Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design

Erasmus+ Change Agents

Project Phases

Blueprint

Change Agents is co-funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ program.

Project overview

Year of project

2023

Members

Project manager

pataky.zsofia@mome.hu

Change Agents is a cooperation partnerships in higher education funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. The project consortium consists of six higher education institutions - with Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design as project coordinator - and two NGOs as associated partners.

Change Agents ERASMUS+ project is initiated and led by MOME is collaboration with five more higher education institutions - Elisava School of Design and Engineering Barcelona, the Kunstiakadeemia in Estonia, the Universität Der Künste in Berlin, the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, and the Shenkar College in Israel. The project aims to make use of new methods and strategies to bridge the gap between the NGO sector and higher education institutions (especially in the field of design and art) to help them react more actively on real-life challenges with the involvement of “everyday heroes”. The project shall engage collaborators and field workers to build up a more inclusive system where teachers and students can practice and master social inclusion and diversity in their academic life and beyond, while building infrastructures and methodologies with improved sustainability, and developing pilot methods and best practices.

The Change Agents project’s goal is to define, develop and improve innovative practices at the intersection between HEIs and other sector organizations to develop pilot cooperation strategies that will later present the potential to be integrated within educational modules. The project wishes to bring the academic sector and the NGO ecosystem closer to one another and generate deeper understanding between these important stakeholders, allowing them to advance a more collaborative, inclusive and participatory practice of design, while recognizing the already existing knowledge of activists and various stakeholders. The project centers around the notion that achieving these objectives will help inclusivity by inviting and involving various agents and sectors which are directly linked to different communities, experienced in ethnographic fieldwork and can provide knowledge not typically owned by the higher educational framework.

Project Phases

Project Initiation

In February 2024, the Change Agents project team launched their two-year collaboration with a workshop in Budapest, facilitated by MOME as Consortium lead, to outline the project, allocate tasks, and establish a structured plan. MOME also ensured effective resource management, quality assurance, risk management, and strategic coordination among partners to achieve the project’s objectives efficiently.

Background Mapping

The initial project phase focused on understanding existing practices at the intersection of social design and NGO fieldwork through expert interviews with geographically and professionally diverse stakeholders. Led by Shenkar and ELISAVA, the phase concluded with a Study Report featuring a literature review, interview summaries, and insights to inform the Blueprint recommendations.

Project Pilots

This project phase aimed to draft and test a methodology through local pilot implementations, starting with a 2-day workshop in Tallinn organized by EKA to assess progress and define the pilot frameworks. Led by UDK, UNIBZ, and EKA, the phase included pilot activities in Bozen-Bolzano with Officina Vispa and in Berlin with Democratic Society, summarized in an implementation report with feedback and conclusions.

Blueprint Development

This phase synthesized insights from previous activities into the Blueprint, an open-access guide offering methodological recommendations and practical guidance for participatory collaborations between higher education and NGOs using social design tools. Led by EKA and MOME, the Blueprint includes ethical considerations, case studies, and reflective practices, with plans for academic adoption and ongoing feedback from professionals, students, and NGOs at international events.

Conclusion

The Blueprint will be launched at a closing event and made publicly available in an open-access digital format for implementation by HEIs and academic stakeholders. Led by ELISAVA and MOME, the project aims to bridge academia and NGOs, enhancing social impact and fostering mutual understanding through fieldwork-oriented education and collaborative knowledge-sharing.

Project Initiation

Background Mapping

Project Pilots

Blueprint Development

Conclusion

Blueprint

The blueprint is available for download on an external webpage.

Name of document

Blueprint

Open