MORALE virtual study visit to the University of Alicante

The University of Alicante hosted a Virtual Study Visit within the framework of the MORALE project from 7^th to 8^th October 2020. Representatives from 7 Lebanese and Syrian Higher Education Institutions and 1 German University, together with different NGO professionals from the region, congregated online to participate in this event of experience sharing and exposure to international practices in the field of cooperation and development teaching as well as refugees and migration management . The MORALE project is part of the  Capacity Building Higher Education initiative, co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union and coordinated by the Beirut Arab University.

During the two days meeting, MORALE partners firstly focused on becoming acquainted with the Study programme offer of the University of Alicante related to sustainable NGO management. As such, they discussed in-depth the content of “Interuniversity Master in Cooperation for Development of the University of Alicante” with Dr. Moisés Hidalgo, academic director of the Master, specially looking into the different academic modules that could be transposed to the Syrian and Lebanese context. They continued working on getting familiar with the Environmental Impact Assessment with Dr. Jose Enrique Tomás from the Ecology department, as well as, being exposed to the basic concepts of Social Impact Assessment with Dr. Guadalupe Ortiz from the Sociology department.

Additionally, MORALE had the opportunity to interact with experienced organizations on refugee and migration management at national and regional level by meeting with Antonio José Victoria, an International Protection Lawyer from Accem, as well as, Nuria Ferré from the Spanish Commission for Refugees (CEAR). Understanding EU practices in the field of cooperation, development and refugee management is crucial for MORALE ultimate goals.

The MORALE project aims to strengthen to the capacities of Syrian & Lebanese Higher Education Institutions to train a new generation of high skilled professionals trained by PC HEIs to effectively manage and operate in NGO environment, enhancing inclusion of refugees and the rebuilding of the South Mediterranean society. MORALE will achieve this goal by delivering capacity building actions and trainings, modernizing curricula offers at partner countries as well as devising lifelong learning courses for professionals on the field.