Sustainable Wellbeing in Higher Education: EUTOPIA Micro-Credential Course and Research-Based Workshop at NOVA University Lisbon

Prof. Dr. Bärbel Fürstenau and Dr. Ianina Scheuch of the Chair of Business Education and Management Training are partners in the Connected Community (CC) “Sustainable Well-being of People and Planet” within the EUTOPIA European University Alliance. During the summer semester 2026, the international EUTOPIA Micro-Credential course “Sustainable Wellbeing & Leadership” was offered as part of this collaboration. The course aimed to provide students with the opportunity to work together with international partner universities on current challenges related to sustainable wellbeing while strengthening their intercultural and academic competencies.

A particular highlight of the project was the active involvement of selected students from TU Dresden in the EUTOPIA Research-Based Workshop on “Sustainable Wellbeing Cultures in Higher Education”, held on 18 June 2026 at NOVA University Lisbon (Portugal). Supported by TU Dresden, the students travelled to Lisbon together with their lecturer Dr. Ianina Scheuch and actively contributed to the preparation and implementation of the workshop. The event brought together researchers, doctoral candidates, students, and practitioners from Germany, Spain, and Portugal at NOVA University Lisbon. It provided a platform to exchange perspectives on current developments, opportunities, and challenges related to sustainable wellbeing in higher education, while fostering collaborative discussions on innovative ideas for research and teaching.

For the participating students, the experience was both academically enriching and personally rewarding. They particularly appreciated the international collaboration, the interdisciplinary exchange with researchers and students from different countries, and the opportunity to work together on a topic of high practical and societal relevance. Visiting the NOVA University Lisbon campus, participating in the workshop, and experiencing the city of Lisbon also made the trip a memorable part of their studies.

One participating student reflected on the experience:

“The exchange with students from the two partner universities was particularly valuable for me. The different perspectives provided many new ideas and demonstrated the diverse ways sustainable wellbeing can be fostered on university campuses. At the same time, it was wonderful to experience Lisbon beyond the typical tourist attractions. I returned with many new impressions and ideas.”

Building on the success of the project, the collaboration will continue in the winter semester 2026/27. A new international EUTOPIA Micro-Credential course for students of Business and Economics and Business Education has already been approved in cooperation with partner universities of the EUTOPIA European University Alliance.