Razom

About

Razom, which means “together” in Ukrainian, is a transnational collaborative project that aims to support European cohesion and Ukraine’s ambitions to widen its network and work more closely with European institutions. It will do so by enhancing knowledge and capacity, identifying areas for improvement, sharing experiences and good practices, discussing common challenges, and providing strategy and policy recommendations.

The project work will focus on working around an existing online course (Erasmus+ NEEDS online course) on societal security to fit the real-life experiences and needs of Ukraine. The revised course will then be integrated into a Pilot Intensive Study Program for university students from Ukraine and the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). The course will improve shared understanding, which is an important prerequisite for international cooperation.

Background

The Razom project follows the Erasmus+ NEEDS project for needs-based education and studies in societal security which took into consideration various scenarios of crises in the BSR. However, with the geopolitical situation changing since, new scenarios and more real-life experiences become relevant for transnational experience exchange, mutual learning and educational purposes. Razom identified the need to further bridge the region and Ukraine, to connect academia (students, teachers, institutions) in the countries, to improve or update existing educational material, and to continuously work on topical teaching of societal security.

Objectives

The project aims to strengthen societal security and build capacity in Europe by transnationally discussing and sharing experiences, knowledge, good practices, common challenges, policy recommendations and networks. For the project, it means cultivating resilience and cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region and Ukraine through strengthening societal security studies, skills and development in the form of an online course for higher education.

Specific objectives of the project: 

• Enhance capacity-building by using the lessons identified in Ukraine to assess, validate, develop and improve theories, concepts, analytical tools, and learning materials presented in the Erasmus+ NEEDS online course on societal security.
• Develop an innovative pedagogical methodology for diverse learners in blended learning environments in an international context that encourages more interaction and deeper learning.
• Utilise the revised online course in societal security to create a pilot Intensive Study Programme (ISP) in a hybrid format. 
• Widen existing BSR network(s) on societal security and international cooperation to include Ukrainian colleagues and promote more youth engagement in these networks.

Target groups

Young people, particularly current higher education and university students (professional training, applied sciences, vocational, and undergraduate academic programs) as well as early career professionals who are studying and working with issues regarding societal security in Ukraine and the BSR.

Ukrainian general educational institutions and educators as such, for capacity development towards more full-fledged security study programmes. 

The (BSR) policy level consists of civil protection authorities in the region for providing meaningful assistance to Ukraine on topics which are relevant and not covered by other assistance platforms.

Partners

Project coordinator:

• Försvarshögskolan (Swedish Defence University, SEDU)

Project Partners:

• Council of the Baltic Sea States Secretariat (CBSS), Safe & Secure Region and Regional Identity
• Lviv State University of Life Safety (LSULS)

Duration

1 March 2024 ­– 28 February 2026

Funding

The Razom project is funded through seed-funding money by Swedish Institute (Svenska institut).

Contact

For more information about the Razom project, please contact:

• Stephanie Young, Project Manager, Lead partner, SEDU: [email protected]
• Franziska Seufert, Project Coordinator, CBSS: [email protected]