application instructions for students at the University of Tartu
• Uppsala University: Application instructions for students at Uppsala University.

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