Innovative Solutions for Social Challenges from the ERUA iDeaThon 2024
The University of the Aegean successfully organized ERUAiDeaThon2024: “The Alternative Entrepreneurship Challenge”, an idea competition held online on November 25-26, 2024. The iDeaThon brought together students, researchers, and faculty or administrative staff from ERUA (European Reform University Alliance) universities, highlighting the ERUA Alliance’s commitment to promoting innovative solutions to pressing social issues.
Through ERUAiDeaThon2024, participants, either individually or in teams, had the opportunity to develop ideas around two of the five thematic pillars of the ERUA Alliance: (1) Migration, Exile & Refugees, and (2) Democracy, Human Rights, Inclusion & Gender Equality. Many of the submitted ideas were further refined in the weeks leading up to the event with guidance from experts through an open network of experienced mentors built by the Alliance.
The competition concluded with a creative two-day event during which participants presented their final ideas to a judging panel. Winning teams were recognized for their innovative approaches to social challenges, with active impact on local communities. They were awarded mobility opportunities, exposure, and the chance to further enrich their ideas within the ERUA Alliance. Additionally, prizes included a trip to an ERUA member university to further develop their ideas, participation in the ERUA Hackathon 2025 mentorship program, and the opportunity to present their projects at the ERUA Summit in November 2025 in Mytilene. Furthermore, the winning teams will showcase their ideas at the ERUA Day 2024 celebrations on December 12, 2024.
ERUAiDeaThon2024 distinguished two projects that addressed social challenges with exceptional creativity. The winning team in the Migration, Exile & Refugees category, from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, developed the project “U-FIT”, aimed at creating teaching materials and tools for teaching basic skills in Spanish, English, and Mathematics to young migrants. The goal is to integrate these skills into a national program covering 75% of the national minimum wage, while simultaneously providing the first steps toward a professional career.
The winning team in the Democracy, Human Rights, Inclusion & Gender Equality category, from the University of Macerata, developed the project “IEL”, which tackles the challenge of integrating students with disabilities into European education. Through three components—the European Academy for School Inclusion (EASI), the Inclusive Middle Management Network (IMMaNet), and Inclusive Innovation Labs—the project aims to train and support school middle management in handling inclusion. Training in participatory practices is essential to comply with European regulations and to create inclusive schools that meet the needs of each student while fostering collective well-being.
Through ERUAiDeaThon2024, the alliance highlights the power of collaboration and interdisciplinary dialogue, as well as the potential contribution of the wider academic community in addressing everyday challenges and social issues. In an environment fostering the interaction of diverse people and contexts, ideas were developed with creativity and vision, aimed at improving the conditions of tomorrow. The ideas that emerged support the ERUA mission to equip the new generation with the tools, knowledge, and opportunities necessary for more inclusive and sustainable social development.
The quality of the proposals and the dedication of the participants underscore the potential of the broader ERUA academic community and the University of the Aegean in particular. Despite the difficulty of selecting the winning teams, each proposal presented unique approaches to the challenges posed. We encourage all participants to continue developing their outstanding ideas and engage in future ERUA initiatives!