CIVIC
CIVIC – Crafting Innovative Virtual Interactions for Civic Competences
Funding Programme
Erasmus+ — Virtual Exchanges in Higher Education and Youth (ERASMUS-EDU-2025-VIRT-EXCH)
Project Number
101253438
Duration
36 months
Overall Budget
499,930.98 €
Countries
Belgium, Greece, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo
CIVIC
The CIVIC project strengthens young people’s digital citizenship, critical thinking, and civic competences through inclusive, gamified virtual exchanges connecting EU and Western Balkan youth. Responding to the spread of disinformation, online radicalization, and hate speech, CIVIC empowers over 2,500 participants to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly while engaging in intercultural dialogue and democratic participation.
Using an innovative Civic Exchange Ecosystem built on GatherTown, CIVIC delivers immersive, youth-friendly learning experiences combining live sessions, collaborative activities, and digital storytelling. The project integrates digital literacy, civic engagement, and intercultural understanding into one cohesive framework—bridging education and activism across borders. By co-creating narratives, campaigns, and digital tools, young people become active changemakers who promote tolerance, inclusion, and European values in online and offline communities.
Objectives of the project
- Strengthen critical digital literacy and media resilience among young people.
- Promote civic engagement and intercultural dialogue through virtual exchanges.
- Empower vulnerable youth (NEETs, migrants, marginalized groups) to become active digital citizens.
- Build youth-led narratives and campaigns countering disinformation and hate speech.
- Train youth activists and facilitators to lead peer-to-peer digital citizenship learning.
- Establish an inclusive, gamified virtual ecosystem for safe and engaging online learning.
Expected Results
• 2,500 youth participants engaged in 32 virtual exchange rounds.
• Six comprehensive learning modules on digital literacy, civic action, and intercultural dialogue.
• A gamified Civic Exchange Ecosystem integrating MOOC tools and GatherTown environments.
• At least 10 youth-led digital campaigns promoting civic and democratic values.
• 36 certified youth facilitators trained through a Train-the-Trainer programme.
• Strengthened resilience against disinformation and online polarization across EU and Western Balkans.
Project Activities
• Co-design of the Civic Exchange Ecosystem and digital learning modules.
• Implementation of 32 Virtual Exchange Rounds combining live and asynchronous learning.
• Development of youth-led campaigns and civic storytelling initiatives.
• Train-the-Trainer sessions for youth facilitators and educators.
• Awareness campaigns, dissemination events, and policy dialogues promoting digital citizenship
Project Partners
- UC Leuven-Limburg (UCLL) – Belgium (Coordinator)
- Connect Your City (CYC) – Belgium
- Metropolitan College (MC) – Greece
- International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM) – Kosovo
- Teach for Kosovo (TFK) – Kosovo
- BRAVO – Bosnian Representative Association for Valuable Opportunities – Bosnia and Herzegovina
- European University of Tirana (UET) – Albania
- LOGOS University College – Albania
- Erasmus Student Network (ESN) – Albania