Call for Applications: ENGAGE.EU Expedition @WU
About the ENGAGE.EU Expedition
The ENGAGE.EU Expedition is a one-week intensive program and learning experience for students who work together with experts and mentors on finding solutions to real-life problems. It is a collaborative program, which focuses on creating value for society and uses the framework for inno-preneurship as guiding principle.
By engaging in this international co-design program, you will contribute to real-life societal transformations. You will work with other students in teams on challenges presented by the societal partners of Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) and ENGAGE.EU. Throughout the program, you will be guided towards knowledge-based and mission-oriented solutions by using design-thinking principles.
About the Challenge
Inequalities of income and wealth have widened considerably in recent decades. Nevertheless, there are strong differences by countries as well as by regions. This suggests that counterstrategies can be developed at both national and regional level. Structural inequalities are particularly pronounced in the area of wealth distribution. On the one hand, property ownership and housing policy are of central importance in this aspect. On the other, income inequality as well as corresponding social policies are central determinants of the extent of poverty. Housing policy and measures against poverty are therefore the focus of the expedition week.
In international comparison, Vienna is considered a socially balanced city in many respects, especially because of its housing policy and because of the relatively well-developed welfare state. However, due to the general development, intensified by the financial crisis of 2008/2009 as well as the three-year lasting Covid-pandemic, a worsening of socio-economic disparities is becoming apparent.
Two concrete challenges are on the agenda of the expedition:
First, measures in the housing sector that can curb the increasing segregation will be developed together with the City of Vienna. Second, effective measures to reduce poverty in Vienna will be developed together with Caritas (Austria’s largest NGO). Both are areas in which the City of Vienna can show success, but this success is threatened by recent developments. Therefore, the development of new and up-to-date concepts is necessary. Developing proposals to new concepts is the central challenge of the expedition week.
Expected Impact
For students: Students, as part of a diverse and international team, will develop an understanding of the challenge by connecting with local stakeholders. They will gain insight on how local stakeholders have addressed the challenge so far and will integrate their knowledge into the process of developing solutions to the challenges. Students will also move beyond the walls of the classroom by going to field visits and interacting with experts and practitioners to understand the challenge from a practical perspective. In addition to specialist knowledge, students will develop numerous other skills such as research, cooperation, dealing with uncertainty, solution-oriented thinking, organisation and communication.
For stakeholders: Inequalities exist in different forms in our society. Inequalities in housing and the rise of poverty in Vienna are both issues that need to be tackled from a multidimensional perspective. ENGAGE.EU students come from a richly diverse academic and cultural background. They are enthusiastic students who dare to think out of the box and bring forward a fresh perspective to standard practices, while the diversity and dynamic environment where the students develop ideas only adds to innovative solutions, which are applicable in real-life. The program also aims to provide space for the creation of professional networks among invited stakeholders, with the WU and with the ENGAGE.EU alliance.
Format of Challenge
Groupwork in interdisciplinary and international teams. Students should be able to attend the program in Vienna, Austria, from 21 May to 26 May 2023.
Scholarship
All selected students will receive scholarships for participation in the ENGAGE.EU Expedition Week. Details will follow from the home university after being selected for the expedition week.
Additional Activities
You will have the opportunity to join a rich social and cultural program in Vienna. We will organise a city tour, WU campus tour, and many other exciting activities during the program. The expedition week will also take place during the time that Europe’s largest student-focused startup event series – the Entrepreneurship Avenue – takes place right at the WU campus. You will have the chance to listen to real-life stories of startups and entrepreneurs and exchange with other students, founders, investors and other inspiring minds. In addition, there will be time to socialize in the evening and explore the city’s (night)life.
Accomodation
The Vienna University of Economics and Business does not have residence halls of its own but will organise accomodation for the participants. Please note that you will be sharing your room with other students. If you would like to make use of this opportunity, please indicate below. If you would like to consider other options, arrangements need to be made by yourself. The expedition starts on Sunday afternoon and ends on Friday evening.
Your Profile
The ENGAGE.EU Expedition@Vienna edition is targeted at bachelor’s students in their last year and master’s students. Students of any citizenship and any field of study who are enrolled in an ENGAGE.EU partner university are welcome to apply.
If you want to learn more about this experience, watch the video of the ENGAGE.EU expedition at Tilburg University:
Application
To apply for the ENGAGE.EU Expedition you should provide:
- A short letter (max. 300 words) explaining your motivation for applying to the ENGAGE.EU Expedition@Vienna,
- Curriculum vitae (education, work experience, language skills, study/work abroad, other relevant skills and experiences),
- Academic records (transcript of records).
Selection
Submitted applications are evaluated by the academics and staff working in the ENGAGE.EU Labs. Candidates will be evaluated based on their motivation letter and CV. In order to ensure equal participation among students from the different partner universities, the selection committee will aim at choosing three to maximum five students from each partner university. Final decisions also consider a range of criteria for cohort composition, including but not limited to disciplinary balance, institutional diversity, and demographic diversity.
Additional Details
In order to complete your application, you will have to fill in the application form below and upload your CV, academic records and motivation letter (in Word or PDF format), together with:
- Copy of international passport or European identity card – to be uploaded in PDF;
- Passport photo in JPG format.
Applications must be submitted by 2 April 2023, at midnight CET. All documents must be in English, except for the academic records (which can be in any language of the partner universities).
Results will be communicated by 14 April 2023.
For questions, please send an email to engage-expedition@wu.ac.at.