BIP: Ulysseus Winter School on Innovative Pedagogy

This program is grounded in innovative Ulysseus pedagogy, which highlights students’ empowerment and engagement. In collaboration with international Ulysseus colleagues, you will explore how student-centered and competence-based learning processes can be designed, how teachers can facilitate the agency of learners and how inspiring and inclusive learning processes can be built around real-world challenges.

 

 

Please be aware that your home university may set a different application deadline depending on their internal selection process.

Registration dates 10 October 2025 10 December 2025
Course dates 09 February 2026 13 February 2026
Registration is open
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BIP: Ulysseus Winter School on Innovative Pedagogy

Programme Description

At Ulysseus, our mission is to provide students with empowering and engaging learning experiences and support our teachers’ professional growth. The Ulysseus Pedagogical Guidelines, co-created by the Ulysseus Pedagogical Development Steering Group with members from each partner university, reflect our diverse and innovative approaches.

The Ulysseus Winter School on Innovative Pedagogy invites Ulysseus teachers to collaboratively explore and apply innovative principles of Pedagogical Guidelines. Through interactive learning and shared reflection, participants will gain a holistic understanding of Ulysseus pedagogy and discover practical ways to implement these principles in Ulysseus joint courses and degree programmes.

This winter school marks the beginning of a series of future summer and winter schools focused on Ulysseus innovative pedagogy. Join us to learn and co-create together!

Course Content

This program is grounded in innovative Ulysseus pedagogy, which highlights students’ empowerment and engagement. In collaboration with international Ulysseus colleagues, you will explore how student-centered and competence-based learning processes can be designed, how
teachers can facilitate the agency of learners and how inspiring and inclusive learning processes can be built around real-world challenges.

A key focus is on digital transformation and how online learning can be engaging. Together with others, you will learn how to enhance and enrich learning with digital technologies and generative AI in an ethical and pedagogically meaningful way.

We begin with an introductory online workshop to get familiar with the Ulysseus pedagogical guidelines and share expectations for the programme. After that, you explore the guidelines independently, so we can start the five-day face- to- face programme with a common foundation. The intensive week includes collaborative hands-on activities, and everyone can participate from their own starting point and gather fresh ideas to Ulysseus joint implementations.

By the end of the programme, participants will be able to apply the core pedagogical approaches of Ulysseus and to engage in cross-institutional collaboration aligned with Ulysseus values.

Agenda

Day 1 (Pasila Campus, Helsinki)

10.00 – 12.00 Getting to know each other and creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for open dialogue and co-creation

  • What is meaningful and relevant for me in Ulysseus teaching?
  • How do I see my role as a Ulysseus teacher?

12.00 – 13.00 Lunch

13.00 – 16.00 Student-centredness – empowering learners in an inclusive environment

  • Building students’ engagement and agency
  • What does it mean in practice in my own work as a teacher?
  • What does this mean in Ulysseus joint implementations and in online learning?

16.30 – 18.00 Exploring Helsinki City center together

Day 2 (Porvoo Campus, Porvoo)

9.00 – 12.00 Travelling to Porvoo
Competence-based approach and constructive alignment

  • What do they mean in practice on programme and course level?
  • How can I apply them in my Ulysseus work?
  • Building common understanding and sharing international experiences

12.00 – 13.00 Lunch

13.00 – 15.00 Learning design in practice

  • Collaborative planning with Guiding questions and tools
  • Applying learning design to my own learning and teaching processes

15.00 – 16.00 Walking city tour in Porvoo Old Town

Travelling back to Helsinki

Day 3 (Real-life learning environment in Helsinki)

9.00 – 12.00 One-day experiment of authentic learning with external stakeholders

  • Working with the challenges in teams
  • How to solve real-world challenges as a learning experience?

12.00 – 13.00 Lunch

13.00 – 16.00 Continuing with the challenges

  • How to organise and facilitate challenge-based learning?

 

Day 4 (Pasila Campus, Helsinki)

9.00 – 12.00 Digital transformation – Enhancing and enriching learning

  • What is the role of AI in learning and assessment?
  • Critical evaluation and co-creation of the ethical and meaningful use of AI in learning

12.00 – 13.00 Lunch

13.00 – 16.00 Collaborative planning of good practices for Ulysseus joint programmes and courses

  • How to harness digital tools and AI in a pedagogically meaningful way?

Day 5 (Pasila Campus, Helsinki)

9.00 – 12.00 Reflections and celebration of the outcomes of our shared learning journey

  • What are the most valuable takeaways I’m bringing home?
  • What did I learn from others, what did we co-create together?
  • How will I apply my role as a Ulysseus teacher – embracing facilitation, learning design, collaboration, digital bravery and an entrepreneurial mindset – in my future teaching

12.00 – 13.00 Lunch

Virtual Component

Online workshop organised by Haaga-Helia on the 28th January, at 13-14.30 CET at Zoom.

The content:

  • Introduction of the Ulysseus pedagogical guidelines
  • Discussion and reflection of the expectations for the programme

Contacts and further information

  • Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences: Irma Kunnari, Marika Alhonen, Kirsi Korkealehto
  • University of Seville: Juan Ramon Lacalle Remigio
  • Université Côte d’Azur: Natalia Timus, Djibril Dieng, Jonathan Reyes-Marimon
  • University of Genoa: Fabrizio Bracco, Arianna Marci, Cristina Candito
  • Technical University of Košice: Miroslav Kelemen, Marek Kosuda
  • MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®: Lyuba Stafyeyeva
  • University of Münster: Dorothe Kienhues, Jennifer Kruger
  • University of Montenegro: Dijanav Vukcevic, Deja Piletic

Requirements

Priority is given to academic staff who are designing and implementing joint Ulysseus courses and programmes.

More information