U!REKA Lab: Urban Commons
The U!REKA Lab: Urban Commons is a joint project of the U!REKA partner universities. This international and interdisciplinary blended learning and research project deals with urban commons and focuses on different co-creation initiatives in our partner cities.
During the different phases of the U!REKA Lab: Urban Commons, students and staff work on common research questions and meet online and during summer schools and blended intensive programmes in order to facilitate an ongoing knowledge exchange. The U!REKA Lab: Urban Commons is financed by the DAAD national co-funding programme and the U!REKA network partner institutions. A few examples of U!REKA Urban Commons projects are included below. Visit the project website for the latest information.
Video about the U!REKA Lab Common Ground BIP: Co-Creativity in Social Arts. This BIP was organised in Frankfurt in 2023 and attended by students from Ghent, Edinburgh, Helsinki and Groningen (the last is a partner outside the U!REKA network).
Blended Intensive Programme
The first Urban Commons interdisciplinary and international BIP took place from 3-7 May 2022 at Metropolia, Helsinki. Here 40 students, 8 lecturers and 12 stakeholders of the prepared design challenges gathered for the first Erasmus Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) of our U!REKA Lab: Urban Commons.
In Spring 2023 another BIP was organised, this time focusing on how urban commons can help transform an industrial mining region in Ostrava, home to our U!REKA partner university VSB-TUO. Students and teachers across the U!REKA network pooled their expertise in an interactive and international project: Common Regeneration - How can urban commons transform an industrial and mining region? Case study: Ostrava. This collaborative learning module was organised from 15 March to 28 April 2023 both online and on-location during a field trip to Ostrava.
Urban Commons School
In October 2021 the Urban Commons Working Group hosted a 'summer school' in Frankfurt. The Urban Commons School: Commoning the Post-Covid City was a hybrid event, open to all students, staff and partners at U!REKA institutions.
Students and lecturers from all over Europe came together for the ‘U!RBAN Commons School: Commoning the Post-Covid City’ in Frankfurt from 6-9 October 2021, to exchange perspectives on life in our future cities.
Lecture series
U!REKA brought together urban commons experts from higher education institutions across Europe to share their expertise during thematic online lectures. Each session approached the topic from a different perspective, discipline or organisation. Click on the image below to watch recordings of the lectures.
Launch of virtual exhibition
The U!REKA Lab: Urban Commons Virtual Exhibition officially opened during the U!REKA Conference 2020. This virtual exhibition was produced at four participating partners and focuses on the Urban Commons' educational framework and work created by students. It consists of videos, photos, and written and spoken texts, presenting insights into urban commons initiatives and projects in the participating cities of Amsterdam, Ghent, Frankfurt and Helsinki.
Participating U!REKA partners and colleagues
Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences AUAS: Sandra Bos
Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences and Arts (FUAS): Raul Gschrey, Angelika Plümmer
Hogeschool Gent (HoGent): Greet De Brauwere, An Lescrauwaet; Tine Vanthuyne
Metropolia University of Applied Sciences Helsinki: Kaisa Kanerva
Politécnico de Lisboa (IPL): Diego Bent
VSB - Technical University of Ostrava : Barbara Vojvodikova