The EUGLOH Living Lab encompasses a series of activities conducted in immersive and experimental settings, aimed at fostering transversal and multidisciplinary competencies. These “living laboratories”  are driven by multidisciplinary “knowledge-creating teams” responsible for pedagogical co-creation across the four pillars of the Knowledge Square — Education, Research, Innovation, and Service to Society. This initiative supports the broadening, internationalising and modernising of educational opportunities, embedding innovative entrepreneurial learning, transversal and digital skills, and sustainability into curricula.

The activity “Putting Students First —  Designing the Classroom of the Future” is an innovative international training programme that places students at the heart of educational transformation, combining gamification, well-being, and transversal competencies. This initiative is co-developed by three partner universities — U.Porto, Université Paris-Saclay, and UiT — and proposes a hybrid, interactive approach rooted in real-world challenges and multidisciplinary collaboration.

The programme is structured around three main thematic pillars:

• Gamification of Learning (UiT)
  This module integrates game mechanics into both in-person and online teaching to boost student engagement. The webinars present hands-on examples, such as the use of analogue games supported by digital tools, and the Business Simulator applied in an economics course, including data from a study involving 400 participants. A critical perspective on gamification and its ethical implications rounds out the discussion.

• Well-Being and Happiness (Université Paris-Saclay)
  This component reflects on the role of well-being in academic success and sustainable learning. It includes the webinar “Learning to Learn”, focused on personal strategies and practical examples, and a synchronous roundtable featuring interactive activities that promote reflection and self-care throughout the educational journey.

• Transversal Competencies (U.Porto)
  This pillar explores essential competencies such as critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and leadership. The approach includes webinars on co-design principles and real-world applications of the Transversal Competencies Framework, with a focus on professional development in interdisciplinary contexts.

The training unfolds in three phases:

• Online: includes short webinars (max. 10 min) with a practical focus and synchronous roundtables with interactive exercises.
• In-person (between the 27th and 31st of October, @U.Porto) team-based work on real challenges, supported by expert mentors
• Continuous assessment: analysis of the feasibility and impact of the proposals, with self-reflection on the competencies developed.

Open to students, academic staff, and non-academic staff from all fields and levels of study, this activity is certified with 3 ECTS and fosters a transformative, student-centred learning experience grounded in innovation, well-being, and social responsibility.

Content

• Co-Design Principles: Collaborative design methodologies guided by stakeholders, promoting the active participation of all actors in the creation process.


• Gamification of Learning: The application of game mechanics in educational contexts with the aim of increasing learner engagement, motivation, and retention.


• Immersive Learning: The use of immersive technologies (Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and simulations) as tools to enhance the learning experience.


• Transversal Competencies Framework: The identification and development of interdisciplinary skills essential for professional growth and adaptability in diverse contexts.


• Design Thinking and Human-Centred Ideation: Creative problem-solving approaches based on empathy, experimentation, and iterative prototyping.


• Innovation Frameworks: Structures and methodologies designed to foster agile and systematic innovation in academic and professional environments.


• Happiness and Well-Being: The integration of personal well-being practices and emotional balance as part of the learning process and sustainable performance.


• Artificial Intelligence in Education: Exploring the potential of artificial intelligence to enhance pedagogical practices, personalise learning, and support outcome evaluation.

Methodology

The pedagogical approach will follow challenge-based learning, in a hackathon-style format. Students will be presented with a specific problem, proposed by institutions or companies, and will be tasked with designing a research-based project.
This work will be carried out in interdisciplinary teams. The online component will be supported by a Discord server, used for course structure and to facilitate teamwork.

Assessment is continuous, formative, and based on practical evidence, including:
Active participation in online and in-person activities (20%)
– Attendance, collaboration, and engagement in debates and interactive sessions.

Teamwork: development of an educational innovation project (50%)
– Technical, creative, and communicative quality of the final proposal (prototype or implementation plan).

Final project presentation and pitch to a jury (20%)
– Clarity of communication, audience relevance, and potential impact.

Individual written reflection (10%)
– Critical self-assessment on the learning experience, skill development, and potential future applications.

Open