In September, the West University of Timisoara joined other educational institutions from Romania, Poland, Slovakia and the Republic of Moldova in the international project “Students for a United and Resilient Europe”. The project is carried out in partnership with EdVenture Partners, the American Councils for International Education and the US State Department. Its main objective is the involvement of young people in combating misinformation on the topic of Ukrainian refugees, raising awareness of the target audience and developing critical thinking, as well as promoting social cohesion in communities where Ukrainian refugees live. During the semester, until January 17, 2025, the date of completion of the project, the participants will do research about disinformation through fake news related to Ukrainian refugees in Romania, they will identify a target audience and think of a strategy to combat this phenomenon through materials of media literacy and an online campaign. On behalf of UVT, a team of second-year students from the Faculty of Letters, English major, is participating. The students will carry out their project activity within the Interdisciplinary Center for Gender Studies (https://genderstudies.uvt.ro/), being coordinated by Conf. univ. Dr. Irina Diana Mădroane and Asst. university Dr. Loredana Bercuci.
For ten students from the project team (Arintina Maria Bobiț, Silvia Loredana Brînzei, Daniel Sorin Buruian, Anamaria Cvașa, Daria Ioana Dragomir, Paula Andreea Drăgulescu, Alexia Elena Faur, Alexandra Andrada Nemeș, Amalia Secoșan, Andreea Teodora Tănase), the semester began two days earlier (September 28-29), during a weekend of team-building and project launch activities at the cabin “Up in the Village” in Gărâna. On the first day, students discovered what research interests and passions they share, chose their leaders and roles in the project, and decided how they would contribute to the next activities based on their skills. Together with the two coordinating teaching staff, they discussed in depth the requirements and objectives of the project and sketched the first ideas on the topic addressed. A short walk on the Stations of the Cross was an excellent opportunity to continue these discussions in an informal and cheerful setting. On the second day, students debated the challenges fake news brings to a democratic society and began preliminary research on the disinformation situation in Romania, as well as Ukrainian refugees. In the next period, they will deepen these directions both within the Interdisciplinary Center for Gender Studies and in the optional course, “Media Discourses in the USA and Great Britain” (title Prof. Dr. Irina Diana Mădroane).
Source: https://www.uvt.ro/en/blog/proiectul-students-for-a-united-and-resilient-europe-sure-la-uvt-studentii-de-la-litere-in-actiune/
