Project Mission
The Collaboration Compass (COCO) project strengthens cooperation between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and non-governmental/civil society organizations (NGOs/CSOs) to address pressing social and environmental challenges through innovative, interdisciplinary collaboration.
By raising awareness of collaboration benefits, upskilling key actors through experiential learning and mentorships, and providing tools for enabling, guiding, and assessing collaborations, COCO promotes higher education’s social responsibility and highlights the importance of engaging in Third Mission activities.
Uniting universities and NGOs across Denmark, Italy, Germany, and Poland.
Work Packages
Project Management
Ensures effective project coordination, quality assurance, and timely delivery of all activities and outputs.
Key Activities:
- Monthly consortium coordination meetings
- 4 Transnational Project Meetings (TPMs) across partner countries
- Quality assurance monitoring and reporting
- Financial management and budget tracking
Shared Foundation
Builds shared understanding and relationships between HEIs and NGOs/CSOs through deliberative discussions and reciprocal knowledge exchange.
Key Activities:
- 3 Deliberative Mini-Publics (Denmark, Italy, Poland) with 36+ participants
- 6 Reciprocal Mentorships pairing HEI staff with NGO/CSO professionals
- Development of Mini-Publics Guidelines and Awareness Guide
- Needs assessment and resource mapping workshops
Civic Classroom
Develops innovative course materials integrating civic engagement and provides students with hands-on experience working with NGOs/CSOs.
Key Activities:
- Development of Civic Classroom methodology and course materials
- Piloting courses at 3 universities with student feedback
- 6+ students complete experiential learning placements with local NGOs/CSOs
- 3 Community Impact Innovation Expos showcasing student work (60+ participants total)
Motivating Continued Cooperation
Creates five digital tools (the Collaboration Compass) to guide, facilitate, and assess HEI-NGO/CSO partnerships.
Key Activities:
- Compass Tools Ideation Workshop during TPM3 in Germany
- Development of 5 digital tools: Path Navigator, Partnership Map, Course Improver, Social Propeller, and Engagement Calibrator
- 2 Exploration Workshops (one for NGOs/CSOs, one for HEIs) with 10+ participants each
- Technical implementation and embedding tools on project website
Dissemination and Sustainability
Maximizes project visibility and ensures long-term accessibility of results through strategic communication and impact planning.
Key Activities:
- Project website development and social media campaign (5,000+ expected visitors)
- 6 newsletters, 12 blog articles, and 60+ social media posts
- Virtual Exhibition showcasing 15+ multimedia case studies of HEI-NGO collaborations
- Impact Roadmap workshop and sustainability strategy development
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