Share your innovative learning methods at the 2026 INGENIUM Staff Academy workshops – submit your proposal by October 31st

Staff Academy workshops allow participants to gain and enhance their teaching and facilitation skills by providing additional time for hands-on learning and interaction with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and fields. They also provide a platform for knowledge sharing and transfer, offer new networking opportunities, and open avenues for enhanced cooperation.

We are now seeking proposals for both 2026 Staff Academy workshops!

• The first Staff Academy workshop of 2026 will be held at the University of Skövde, Sweden, from 2-6 February 2026.
  • This event will focus on Sustainable Education, exploring how pedagogical practices can contribute to sustainability in higher education. We encourage proposals that address sustainability through curriculum design, teaching methods, or institutional practices. We also welcome innovative teaching practices and demonstrations outside this theme.
• The second Staff Academy of 2026 will be held at the Medical University of Sofia, Bulgaria, from 1-5 June.

The Staff Academy workshops will be designed around proposals from INGENIUM university staff who are either already using innovative learning methods or are interested in developing them with INGENIUM partners. Each Staff Academy event has ten individual sessions, with one from each partner university.

We invite all INGENIUM university staff to share your expertise, skills, and innovative teaching approaches. Submit your ideas, and let’s collaborate, learn and grow together!

Link to Application Portal: https://ingenium-university.eu/proposals/

Please make sure to submit your proposal by October 31st

Please make sure to submit your proposal by 31 October 2025 at 15.00 CET. The INGENIUM Innovation Leaders will assess proposals, and the Staff Academy coordinators will inform you of their decision within 4-6 weeks. For more information about the evaluation criteria, please visit the INGENIUM webpage and navigate to Staff Academy.

Preparing your Staff Academy proposal

Think about what lectures, seminars, or classes you have taught that have been well-received by students and improved their learning outcomes. Think about the transferability of the method and how others might be able to adapt your good practice to their teaching.

Elements of accepted proposals

• Interactive, well-received sessions have solid learning objectives achieved through engaging activities to encourage participants to explore the topic more deeply.
• Adaptable, clear how the pedagogical method or case could fit with a wide range of learning programmes and be useful across different disciplines.
• Inspirational and thought-provoking, for example, novel uses of gamification or education for critical thinking.
• Innovative learning environments like VR classrooms and online platforms supporting student-centred learning.

Focus areas for proposals

• Effective student-centred learning equips students with the knowledge and other professional and personal development skills, such as collaborative learning, flipped classrooms, creative teaching methods, and reflective assessment.
• Connecting research, education, and working life promptly utilises research findings in education, bringing education and research closer together through challenge-based, work-based, and other methodologies. For example, simulations based on cutting-edge research, innovative work placements or internships, or new pedagogical theory or practice advances.
• Blended learning, or hybrid teaching, combines traditional classroom-based education with innovative learning methodologies. Such as online learning environments, workplace learning, digital tools, & blended teaching practices.

We also welcome out-of-the-box proposals that do not fit within a single category or are interdisciplinary. Think about what educators from other disciplines or fields can learn from you. Proposals should actively involve students and stakeholders in their development or implementation and include appropriate transfer strategies.

Any questions?

If you have any general questions about Staff Academy, please contact INGENIUM@xamk.fi. If you have any technical difficulties submitting your application, please use the “Contact Us” form on the “Application Portal”.