Global learning award winners: Online courses for sustainable, inclusive and beautiful cities

Global learning award winners: Online courses for sustainable, inclusive and beautiful cities

Short online courses by RMIT Europe, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Community, EIT Urban Mobility and the New European Bauhaus (NEB) have been named winners in the 2023 LearnX Awards.

Announced on 22 November at a ceremony in Melbourne, Australia, the award-winning courses for mobility professionals, executives and city officials cover belonging and inclusive citizen engagement in urban development. A third course on inclusive mobility for an ageing population, which was developed in partnership with EIT Urban Mobility, received platinum recognition.  

Since launching twelve months ago, the courses have attracted hundreds of learners from around the world including in Australia, Canada, England, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan and the USA. 

Learners describe the free online learning courses as “inspiring” with “useful resources and tools.”

The LearnX Awards is an annual event run by the LearnX Foundation – a not-for-profit organisation promoting innovative workforce learning and supporting technologies.  

The global annual awards program recognises innovation, new practices and technologies that drive and support talent development across corporate, government, education, non-profit and community service sectors. 

The winning courses were developed in collaboration with RMIT Europe's build partner Reality Learning. 

The course Building belonging in a globalised and mobile world (3 weeks, 2 hours a week) was awarded Diamond for Best Online Learning (Industry Specific). Led by Professor Anna Hickey-Moody with Marissa Willcox, the course helps learners explore how building belonging is an integral step in creating healthy neighbourhoods and revitalising a sense of community connection. 

The course Fostering inclusive citizen engagement in urban development (3 weeks, 2 hours a week) was awarded Diamond for Best Free eLearning Resource (Industry Specific). Led by Dr Sarah Sinclair with Alexia Maddox, the course takes learners through approaches to citizen engagement in urban development to achieve transformational societal goals.  

The course Inclusive Mobility for an Ageing Population (5 weeks, 2 hours a week) was awarded Platinum for Best eLearning Project (Industry Specific). Led by Professor Marta Fernandez and Professor Carey Curtis, the course helps learners prepare cities to meet the needs of an ageing population while remaining inclusive and equitable.

Website images 1220 x 720 - 1 The courses empower mobility professionals, executives, and city officials to enhance their skills and deepen their knowledge to create more liveable and sustainable cities.

RMIT Europe Executive Director and award winner Professor Marta Fernandez said the accolade is testament to the University’s commitment to active, authentic and applied learning on relevant and global topics.

"The world is undergoing a surge in urban population growth, with more than half of all people now living in towns and cities," she said.  

"With few exceptions, cities are expected to become bigger and more numerous, and as urbanisation accelerates, cities around the world are facing challenges to maintain basic liveability. 

“Courses aligned with frameworks such as the New European Bauhaus (NEB) – a creative and interdisciplinary initiative that connects the European Green Deal to our living spaces and experiences – support all of us to imagine and build together a sustainable, inclusive and beautiful future,” Fernandez said.

EIT Urban Mobility CEO Maria Tsavachidis said the award underscores the EIT Urban Mobility Academy's dedication to empowering mobility professionals, executives, and city officials in enhancing their skills and deepening their knowledge to create more liveable and sustainable cities.

"One of the winning courses addresses the crucial aspects of regaining a sense of belonging, fostering the rediscovery of the spirit of a place and reconnecting individuals with their living environments, local culture, and history," Tsavachidis said.

"Another awarded course underscores the significance of ensuring citizen participation in decision-making, advocating for an inclusive approach to shaping the future of our cities — aligning with the NEB principles and in collaboration with the EIT Community.

"I thank the hundreds of learners worldwide for their active engagement in our courses, sharing valuable ideas and experiences, and demonstrating their personal commitment to building the cities we aspire to create," she said. 

Website images 1220 x 720 - 1 RMIT Europe and Reality Learning team members at the LearnX award ceremony in Melbourne, Australia.

The award-winning courses are part of a suite of 13 short online courses and MOOCs offered by RMIT Europe, EIT Urban Mobility, EIT Community and New European Bauhaus.

 

Story: Karen Matthews (RMIT Europe) and Marine Moulin (EIT Urban Mobility)

22 November 2023

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22 November 2023

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