Student mobility
During the PEBES project, we arrange and fund short mobilities for both students and staff of the three partner universities. The student mobilities are built around four distinct themes, each led and hosted by one of the universities. The themes, with more details, are listed below.
For each theme, we select an international student team that consists of ca. eight students from the partner universities . The basic concept of the mobilities is:
- The selected international student teams will work online for 3-4 months, familiarising themselves with different aspects of the theme and supported by the responsible university. There will be 3-4 online discussion sessions as well as independent working and studying. During this time, the teams will start planning how to implement a practical assignment they are given.
- The student team members, accompanied by lecturers from their home universities, travels to the hosting university to meet each other in person, to enjoy excursions and to implement their assignment.
The project will cover the travel costs of the international students to the hosting university: tickets, transport, visas, accommodation and maintenance (breakfast and two warm meals per day).
For more information please, see the contact persons of each university here.
Mobility themes
Sustainable Seas (UTU, Finland) 2023
The online working of the student team will take place during February-May 2023 and the mobility on 22.-26. May, 2023.
The student team will familiarize with different aspects of sustainability of sea environments (preliminary plan: biodiversity, food production, tourism) and have four online discussion sessions. System thinking, solution orientation and positive future scenarios will be horizontal themes in each session.
The schedule for the online sessions (approximately 1,5 hours each) will be agreed by the team itself. The online sessions will include reading, watching and reflecting on different materials beforehand, and active participation on discussions during the sessions. Each session will have a facilitator from University of Turku and a specialist who will make an introduction to the theme.
During the mobility week, the team will visit the UTU campus in Turku, Finland, and the Archipelago Research Institute on the island of Seili. Once on Seili, the team will implement their assignment: an Environmental Education activity of their choice.
A total of eight students will be selected for this activity, two from each Partner university.
UTU students can use this module for “BIOL5202 Projektityöskentely” (Project Work”, on the condition that they write a 2-4 pages report.
Chobe Enclave Conservation Trust Student Outreach (BUAN, Botswana) 2023
This mobility project aims at helping students develop capacity to effectively interact and impart knowledge regarding sustainable use of natural resources to the Chobe Enclave Conservation Trust (CECT) located in Chobe District of Botswana.
The students will identify the needs of the community and develop a capacity building programme. During the mobility in northern Botswana, they will sensitize the local community for sustainable use of the selected natural resources.
The online training topics include water and fishery management, sustainable use and management of forest resources, wildlife, and adult education.
Outdoor Adventure Education for Promoting Sustainable Future and Environmental Education (Humak, Finland) 2024
We will organize an international week with the theme “Adventures in urban nature and adventure education in supporting sustainability” during 29 April – 3 May, 2024. During the week you will study in a small group with students from Botswana and Finland and learn how to utilize outdoor adventure education and experiential pedagogy in promoting sustainable development. The program takes place at Humak Helsinki campus and in nature locations around the area. The working language for the whole week is English.
The program also includes three online sessions (21.3. 12.30-15, 2.4. 12.30-15 & 23.4. 13-15), where we learn about adventure education as a method of supporting sustainability and begin planning the mobility week. During the international week you get to work together in an international team, learn about sustainable development, nature and environmental education and adventure education.
Empowering communities to sustainably care for natural resources (BUAN, Botswana) 2024
In this mobility project the students will gain practical experience in capacity building and environmental education of local communities in the in Chobe District of northern Botswana. The mobility period will take place during 26 – 30 August, 2024 (plus travelling days).
The students will be introduced to governmental actors as well as NGOs working in the area and they will learn to use practical tools that enhance sustainable use of natural resources. They will also be assigned a task in a local setting and they will carry it out as a multidisciplinary team.
The mobility period is preceded by ca 3 online sessions during June – August, covering key concepts of the project.