On 19 – 20 March, the partners of the SHIFT (Student-centred Higher Education Innovation for the Future of Teaching) project met in Brussels to discuss the timeline and details for the Erasmus+ project. SHIFT is a transnational initiative aimed at transforming European higher education by embedding student-centred learning (SCL) methodologies and developing flexible academic pathways. Responding to critical challenges such as academic rigidity, skills mismatches between graduates and the labour market, and the limited recognition of learning outcomes from international mobility, SHIFT’s goal is to strengthen the alignment between higher education outcomes and labour market needs. Through research, stakeholder engagement, and dialogue with employers and policymakers, the project seeks to improve the relevance and impact of academic programmes and graduate skills development. 

The project also aims to promote the adoption of student-centred learning approaches that empower learners as active participants in their educational pathways. By encouraging innovative pedagogies and co-creation practices, SHIFT supports higher education institutions in transitioning towards more participatory and competence-based teaching models. SHIFT seeks to foster "trialogues" between universities, students, and employers to ensure that educational outcomes align with modern workforce demands while enhancing student agency in shaping their own learning experiences. 

In order to achieve these goals, the project sets out to contribute to evidence-based policy development at institutional, national, and European levels through the development of practical tools, frameworks, and policy recommendations to strengthen the European Higher Education Area. 

While the SHIFT project is coordinated by the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), project partners include: Erasmus Students’ Union (ESU), Institute for Development in Education (IDE), European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU), University of Poitiers (UPoitiers), University of Oviedo (UniOvi), and the Academic Cooperation Association (ACA). 

Learn more about SHIFT and follow the project developments here.