BANUU, Erasmus+ KA2 Project kicked off! 

“BANUU: Designing new pathways for employability and entrepreneurship of Iraqi students in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage” is a three-years (2020 – 2022) international project funded by the European Commission’s Erasmus+ Capacity Building – Key Action 2 in the Field of Higher Education. Koç University is a partner along with University of Bologna (Italy), CRAST (Italy), Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, University of Baghdad (Iraq), University of Kufa (Iraq), University of Mosul (IRAQ), and University of Qadisiyah (Iraq). Aim of the project is to contribute to the enhancement of students’ entrepreneurship skills and the improvement of graduate students’ employability and in the field of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage in Iraq.

OIP will be acting as the coordinator of the project in partnership with Prof. Çiğdem Maner (CSSH). The Kick-off Meeting took place in Baghdad, on 15th January 2020. Click here for the details.

Wrapping Up PEACEMAKERS Erasmus+ KA2 Project

After two and a half years of hard work, PEACEMAKERS Project: “Peace Dialogue Campus Network: Fostering Positive Attitudes between Migrants and Youth in Hosting Societies” was finalized on April 1. Koç University, Universidade Aberta, University of Bologna, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Gaziantep University and Humboldt University collaborated to produce four intellectual outputs; a Need Analysis, Strategy Paper, Online Course Curriculum and Train-the-trainer Camp Tool Kit for Peace Envoys, and Peace Dialogue Campus Network Best Practice Guide. For more information on and free access to the outputs, please visit https://peacemakers.ku.edu.tr/project-outputs/

During the PEACEMAKERS project, several social inclusion projects have been designed and carried out by 29 selected students trained to become “Peace Envoys” in intensive boot camps in Rotterdam, Istanbul and Bologna throughout the lifespan of the project. To ensure the sustainability of their efforts, the Peace Envoys started Peacemakers Student Clubs in their universities and recruited other volunteers in order to eventually become a peace dialogue campus network. For information on their social inclusion projects, please visit https://peacemakers.ku.edu.tr/student-projects/

The PEACEMAKERS project aims to foster a more peaceful generation in Europe and in Türkiye that approaches migrants with positive attitudes. Through rigorous academic preparation, experiential education and leadership development, the students’ skills such as ability to adopt positive attitudes towards migrants in their societies, problem-solving, critical thinking and collaborative working have been developed. These skills are critical for their social life, workplace attitudes and all other mediums of exposure to people from diverse cultures. The PEACEMAKERS project has enhanced social, civic and intellectual competencies recognized as effective tools to prevent and tackle discrimination, radicalism, and racism.

For more information on the project, the academic content of the boot camps, videos and photographs and to access the intellectual outputs, please visit https://peacemakers.ku.edu.tr/