DICE project will proceed in two different, but interconnected directions:
Objectives
There are four specific objectives that DICE project will target
WP2
To equip university educators and course directors with an integrated value-based framework tool for digital CE
WP3
To define a process for creating digital CE courses
WP4 and WP5
To validate the above-listed tools through the piloting and launch of a Digital Accelerator Platform
WP5
To provide a compendium of good practices, testimonies, and policy recommendations
These objectives directly address digital transformation and support the digital capabilities of the HE sector. Specifically, the framework (a) and the Manual for Digital Community Engagement Courses (b) will allow university educators and course directors of any discipline to design their own digital CE courses, bringing to the forefront new digital methods and formats.
Moreover, these tools will be supplemented by a Digital Accelerator that is an extremely innovative and stimulating learning/teaching practice.
Results
The DICE project’s core RESULTS include:
By breaking down the challenging question of how to transfer HE community engagement to the digital world, DICE brings to life a structured approach to train, guide and support university educators and course directors on how to create an impact in local communities. Additionally, the project identifies value gains for student learning by proposing mechanisms to enrich students’ experience.
Innovative features
The DICE project will develop innovative methods, results and practices for project participants, target groups and a wider higher education community in Europe. Specifically, what make this proposal innovative is:
The project will produce practical, replicable, effective, and impactful tools that will be available online, ensuring an easy open access to all interested parties (i.e. the Community Engagement Value Maps, the Community Engagement Course Design Manual, a digital Accelerator, a Handbook for university and department leaders and of a Report on Best Practices). The Digital accelerator is highly innovative as it is not directed to start-ups (as accelerators usually are), but to support university educators and course directors in the process of innovating their teaching practices.
The project’s main focus is universities’ digital engagement with the community, a paradigm that has only recently started to gain wide recognition and penetration in higher education. Community engagement practices have been largely based on physical face-to-face interactions among students, educators and university staff with external stakeholders. Learning to engage effectively with the communities, businesses, and organisations in the digital space brings a significant element of innovation.
The DICE project will result in generating extra value for university, students, and society. The project will employ the value-map methodology that allows to identify/activate value drivers, sub-drivers, and tools, leading to concrete improvements. This value-based management approach has gained popularity in business consultancy and corporate management but remains largely unexploited by HEIs. For this reason, this unique.
Sustainability
This project will provide a set of highly usable results with significant potential to produce an impact in partner countries and across Europe. The large advantage of DICE in terms of sustainability is the fact that particular project results can be utilised as stand-alone methods and tools (e.g. Value Maps or Manual for Developing Digital Community Engagement Courses) but can also be used in combination and as such create a systemic approach to their applicability, which will strengthen their impact and sustainability. Furthermore, although the project targets university educators and students, its approaches, methods, and tools could be applied to enhance digital CE on other educational levels (e.g. VET).
