Join forces and make a difference

Welcome to the ECIU University Challenge platform!

The ECIU University is the first European university where learners, teachers and researchers cooperate with society and businesses to solve real-life challenges. Together, we create, test and evaluate a whole new educational pedagogy.

Learn more about the ECIU University.

Real-life challenges are worth solving because of economic or societal leverage, they also provide a stimulating environment for in depth learning, experimenting with problem-solving skills and innovative competences to develop practical solutions.

ECIU University provides the opportunity for challenge-based learning in a multidisciplinary international setting, imagine the possibilities!

Choose your path

ECIU University for you

I am a learner

Choose a challenge that intrigues you and you get paired up with others that also thrive for the challenge.

All challenges

I am an interested partner

With an interest to develop a challenge and get to work on that challenge with a special team of students

Let's connect

If you're an interested visitor keen to learn more about the results of our ECIU approach, please register and feel free to peep.

Featured challenges

Choose a project that intrigues you

Open for application

Civil Rights Defenders

Civil Rights Defenders is an international human rights organisation that defends people’s civil and political rights. Our guiding principle is the importance of strong local human rights actors and we partner with and support thousands human rights defenders in some of the world’s most repressive regions.

A project at Linköping University

Reducing Inequality, Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-being, Quality Education, No Poverty, Gender Equality, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, Decent Work and Economic Growth

Open for application

Träullit - an environmentally friendly and recyclable building material

Träullit, founded in 1946, manufactures wood wool panels and slabs, and now also exterior walls. Wood wool spruce is a fantastic material sprung from our nature, joined with pure cement. Träullit is a fantastic product with many excellent properties and with great development potential. The company wants to think more circularly. Today the company got lots of waste material when cutting the wood wool blocks. What can we use the waste for?

Responsible Consumption and Production, Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and Communities

Open for application

REHAZE

The County Administrative Board (CAB) is the national government representative office in the county of Östergötland. CAB has a broad area of responsibility concerning environment, nature, competence sourcing, the business community, social development, animal protection, infrastructure, and housing. CAB is leading a collaborative project called REHAZE to address the unsustainable handling of waste and the continuous leakage of hazardous substances from landfills into the Baltic Sea.

Clean Water and Sanitation, Life On Land, Life Below Water, Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and Communities

Open for application

The Mush Have Company

About 70 years ago, humans created plastics, which radically transformed how we live and consume. Today, plastic waste is one of the biggest challenges we face.

The company uses mycelium, together with waste from agriculture, to grow materials that replace plastic. By using mycelium, the company can grow better materials with fantastic properties such as low weight, 100% compostable, fireproof and insulating. The company now wants help to find new applications of this material and technique.

Life On Land, Responsible Consumption and Production, Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and Communities

In progress

Creating societal business models for new Energy Gardens

Solar energy plays a key role in the transition towards a fully sustainable energy society. One of the options is to develop fields with solar panels.

Sustainable Cities and Communities, Climate Action, Affordable and Clean Energy

Open for application

Sofidel Sweden AB

Sofidel Sweden AB is a successful company in the process industry, and it manufactures tissues, which then converts into a finished consumer product on-site or at other converters in Sweden and on the international market. Sofidel wants to reduce sharply - or exclude entirely - its use of plastic regarding its secondary packaging.

A project at Linköping University.

Responsible Consumption and Production, Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Climate Action

In progress

Big Data in care

Data streams are increasing tremendously. This is also valid in Care. Think of data from the regular ICT systems (financial, use of care, personal care files, analysis of care results), but also location and sensor data of employees and patients, external websites and numerous open data sources.

Good Health and Well-being

In progress

Sustainable substitute for plastic cups for large scale events

During festivals and events, visitors enjoy drinking beverages. Most of the time, plastic cups are used. These one-way cups are hygienic, lightweight and safe. But it also causes a huge amount of plastic waste.

Responsible Consumption and Production, Sustainable Cities and Communities

In progress

Creative solutions for building rainwater management

Using today's waste to prevent global waste forever: that is our mission.

Clean Water and Sanitation, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Climate Action

All challenges

Interested?

Develop & learn

Where traditional approaches are based on first learn and then apply, ECIU University offers starts from the challenge and helps you to understand the needs, to analyse what knowledge the team is missing to come to a solution and supports the team to acquire the nescessary know-how and competences to come to their solution and a pathway to implement.

Have a look at some of our previous projects or contact one of our teamchers at your nearest ECIU partner University.

ECIU universities

Participating universities

Common questions

It’s normal to have questions.

Any questions regarding participation in the challenges? Please write to us: challenges@eciu.org

Frequently Asked Questions

For your convenience we have listed all frequently asked questions here!

What are the possibilities to participate?

To participate in the ECIU University community, please register

To contribute to a specific challenge, you have to 'apply for a position' in a project team. Each challenge will have a specific period in which it is open for application.