25 new U!REKA Change Agents in 2024

Students from Metropolia University of Applied Sciences , Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences , HOGENT , Odessa National Economic University and Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences worked together to find solutions for water challenges related to #SDG6 .

In this blended international program (BIP) students and teachers researched the problems related to water (dryness, pollution, flooding, lack of awareness, climate anxiety etc.) and created solutions. They built a prototype and tested it using the design thinking methodology, online and in Amsterdam.

Six teams were created and different ideas came out ranging from greenhouse buildings for schools to information websites that help save water (and money). During the final presentations all teams presented their ideas to a jury with different stakeholders, the so-called sharks.

Both the students and the teachers were very excited about the programme and made new friends across Europe. Julia Lakoma (student from Helsinki) said: “The Change Agents Programme 2024 gave me a fresh perspective on the current way of approaching challenges and working in an international team. I have gained valuable experience, met fantastic people and gained important skills for which all I am very grateful”

Yeva Mushulova (student from Odesa): "I appreciated the opportunity to gain the knowledge, create great ideas together and meet new people."

Augusto Asís de Barros (student from Helsinki): “The change agents program helped me learn new tools for creating a project and I got to meet wonderful people from different backgrounds.”

Philipp Senft (teacher from Frankfurt): "The Change agents have made me a European citizen."