As part of the European e-DESK project, this MOOC is expected to reach more than 1,000 university teachers.
The Santander International Centre for Entrepreneurship (CISE), in collaboration with four European partners, has launched the second edition of its course on digital and entrepreneurial skills aimed at university teachers and education professionals. The MOOC, which is part of the European e-DESK project, is designed to provide educators with the knowledge they need to improve hybrid education and master the entrepreneurial skills that university students will need in their future careers.
Titled “Digital Teachers and Entrepreneurs for a Rapidly Changing World,” the course is completely free, online, and taught in English. It comprises 10 modules and 50 hours of practical and dynamic training on topics such as entrepreneurial skills, pedagogical approaches to teaching, personal development, and tools and exercises for direct application in the classroom. The training is not just for university teachers but also for anyone interested in improving their skills, with no prior knowledge required. Registration is now open on the Miriadax platform.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for digital or blended learning models and the importance of entrepreneurial skills for the employability of young Europeans. This made it clear that educational institutions needed tools, resources, and skills to easily adapt to this new reality. The e-DESK initiative, which is part of the European Erasmus+ programme, aims to provide teachers with the training and tools they need to facilitate the acquisition of digital and entrepreneurial competences. The project aligns with the objectives of the European reference frameworks on digitisation (DIGCOMP) and entrepreneurship (EntreComp), which the European Union has prioritized in its policy for the coming years.
In addition to the MOOC, the programme includes a blended learning programme for university professors, which is already being tested with the participation of more than 40 professors from the four participating universities.
ABOUT e-DESK
The e-DESK project was born within the Erasmus+ European program framework and is being carried out with the collaboration of five institutions from four EU countries: Santander International Entrepreneurship Centre (CISE) and University of Cantabria from Spain, Lappeenranta University of Technology from Finland, University of Zagreb from Croatia, and University Nova of Lisbon from Portugal. This ambitious initiative has been co-financed by the European Commission with a budget of over €230,000.
e-DESK will generate a digital learning pathway to explain this new methodology to teachers and will provide them with multiple training materials: a methodological guide, multimedia tools, software examples, gamification and digital strategies, and tutorials on open-source digital platforms.
By Carmen Barquín
Communications manager