– We are so excited to have received funding for this project and I look forward to leading the development of the new Open Campus, says Eivind Engebretsen. He officially starts in the new position November 1 2023.
The nine universities that collaborate on Circle U. received a total of EUR 12.8 million funding this summer. This will be used to expand study programs, research collaboration, and interaction with external partners. The goal is that Circle U. 2030 should be an interdisciplinary and inclusive alliance with clear links between education, research and innovation. As a part of this, the alliance will focus on building a shared virtual campus for students and staff – the Circle U. Open Campus.
Digital learning platform
– Circle U. Open Campus is not just an online platform. It's a revolutionary virtual university campus and will be the gateway for students seeking educational opportunities within Circle U. The Open Campus is emblematic of our unified vision, encompassing a diverse range of educational offerings curated by the Circle U community, Engebretsen explains.
The Open Campus will be the heart of Circle U., linking together the various other platforms. This will also include services to support mobility and facilitate the administrative and technical implementation.
Vast and multifaceted offerings
Every activity on the Open Campus underscores Circle U.'s singular vision: to combine research with education and pioneer innovative, student-led approaches addressing the pressing societal challenges of our time.
– Our offerings are vast and multifaceted. For students, we will offer summer and winter schools on global health, climate and democracy, undergraduate models on sustainability, joint courses on various topics and full joint master programs. For early career researchers, we will provide transversal skills training, seed funding, project development seminars and interactive workshops. In addition, Circle U. Open Campus will offer online courses, webinars and Circle U. conversations for the general public.
Circle U. diploma
The Circle U. Open Campus will provide educational and research training opportunities for students and researchers from all nine Circle U. universities. Some of these courses will take place physically at one of the partner universities, while others will take place digitally. The study programs in Open Campus will provide a separate Circle U. diploma. As the dean, Eivind Engebretsen has academic responsibility for Circle U.'s overall educational offerings.