**Why Join?**  
Universities are navigating rapid global transformations that demand new strategies, innovative mindsets and strong international cooperation.

The International Staff Week 2026 at the University of Trento offers a dynamic learning experience for administrative and technical staff working in international mobility and research support.

Through a Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) approach, participants will collaborate in international teams to explore how universities can remain future-ready, resilient and sustainable.

**What to expect**

- Hands-on Challenge-Based Learning activities
- Two thematic tracks: International Mobility or Research
- Peer learning with colleagues from European and international universities
- Strategic perspectives on the future of higher education
- Networking and cultural activities in Trento and surrounding areas

Please note: this activity is open only to university staff members.

University of Trento

Future-Ready Universities. Navigating Challenges in International Mobility and Research

Global citizenship

Energy has become an increasingly important factor in recent years. We have transitioned from a world where energy was cheap and readily available to one where it is becoming more difficult to obtain. Furthermore, **energy consumption has dramatic consequences for the environment,** as its use leads to an increase in CO2 concentration and subsequently, **global warming**. Understanding this factor and being able to manage it quantitatively is becoming increasingly necessary for the next generation.

In this course, we will be studying **transportation and analyzing it in terms of energy**. We will learn how to **calculate the impact of our transportation systems**in terms of energy, and explore the best strategies to reduce their impact.

Member universities may require additional information from applicants. Please read the application information section carefully and include any extra required information in this section.

Other

CV (Curriculum Vitae) is a document that summarizes your educational and professional history. It must provide a detailed overview of your academic and work experience, skills, achievements, and qualifications.

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Energy in transportation

7th Edition

Transport and Mobility

Entrepreneurship, technology and innovation

Media and information literacy

In a world where inequalities are growing and conflicts, hate speech, and xenophobia are on the rise, migrants, refugees, and displaced people are facing increasingly serious human rights violations. These issues are especially visible in the areas surrounding Europe’s borders: places that often function like “grey zones” where normal legal protections seem to fade. Public conversations about migration and asylum are frequently shaped by biased media narratives or incomplete information, making it harder to defend and protect the rights of the people affected.

Within what is often described as “**Fortress Europe**,” exclusion, xenophobia, and the criminalization of migration have a disproportionate impact on migrants and racialized communities, placing them in situations of extreme vulnerability.

This course gives learners a unique chance to strengthen their **critical thinking skills** in a context where racist and xenophobic discourses are becoming more common.

Throughout the course, participants will explore the broader context of the **European Pact on Migration and Asylum**, taking a critical look at border externalization and securitization policies. They will examine documented human rights violations along Europe’s borders and learn about the grassroots movements and resistance efforts working to defend fundamental rights. 

Beyond providing knowledge, the course aims to inspire **thoughtful reflection**, **open debate**, and the development of **creative and impactful advocacy** and awareness-raising initiatives led by students themselves.

Transcript of Records is an official document issued by your home university. It specifies the name of the institution, the academic programme you are enrolled in, the list of courses taken up until the current period, the exams or tests you passed, the grades and the credits you earned. 

Transcript of Records

Motivation letter is a personal statement and it might include a brief introduction of yourself, explanation why are you interested in the learning opportunity you are applying to, any relevant experience or skills that you have, your goals and how this opportunity will help you achieve them, This document should not be more than 400 words.

Motivation Letter

Fortress Europe: human rights violations against migrants and refugees at Europe's borders.

Understanding forced displacement and migration from a human rights perspective

Resilient communities

Inter-personal skills

This micro-module is organized in 3 parts:

- **Part 1 : Philosophy and Law**

Conceptual introduction to the ways in which knowledge is produced and disseminated without paying attention to gender, age, race, and class differences and sexual difference as regards relations among subjects and among bodies, and, thereby, becoming what might be understood as rigid, immaterial, and disaffected knowledge. The impact of producing and disseminating knowledge in these terms will be made clear by analyzing the so-called neutrality of the Law and its effects in gender equality policy making.

- **Part 2 : Psychology and Literature**

(1) Applied critical consideration of epistemic violence, that is, of how gender differences have an effect on subjects and bodies and how they have an effect in their well being depending on the role that gender is given in Psi Disciplines.

(2) Applied critical deconstruction of gender stereotypes and of prejudices that symbolically limit the imaginary field of subjects and bodies and tie them to the immateriality of heteronormativity.

- **Part 3: Anthropology and Pedagogy**

Attention will be payed to a specific challenge in order to (1) make clear how to take into account diversity, difference, and inequality by means of situating knowledge and of feminist methodologies and feminist data analysis and how to (2) validate and make epistemically relevant different kinds of agency by gendering it (including age, class, and race differences).

There are 3 assessment files, one for each part , that need to be completed in order to pass the course.

By the **end of the course**, you will be required to submit one **assessment file** consisting of three parts: one for each training part.

Gender as a cross-cutting tool for understanding, diagnosing, and solving challenges

SELF-PACED OPEN MOOC (9th edition)

Critical and innovative thinking

As has been clearly shown, Granollers has an industrial network with a growing interest in sustainability, resource-use efficiency, and reducing dependence on potable water, especially in a context of increasing water stress and stricter regulations.

Granollers has advanced infrastructure for water reuse, such as the EDAR (Wastewater Treatment Plant) and the Can Cabanyes water regeneration system. Once treated, the water passes through an artificial wetland where it undergoes a natural treatment based on biological processes and is subsequently subjected to additional filtration and disinfection at the ERA (Water Regeneration Plant), resulting in reclaimed water suitable for new uses.

Currently, the city has a reclaimed water distribution network of around 12 km, with expansion projects underway that highlight the growth potential of this resource.

However, despite this technological foundation and the growing interest from companies and institutions (such as the Besòs Tordera Consortium, the Catalan Water Agency, and the Granollers City Council) significant barriers still remain: high costs, regulatory uncertainty, and a lack of viable and scalable business models.

It is important not to frame the issue solely as a technological one, but as a systemic challenge: governance, regulation, infrastructure, and business models must all be considered.

This Learning Opportunity addresses the challenge not only from a technological perspective, but from a systemic one, integrating governance, regulation, infrastructure, and economic models. Participants will work with real stakeholders to design solutions that promote the use of reclaimed water and contribute to a more sustainable, resilient, and resource-efficient industry.

a large water fountain with a city in the background

Transforming Industry through Reclaimed Water for a Circular Water Economy

Encouraging the reuse of reclaimed water in Granollers’ industrial sector to boost competitiveness and advance sustainability.

Circular economy

***Archives in the Age of Artificial Intelligence***

Today’s cultural institutions—libraries, archives, museums, and beyond—as well as private companies and even individuals, are grappling with an overwhelming volume of visual materials accumulated over decades, much of which remains difficult to access or interpret at scale. Artificial intelligence is increasingly viewed as a tool for addressing this complexity, offering new ways to search, sort, and curate large image collections. Technologies such as image recognition, tagging, and content generation, used primarily for efficiency, are shaping how visual narratives are contextualized. This Learning Opportunity was created in response to that shift. It invites students to reflect on a key question: How can AI meaningfully support the work of image curation, and what limitations or challenges must be addressed for it to serve the public good?

The course prepares future professionals to engage with AI not only as a technical resource but also as a cultural and ethical concern. It offers a space to reflect on constructed memory, representation, and the often-invisible decisions that determine what is preserved—and what is left out.

Analysing Images with Artificial Intelligence (A-EYE)

A call to action and an invitation to explore technology’s impact on how we manage and engage with historical and cultural heritage.

Intra-personal skills

This course will provide students with basic knowledge of the Catalan language and its culture. The main objective is to enable students to understand and use very common everyday expressions and simple sentences aimed at meeting immediate needs. It will also introduce them to key aspects of Catalan culture.

The linguistic and cultural background of students is used as the ground to build upon and to maximize their learning. They will work using a communicative and challenge-based learning methodology.

This course is not intended for students who have lived in Catalonia, even for a short period. It focuses on discovering the basics and essence of the culture. Therefore, if you have lived there, we do not recommend enrolling.

This image shows a view of Park Güell in Barcelona, Spain, a famous public park designed by architect Antoni Gaudí. The foreground includes the iconic whimsical buildings with wavy rooftops and colorful tile work, typical of Gaudí's distinctive modernist style. In the background, you can see the urban landscape of Barcelona

Exploring Catalonia: An introduction to its language and culture

2nd Edition

Language learning

**The Content** of this Micro-module is organized in 3 packages:

- **Package 1 : Philosophy and Law**

Conceptual introduction to the ways in which knowledge is produced and disseminated without paying attention to gender, age, race, and class differences and sexual difference as regards relations among subjects and among bodies, and, thereby, becoming what might be understood as rigid, immaterial, and disaffected knowledge. The impact of producing and disseminating knowledge in these terms will be made clear by analyzing the so-called neutrality of the Law and its effects in gender equality policy making.

- **Package 2 : Psychology and Literature**

(1) Applied critical consideration of epistemic violence, that is, of how gender differences have an effect on subjects and bodies and how they have an effect in their well being depending on the role that gender is given in Psi Disciplines.

(2) Applied critical deconstruction of gender stereotypes and of prejudices that symbolically limit the imaginary field of subjects and bodies and tie them to the immateriality of heteronormativity.

- **Package 3: Anthropology and Pedagogy**

Attention will be payed to a specific challenge in order to (1) make clear how to take into account diversity, difference, and inequality by means of situating knowledge and of feminist methodologies and feminist data analysis and how to (2) validate and make epistemically relevant different kinds of agency by gendering it (including age, class, and race differences).

By the **end of the course**, you will be required to submit one **assessment file** consisting of three parts: one for each training package

SELF-PACED OPEN MOOC (8TH EDITION)

5th Edition

The housing crisis is shaped by a combination of **economic, social, and legislative factors**.  
Economically, stagnant wages and rising rental prices have created a growing affordability gap, while housing is increasingly treated as a speculative asset by investors. Socially, urban migration, demographic changes, and the rise of tourism have increased pressure on housing demand, displacing vulnerable populations. Legislatively, the region suffers from limited public housing policies, weak rent control mechanisms, and a lack of long-term protections for tenants, which hinder the government's ability to ensure fair and stable housing. Together, these factors have deepened housing insecurity and widened social inequalities across cities like Barcelona.

Specifically, the increase in rental housing prices is a complex phenomenon influenced by a combination of factors:

Among the economic factors, we can identify **a demand that exceeds the supply of housing due to the lack of policies** that incentivize and promote the existence of an affordable rental housing stock, as well as the strong interest from investors in investing in the rental property market, which drives prices up. Both factors contribute to rising prices. Additionally, difficulties in obtaining mortgage loans to buy homes can increase the demand for rentals.

Among the social factors, **the high population concentration in cities** also contributes, making prices higher in urban areas. In Spain, the prices in cities like Madrid and Barcelona stand out. Changes in family structure, with the increase in single-person households or nuclear families, also play a role. Furthermore, the rise in tourist rentals (such as through platforms like Airbnb) can reduce the supply of housing available for long-term rental, increasing prices.

Among the legislative factors, regulations that set limitations on the rental price can reduce the incentive for owners to enter the rental market or invest in building maintenance, thus reducing supply. Tax regulations can also affect the rental price, if tax rates are passed on to tenants.

During this challenge we will try to find out what initiatives, proposals and measures could be taken by local governments to solve this problem in urban communities, starting with the **City Council of BARCELONA**as a pilot.

a narrow alley between two stone buildings

Rethinking Barcelona: Urban Innovation Amid the Housing Crisis

How can Barcelona’s City Council respond to high rents and other structural drivers of the housing crisis to build a more equitable city?

### Background

Many regions of Catalonia—particularly inland, rural and mountainous areas—are facing profound demographic and social transformations. Depopulation, ageing populations and declining economic activity are weakening social cohesion and threatening the preservation of cultural and natural heritage. Limited mobility and poor connectivity play a central role in these dynamics, restricting access to education, employment, healthcare and community life.

At the same time, urban areas are experiencing increasing pressure on their mobility systems. Traffic congestion, high transport costs and car-dependent infrastructures disproportionately affect students and young people, while limiting active mobility and access to green spaces. In this context, mobility is no longer just a technical issue, but a key factor shaping **quality of life, social inclusion and environmental sustainability**.

### The Urban–Rural Perspective

The Creathon 2026 addresses these challenges through two complementary territorial lenses, each developed in close collaboration with **local and regional stakeholders**, ensuring that students work on real needs and realistic contexts. In both cases, the challenge explicitly explores how **mobility and heritage can actively contribute to retaining and attracting population**, particularly young people, in territories affected by demographic decline.

In **Cerdanyola del Vallès**, the urban challenge focuses on the transformation of the **Riu Sec**, a dry riverbed that crosses the city and connects it to the UAB campus. Despite the geographical proximity, the campus remains poorly integrated into the city’s daily life. The challenge invites students to rethink the Riu Sec and its surroundings as a **structuring corridor for sustainable mobility**, capable of linking neighbourhoods, the university and natural spaces, while enhancing ecological continuity and accessibility. This challenge is developed in collaboration with the **Ajuntament de Cerdanyola del Vallès**, which provides the institutional and territorial framework for the proposals.

In **Pallars Jussà and Noguera**, the rural challenge addresses the impact of limited mobility on depopulation, access to services and territorial cohesion. Heritage is approached **not only as something to preserve, but as a strategic resource** capable of generating access, economic opportunities, habitability and long-term population anchoring. Students will explore how innovative mobility solutions, heritage activation and the re-use of local assets can contribute to revitalising communities and creating attractive living environments. This challenge is carried out together with a network of key territorial actors: the **Museu de Lleida**, the **Associació d’Iniciatives Rurals i Marítimes de Catalunya (ARCA)**, **Geoparc Orígens**, **Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC)**, the **Institut Ramon Muntaner (IRMU)** and the **University of Lleida**, all of whom bring complementary perspectives on heritage, mobility, governance and rural development.

### Objectives and Learning Experience

Through a challenge-based learning approach, students will work with real stakeholders to design **context-sensitive, feasible solutions**. The challenge builds on **existing territorial strategies and mobility plans**, translating them into concrete, place-based proposals at local scale. The Creathon offers a unique opportunity to:

- apply academic knowledge to real-world problems;
- collaborate in international and interdisciplinary teams;
- engage directly with local communities and territories;
- develop practical skills in co-creation, prototyping and communication.

By connecting urban and rural realities, the Creathon 2026 empowers students to imagine and build **more inclusive, sustainable and connected futures**.

a group of people standing in a room with a sign

ECIU University Creathon 2026: Building Inclusive Futures: Care, Community and Mobility

Co-create inclusive mobility and heritage solutions for urban and rural Catalonia

### **Develop Sustainable Nanotechnology Solutions with a Global Team**

This course challenges you to co-create innovative, eco-friendly products using nanotechnology tools. Working in international and multidisciplinary teams, you’ll tackle real-world challenges with guidance from expert teachers. Your mission: to design a green product that contributes to solving society’s most pressing issues.

**Why Nanotechnology?**  
Nanotechnology plays a pivotal role in sustainable development, offering solutions for **clean water, air, and energy**—key pillars of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. By integrating advanced technology with a multidisciplinary approach, this course equips you with the skills to address global challenges collaboratively.

**What You’ll Do:**

- **Focus on three key areas:** Develop sustainable products targeting **water** purification, remediation, and reuse; **air** purification; and **energy** solutions.
- **Apply what you learn:** Use life cycle analysis and recyclability principles to design impactful solutions.
- **Collaborate globally:** Work in an international team to solve problems and learn to navigate cultural and time-zone differences.

**Skills You’ll Gain:**

Through a challenge-based learning approach, you’ll master teamwork, time management, and product development. You’ll also learn to apply academic knowledge to real-world problems, ensuring your solutions are both innovative and actionable.

Join this Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) course and be part of a global effort to create a sustainable future through nanotechnology! For more information, contact Arturo Susarrey Arce (a.susarreyarce@utwente.nl).

Member university

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Member university

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Learning opportunities of Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona