Academy for Sustainable Development
It tackles three key societal issues: School-to-work transition; Youth development and employment; and Social inclusion. It is a UN-registered SDG Partnership #SDGAction43794.
AlterContacts Academy contributes to the main European programs: Next Generation EU, The Digital Agenda for Europe, The strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training 2020 (ET2020), the European Skills Agenda.
We invite you to our new online-based Competence Development Program on Sustainable Actions Design and Delivery, where we will share our insights, methods, tools, and know-how with present and aspiring Action Leaders that want to make a difference.
Think Tank AlterContacts got awarded the ERASMUS+ Grant for KA220-HED with the project PREVIEW - Promoting Resilience and Employability in uniVersity. The implementing consortium is led by the National Research Council of Italy, and includes the University of Sassari, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, University of Salamanca, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University, Mediterranean Pearls, and Asociaţia de Dezvoltare Intercomunitară Harghita.
Application for Erasmus+ Grant for Cooperation partnerships in Higher Education
Think Tank AlterContacts is part of the consortium that in September 2022 applied for the Erasmus+ grant for Centres of vocational excellence (COVE). The project "AI-powered Next Generation of Vocational Education Training" (AI4VET4AI) is dedicated to equipping VET students with the digital skills and allowing them to choose their career path. The consortium consists of 26 partners. Among others, the University of Amsterdam, Technische Informations Bibliothek Leibniz, Universita degli studi di Napoli. It is coordinated by the English University College Algebra, Croatia. The decision is pending.
Making University Education More Dynamic
Programs of AlterContacts Academy for Sustainable Development enable Educational Institutions to
Enhance Academic Innovation
Engage students remotely in international social action
Ensure smooth school-to-work transition
Enable students to practice active citizenship and sustainability mindset
Expose and prepare students for the reality of both entrepreneurial and work-life
Partake in the United Nations registered initiative, contribute to SDGs and receive measurable proof of that contribution
Improve the Index of the university, especially in Impact Ranking connected to SDGs
Increase university reputation and possibility for receiving financial support and certifications.
AlterContacts Experts are regularly invited to universities around the world to share our knowledge and insights with students.
Every year we welcome a few students from Master's and Bachelor's programs as our fellows and provide them with field data and connections necessary for their research.
The program was tailor-made and run in universities in Europe and Latin America. It allowed them to increase the remote engagement of students and their participation in social impact innovation while being completely safe for all people involved. SDSN is featuring it as a program Accelerating Education for SDGs at Universities.
It is a collaborative program for young graduates of vocational and tertiary education. It is aimed to amplify the chances of success in the world of work. It equips them with a new systemic approach to goal setting, problem-solving, ideation, solution design, project planning, and personal or business development. The initiative is registered as SDG Acceleration Action at the United Nations.
Supporting Global Youth
Across the globe, young people are being disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the world of work. Recent graduates are struggling to enter the labor market. We want to give young people opportunities to develop their potential to shape the future of the world.
Through AlterContacts Academy, we aim to
Equip educational institutions worldwide to facilitate school-to-work transition
Increase the success rate of graduate employment
Expose students to networks that provide opportunities for internships, further development, and employment worldwide
Provide students with opportunities for “hands-on” collaboration with international virtual teams from other cultures, using new digital methods
Help young people acquire digital literacy skills, entrepreneurial and transversal skills, and enable them to apply ICT to address challenges facing society
Give opportunities to students to start their professional careers by adding practical experience to their academic curriculum
Involve youth into being active global citizens
Eradicating it is not just about producing new knowledge. It is about sharing it in a way that reaches the minds of people, about finding alternative ways of education. Through our initiatives and campaigns, we hope to bring knowledge and a fact-based approach back to various spheres of life, all ages, and countries.
In January 2020 we tested a new campaign #MyFirstJob #TenYearsIn. In this campaign, we ask people with over ten years of experience to share, in a short video, what is the reality of the job like. It is aimed at children who are deciding which profession or education path to choose. In most cases, it will define their lives, ability to support themselves financially and find fulfillment in what they do. We make this choice early on, often having an illusion of how the work-life is going to be. The more people contribute with their videos, the more children will have an idea of what is right for their future.
Impact on Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 4: Quality Education
Target 4.4: Increase the number of youth who have relevant skills for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
Target 4.5: Eliminate all discrimination in education
Target 4.7: Education for sustainable development and global citizenship
SDG 8: Sustainable Economic Growth
Target 8.3: Promote entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation
Target 8.6: Promote youth employment, education and training
SDG 17: Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
Target 17.6: Knowledge sharing and cooperation for access to science, technology and innovation
Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development
Target 17.17: Encourage effective partnerships
Implementation
The Academy program is organized and coordinated by Think Tank AlterContacts. It is carried out through collaboration with local and regional partners, primarily universities and schools. There is no toll on partner resources.
Think Tank AlterContacts provides step-by-step guides and supporting materials on how to set it up and run it in any educational institution to assure the quality of the execution is consistent across geographies and different partnerships.
The Think Tank plays the role of integrator, connecting schools, universities and facilitating social innovation involving partners from a wide network of experts in the entrepreneurial and academic world. It involves local foundations, NGOs, government institutions, private organizations, and associations.
Our Partners
