Co-creating Innovation have long been integral to the mission of Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, underpinning their commitment to fostering future-oriented higher education that addresses the complex challenges of the world of work. Within STARS EU, their Strategic Alliance for Regional Transition funded in the European Universities Initiative, they have adopted a pedagogical approach that places significant emphasis on fostering inherent collaboration with external stakeholders from all regions of our nine european partners. This commitment is driven by their understanding that the vitality of higher education institutions, professors, researchers, and students is profoundly intertwined with the benefits derived from these co-creation activities. Furthermore, their vision extends globally, as they proactively aim to facilitate the growth of a knowledge-driven regional economies through robust international cooperation.

In this spirit, the International Conference on Co-Creation Processes in Higher Education (In2CoP) serves as a crucial platform for reflection and the sharing of insights garnered from co-creation ecosystems. This event was designed to inspire and sustain the growth of a multidisciplinary and multicultural learning community, one that is fully equipped to navigate the evolving landscape of higher education and address the intricate challenges posed by the contemporary and the future employment landscape.

During the event, prof. Vitor Gonsalves on behalf of IPB team (partner of IM-PRO-IN-DE project) presented the project, its concept and expected results.

The IM-PRO-IN-DE project concept was presented during INVEST conference as part of the INVEST European University Alliance at University of Reims Champagne Ardenne. The event was held on 23 January 2024, at the Aula of the university in Reims, France.

The CEO of the Bulgarian Inclusion Support Team (project conceptor and partner) Mr. Andrean Lazarov was welcomed by the Rector of the University, who is also the Chairman of the University of France – the union of universities in France Prof. Guillaume Gelle.

The head of the “Higher Education” section of the General Directorate “Education, Youth, Sports and Culture” of the EC Mrs. Vanessa Debiais-Sainton addressed the participants via video and congratulated them. She emphasized the great importance of this initiative by presenting the main lines of work.

The IM-PRO-IN-DE project was disseminated by its coordinator prof. Dsc Dora Levterova-Gadjalova together with the Rector and the Pedagogical faculty team of University of Plovdiv at the final conference of the EU project “Embracing diversity in ASIA through the adoption of Inclusive Open Practices”. The event was held on 04th January 2024 organised by Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar. During the presentation, the key project outcomes concept was presented.

In its role as the National Agency for the European Programs “Erasmus+” and “European Solidarity Corps”, the Human Resources Development Centre organise the Annual Valorisation Conference 2023 on the topic “Active Citizenship in Europe”. Special guests at the event were Acad. Prof. Nikolay Denkov (Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria), Prof. PhD Galin Tsokov (Minister of Education and Science) and Dr. Vanya Kastreva (Head of Regional Educational Directorate – Sofia).

During this year’s conference, five discussion panels were held, during which the reflection of European values and priorities in the two programs was discussed. Special attention was paid to the topic of inclusion of people with fewer opportunities and special needs and how they are included in the projects, and in this regard, the chair of the panel was representative of the project team, who is also an accredited National consultant in the vocational education and training area. In his summary, he highlighted the exceptional role of the Erasmus+ program in the formation of soft skills, a sense of belonging and the professional and social inclusion of this target group and presented as best practice current initiatives, which are managed with the participation by the Bulgarian Inclusion Support Team.

The project concept was presented by the project coordinator prof. DSc. Dora Levterova-Gadjalova from Plovdiv University “Paisii Hilendarski” and by Dr. Yanka Takeva from Bulgarian Teachers’ Union during the pannel on Social and emotional learning and its role in further teachers’ qualification.

More than 300 teachers from different regions in Bulgaria expressed huge interest to join the projects’ Community of practice.

The innovative conference was held under the patronage of the Minister of Education Prof. Dr. Galin Tsokov and the Rector of Plovdiv University “Paisiy Hilendarski” Prof. Dr. Rumen Mladenov. Official guests of the National Conference were Greta Gancheva – Director of the Directorate “Inclusive Education” at the Ministry of Education and Culture, state experts and chief experts from the Ministry of Education and Culture, Ivanka Kirkova – head of RUO Plovdiv, Prof. Dr. Temenuzka Yovcheva – deputy rector of PU “Paisiy” Hilendarski”, Prof. Dr. Vladimira Angelova – Dean of the Faculty of Pedagogy at the “Paisii Hilendarski” PU, representatives of the “Lachezar Tsotsorkov” Foundation, university professors, students and doctoral students.

Opening by the Minister of Education and Science – prof. PhD Galin Tzokov

Key speech by the Rector of Plovdiv University “P. Hilendarski” – prof. PhD Rumen Mladenov

Prof. PhD Pilar Gutiez Cuevas, President of ASOCIACIÓN MADRILEÑA DE PROFESIONALES DE LA ATENCIÓN TEMPRANA, Spain (project partner) presented the project concept and expected results during VII Jornadas da Prática Pedagógica – an online event organised by the INSTITUTO POLITECNICO DE BRAGANCA, Portugal (project partner). The journal constitute an opportunity for broad reflection on pedagogy(ies) and intervention projects that have been developed by educators/teachers and researchers, putting perspectives and perspectives on educational praxis into debate. More than 240 students and teachers from the Escola Superior de Educação de Bragança, early childhood educators, primary and secondary school teachers and members of the community were interested in the topic.

“Improvement of digitalisation competences of recent and future teachers by development of advanced training on instructional design of digital training” project started successfully in the beginning of November 2023. It is coordinated by the reknowened project coordinator Prof. Dsc Dora Levterova-Gadjalova – Head of Further Teachers’ Qualification Department and Head of Department of Pedagogy and Educational Management of University of Plovdiv “Paisii Hilendarski” – Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

The partnership included UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE EDUCACION A DISTANCIA (UNED), Madrid, Spain, ASOCIACIÓN MADRILEÑA DE PROFESIONALES DE LA ATENCIÓN TEMPRANA, Madrid, Spain (AMPAT), BULGARIAN INCLUSION SUPPORT TEAM (BIST), Sofia, Bulgaria, WINSS: World Innovative Sustainable Solutions, Istanbul, Turkiye, EYUPSULTAN ILCE MILLI EGITIM MUDURLUGU, Istanbul, Turkiye, INSTITUTO POLITÉCNICO DE BRAGANÇA, Bragança, Portugal and the BULGARIAN TEACHERS’ UNION, Sofia, Bulgaria.

The main result of the project will be Curriculum and training course about Instructional design of digital learning by applying the Universal design of learning principles for existing teachers and those, that are studying to become techers to enable full inclusion of students with special needs in Bulgaria, Spain, Portugal and Turkiye.