CIVIS students, visiting Romania. The latest BIP – Civic Engagement in Europe. A Transdisciplinary Approach – included a Physical Mobility session, held in Brașov county

“Civic Engagement in Europe. A Transdisciplinary Approach” is the name of the most recent BIP (Blended Intensive Program) implemented within the CIVIS alliance by the University of Bucharest, as a coordinator, together with Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. On this occasion, 13 Romanian and foreign students spent 5 days in Brașov, Bran, Hărman and Prejmer, together with the lecturers involved in the program.

Here, the students had the opportunity not only to do research in the field, but also to get in touch with the local authorities, who helped them understand the role of civic engagement in modern economies, especially in the Romanian tourism industry.

This part of the BIP, called Physical Mobility, took place between 11-15 July (2023) and included 2 stages:

1. Civic Involvement and European Student Identity and Competencies (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens) and
2. Civic Tourism (University of Bucharest).

The students, divided into teams, had to follow aspects such as the interaction between local communities and tourists and the impact of civic tourism on local communities. The conclusions were included in a presentation that each team had to hold at the end of the Physical Mobility session, the participants being evaluated based on the degree of  their involvement in the topic.

The Physical Mobility session was preceded, between May 5-19, by two virtual debates, which were based on scientific literature:

1. Session 1 – Comparative Perspectives on Civic Engagement (Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen) and
2. Session 2 – Civic Engagement in Higher Education – Learning Services and Social Justice (Autonomous University of Madrid).

During these debates, students and lecturers discussed different types of civic engagement from a comparative perspective, inside and outside the university level. Learners analyzed the similarities and differences between European countries in terms of the development of different forms of civic engagement.

How universities can support student participation in “service learning” activities that promote civic engagement by connecting it to the curriculum was another topic addressed during the discussions.

The program was suitable for all interested students, regardless the level of studies (bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, doctorate) or field (law, geography, geology, psychology, social sciences, etc.)

During the program, participating students:

• gained knowledge about the different forms of “civic engagement” in Europe,
• acquired fundamental knowledge and discovered critical perspectives on “service learning”,
• learned about the involvement opportunities they have both within their own higher education institution and at European level,
• analyzed the perspectives on civic engagement in tourism as social capital in modern economies,
• had a critical reflection on civic engagement,
• became aware of the current societal challenges.

The program included a total of 90 hours of activities, the didactic ones being held by staff from the Faculty of Geography of the University of Bucharest (prof. dr. Marian Marin and conf. dr. Radu-Daniel Pintilii), Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen (phd. Iris-Niki Nicolopoulos and m. sc. Charoula Fotiadou), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (prof. dr. Pilar Aramburuzabala) and National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (prof. iv. Dr. Philia Issari).

The 13 students participating in BIP study at the University of Bucharest, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Free University of Brussels, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid – all part of the CIVIS Alliance.