The project was initiated by three Academic Chairs in the Circle U. Think and Do Tank; Professors Lisbeth M. Brevik at the University of Oslo, Anne Enderwitz at Humboldt University, and Susan Wright at Aarhus University.
A central idea was to invite students from the Circle U. partner universities into the project as co-researchers. One of the main goals was to conceptualize and operationalize the term sustainable education. Another goal was to identify the connection between ‘sustainable education’ and ‘education for sustainability’.
A unique collaborative arena
The project work is based on collaboration between six Academic Chairs and eight co-researchers. This format created a unique, collaborative arena: the students are a part of the project team as co-researchers, alongside the professors. The co-researchers were master's students, doctoral students and a postdoctoral researcher.
The Academic Chairs who initiated the project found the involvement of the student co-researchers to be very important, thus wanting a project with them in the lead.
Lisbeth M. Brevik, Academic Chair at the University of Oslo, has developed the ‘Co-research model’ and has worked a lot with students as co-researchers the past ten years:
"It is important to involve students early on, to create an interest in the research area. The student perspectives and co-research truly enriched the project”.
The co-researchers did literature searches and conducted interviews with experts and students from different academic backgrounds, and from different countries, on how they defined sustainable education – which apparently is very different.
Seen as equals
Two of the students that took part in the project as co-researchers, were Master's student Adéla Funova from the University of Oslo and Master's student Sandeep Kaur from Université Paris Cité. They are both very happy to have been a part of the COSE project and for the opportunity they got through Circle U. They both emphasized how they were seen as equals, and not “just students”.
“To work alongside teachers in the context of this project was a unique experience. Although I cannot say I saw teachers as facilitators, what I am sure about is that they were not authoritative figures, either. I saw the human side of teachers and that itself was a beautiful experience,” Sandeep explains.
Adéla agrees that the experience of working together with the Academic Chairs was great and that they had responsibilities on the same grounds as them.
Adéla and Sandeep on the COSE project
We asked Adéla and Sandeep a few questions about the COSE project and how they liked working internationally.
What kind of advantages does work like this give you?
Adéla: "I thought it was very exciting and informative. This is something I have never done before. I got new perspectives as everybody came from different fields of study and expertise. Everybody had a different view on how they wanted to plan it and start the process. Since everybody had a different starting point the work became very extensive and very interesting.”
Sandeep: “What was different in this project was that for the first time, I collaborated with students outside my field of expertise. Our academic disciplines did not pose a communication problem and for me that was an eye-opener.”
What’s the most important lesson you’re taking with you from this?
Adéla: “I think the most important thing is the cooperation you achieve with people from different countries and between students and professors. The relationship is more like being colleagues on the same level rather than on different levels. My opinion matters just as much as the professors'. A lot of people see professors as someone above them and more important than them, but it is important to show that everybody have ideas and something to contribute, even if you have different positions. This is also something you can see clearly as it is very interdisciplinary. Everybody matters and the relationship is mutually dependent. It is a collaboration, not a monologue.”
Sandeep: “I learnt to keep it simple and clear. The project was a compilation of multiple different sections. Our strategy was to divide the sections, name out the headings and clearly define what needs to be done in each part, and then set deadlines. That is how we managed to reach the end - both creatively and systematically.”
What did you like the most about working on the project?
Sandeep: “My team – the girls in my team were open in their approaches, curious in their intellect and thought-provoking in their words. I could not have asked for better researchers to collaborate with.”
Adéla: “You learn so much while you’re in it. None of us were experts, but we still had a lot to contribute. A lot of the things we did can seem challenging, but the feeling of accomplishment is worth it. This is something I can take with me in so many areas in my life and it gave me a completely different relation to my university.”
Adéla and Sandeep still keep in touch with their “partners” – both the student co-researchers and the Academic Chairs – and would highly recommend anyone who get the opportunity to participate in something similar, to do it!
Report on sustainable education
See also the reflections from four of the other students who took part (31 Jan 2023)
 |
Subscribe to the monthly Circle U. newsletter. |