The general goal of the project is to develop environmental awareness among university students and to spread the thought of sustainable development among the widest possible age groups at events that attract large audience. We committed to develop an innovative online course material and to mainstream sustainable development in all curricula for higher education students.

Recognizing the convincing power of young influencers, the project aims to reach out to all age groups of audience at cultural events and festivals in the various European Capitals of Culture to encourage environmentally conscious activity and to be active members and beneficiaries of sustainable development.

Furthermore our goal is to equip students with communication tools and sustainable attitude to become effective advocates for advancing EU green economy and culture.

This objective encompasses the following specific objectives:

  • Greenfluence Practice Collection and Research: methodological framework for implementation by exploring influencer tools and techniques and communication channels through youth can be approached in the 21st century.
  • Developing the Massive Online Open Course: course curriculum-design and development of material in two platforms.
  • Blended ECoC Greenfluencer Pilot Course on national level: the outcome of the course is a participation in an ECoC event/festival, where students can try and test their knowledge and influence audience offline.
  • Blended ECoC Greenfluencer International Course: the best 4 students and 2 lecturers from each university are entitled to be present at the final Greencool ECoC event in Tartu.
  • Professional Content and Guidelines for international online workshop for stakeholders to give suggestions how to integrate these techniques into subjects from any disciplines in order to provide the knowledge for any universities.

Innovative Aspects of the Project

The innovative character of the project can be discovered in the following milestones:

  • Integrating technological developments into education and knowledge share.
  • Influencers are considered as driving force behind new initiatives and movements. Using influencers, university students as green ambassadors is also an innovative and creative way of reaching the target group, and so have greater impact.
  • The influencers can connect easily with their followers (their audience), therefore they are able to increase awareness and drive action among their followers. It seems innovative to try out of 21st-century influencer techniques offline, using online technology in offline environment.
  • The other innovative aspects that the university project partners are all potential European Capital of Culture in the next three years. Their university and city (ECoC) values and challenges bond them together as they all focus on integrity, community, engagement, sustainability, heritage, innovation, awareness of diversity.