On 26 May 2026, Vrije Universiteit Brussel welcomed more than 200 academics, educational support staff, and university leaders to its annual Education Conference. For the Erasmus+ SPACE project, the event served as a significant local multiplier event — an opportunity to share curriculum redesign experiences with a large institutional audience and to stimulate broader dialogue about the future of community-engaged higher education. 

From curriculum renewal to societal impact 

A recurring theme throughout the conference was that educational innovation must strive for genuine impact. Participants explored how processes of curriculum renewal can prepare students not only for professional success, but for meaningful engagement with the societal challenges of our time — a principle that lies at the heart of the SPACE project. 

What the SPACE cases-holders demonstrated 

The courses and programmes that were redesigned as part of the SPACE project create stronger connections between academic learning, professional practice, community engagement, and social responsibility — moving beyond isolated interventions toward coherent, impact-driven curricula. 

SPACE cases at the conference illustrated partnership-building with community organisations, cultural institutions, healthcare providers, and local stakeholders — demonstrating that engagement beyond the university can simultaneously enrich student learning and strengthen societal impact. 

Collaboration as a driver of change 

Meaningful educational change, participants consistently noted, does not emerge through individual effort. It is co-created — across teaching teams, student communities, support services, and external partners. 

During the lunchtime poster gallery, project coordinators presented key project achievements, resources and insights, sparking conversations with colleagues from across faculties and support services. The poster sessions offered attendees a chance to discover how SPACE has contributed to strengthening educational innovation and curriculum development within and beyond VUB. 

Key Insights from the Conference 

1. Inclusion must be embedded, not added: Diversity-sensitive education and intercultural competence need to be integrated progressively throughout curricula — using spiral approaches, authentic assessment, and longitudinal reflection — rather than confined to isolated workshops. 
2. Sustainable innovation requires institutional structures: Long-term educational change depends on leadership, peer learning, and supportive institutional cultures — not just the commitment of a small number of enthusiastic individuals. 
3. The multiplier effect extends beyond the consortium: By connecting SPACE outcomes with broader institutional conversations about educational quality and curriculum redesign, the VUB conference helped extend the project’s influence well beyond its immediate partner network. 

 Check out the photo gallery and take a look at the aftermovie!