Education

IMPACTA: A framework to amplify change at ECIU University

IMPACTA, which stands for "Individual & Multi-stakeholder Process for Amplifying Collaborative Transformative Action", provides a structured approach to under­­standing and driving change within the ECIU community.

The framework equips learners, researchers, and partners with tools to plan, track, and monitor impact. More than a measurement system, IMPACTA fosters a culture of co-creation, encouraging individuals and stakeholders to design solutions with real societal relevance.

‘IMPACTA looks at impact both collectively and individually,’ says Gio Fornell, Innovation Adviser at Linköping University and lead of the Impact Work in ECIU University. ‘Collective impact is built up from many of ECIU University’s activities. For example, students engaging in Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) or re­searchers tackling societal challenges together with external stakeholders. Ultimately, it is those stakeholders who determine whether societal impact has been achieved.’

On the individual level, the impact is felt by the student. 'It is the change in knowledge, skills, attitudes, and ambitions that comes from working with real-life challenges in a CBL context,’ Fornell explains. ‘KPIs are often used to capture the quantitative side of impact, but it’s equally important to consider qualitative aspects, as highlighted in Impact Case Studies.'

Making societal impact is part of the DNA of both ECIU as a consortium and of the participating universities’, Fornell states. ‘IMPACTA encourages both the institutions and individuals in a strategic and systematic way. It will also provide methodologies for follow-up on impact and to communicate what we as a consortium contribute to European values and European competitiveness. Both European and national funding organisations do not only want to see ambitions regarding impact, but they do also increasingly expect to see evidence on impact.’