The RISE UP (Resilience, Innovation, and University Student Empowerment through reflective Climate Education and Action) Erasmus+ project (2024–2027) officially kicked off on June 10, 2024, in Münster, Germany
- The project is coordinated by the Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities (ACEEU, Germany).
- Partners include the European University of the Atlantic (Spain), SYNTHESIS Center for Research and Education (Cyprus), People of 2050 (Denmark), The Vision Works (Germany), Uniwersytet Komisji Edukacji Narodowej w Krakowie (Poland) and the Iberoamerican University Foundation (FUNIBER) as an associated partner.
- The project responds to the growing issue of climate anxiety among young adults, which current university education often fails to address.
- Its main objective is to equip higher education professionals with transformative skills that combine technical knowledge with emotional intelligence and resilience-building.
- RISE UP will adapt the European Commission’s GreenComp framework into an Educational Framework for Transformative Climate Resilience and a toolkit for educators.
- The approach integrates design thinking, ecopsychology, traditional ecological knowledge and psychological strategies to empower students as effective climate actors.
- Ultimately, the project aims to create university education that balances knowledge, mental health and transformative climate action.