Our common proposal with the Department of Communication and Media Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) for the project “Common curricula for diversity: education in media and integration of vulnerable groups” (ERMIScom) was approved by the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY)!

ERMIScom is a KA203 – Strategic Partnerships for Higher Education project with a consortium of 6 partners:

1. National Kapodsitrian University of Athens (Higher Education Institution -HEI)
2. EKO (NGO)
3. Vrije Universiteteit Brussels (HEI)
4. University of National and World Economy (HEI)
5. Bahçeşehir University (HEI)
6. Metropolia Ammattikorkeakoulu (HEI)

During the course of the next 33 months the project aspires to develop a common Master curriculum among the involved HEIs that will enhance the efficacy of media courses to counter fake news and hate speech spread online on social media in order to facilitate the social integration and inclusion of vulnerable social groups.

More specifically ERMIScom Agenda includes the following activities:

• 3 Transnational Partner Meetings (two in ATHENS, GREECE and 1 in SOFIA, BULGARIA) for setting common specific milestones, monitor the progress of the project`s deliverables and evaluate and optimize management parameters
• 8 Intellectual Outputs (IOs) that will correspond to the courses of the common Master program, but also cover the transformative methodological education approaches to be applied. All IOs will undergo a piloting phase for the effective evaluation and improvement of the curriculum
• 2 Learning, Teaching, Training Activities (LTTs), and in particular: a. A 9-day Intensive program for Higher Eucation Learners “Media Education for Diversity” in ISTANBUL, TURKEY, which will be the first opportunity during the project’s life-cycle to test all IOs in a joint manner, simulating the whole master curriculum in an intensive & interdisciplinary way. b. A 7-day Blended Mobility for Higher Education Students “Applying New Methodologies in Media Education for Diversity” in HELSINKI, FINLAND, which will equip participants with digital skills & competences with new media & interactive journalism tools, and as one of the last activities of the project will offer the possibility to review the results and to provide further data, alongside the IOs’ piloting, for the Final Evaluation TPM & the Final Conference
• 3 Multiplier Events: a Mid-Term and Final Conference, in ATHENS, GREECE, and a Cross-Interaction Event among policy-makers, academia, media professionals, civil society and vulnerable social groups in BRUSSELS, BELGIUM

EKO is delighted to begin ERMIScom two-and-a-half years journey, which is expected to have a transnational impact on all related professionals (journalists, media, social and pedagogical science professionals) and equip key players within our society with the tools necessary to contribute to an inclusive society in Europe and beyond!