Towards Inclusive Practices and Positive Behavior Support in Education and Social Work

Short description

The consortium will develop a Curriculum and conduct trainings to increase the skills and knowledge of higher education staff in Ukraine and North Macedonia on the usage of behavioral science interventions and disseminate the best practices from Slovakia, Poland, and Czechia to improve the quality of school and social inclusion and to support positive behavior in children and youth in V4 and beyond.

Our partners

Masaryk University

Faculty of Education

Institute for Research in Inclusive Education

Masaryk University is the second-largest public university in the Czech Republic. At present, it comprises nine faculties with over 200 departments, institutes, and clinics. Recognized as one of the most important teaching and research institutions in the Czech Republic and a highly-regarded Central European university, it has been infused with a strong democratic spirit ever since its establishment in 1919.

The Institute for Research in Inclusive Education (IRIE) is a new and dynamic department that was derived from and closely cooperates with the Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education at Masaryk University. IRIE guarantees and delivers the study program Special Andragogy focusing on adults with special educational needs/disability (SEN).

IRIE emphasizes a close connection between education and practice. Therefore, IRIE actively cooperates with different institutions and NGOs. Apart from lecturing, it also carries its practically oriented research aiming at evidence-based practices and their implementation in the education of people with ASD, improvement of education and employment opportunities of persons with SEN, enhancing their independent life, and social inclusion. IRIE has been involved in several international projects focusing on the enhancement of educational and counseling services for people with SEND, for example increasing accessibility of people with disabilities to education and labor market, Inclusive Education, and Social Support to Tackle Inequalities in Society (ISOTIS) (EU, RIA, H2020-SC6-REV_INEQUAL; 2017-2019), Family Education Programme for Parents of Disabled Students (EU, Erasmus+, 2016-1-TR01-KA204-035200, 2016-2019), Positive Parenting (P+): an autism parent training to address children problem behavior and teach them socially important skills (EU, Erasmus+, KA204-0D1B6587, 2020-2022), The "A" class: integrating and supporting students with autism in the mainstream classroom (EU, Erasmus+, KA201 - Strategic Partnerships for school education, 2020-2023).

University of Presov

The University of Presov has an educational program in behavior analysis and its academic staff has expertise in developing programs in progressive methods of work with challenging behavior. The benefits for the University of Presov include creating training materials for teaching Erasmus+ students and other students at the Faculty of Education at the University of Presov as well as future social workers and psychologists at the Faculty of Arts with an emphasis on interdisciplinary cooperation and preparing professionals to work within an inclusive team at the schools, and various social settings. Previously The University of Presov had several projects with Masaryk University in different fields: Touches of Czech Literature for Children and Youth in the 20th Century Innovative Practices in the Preparation of Future German Language Teachers Central European University Exchange Programme

SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities

SWPS University is a leading higher education institution in Poland. The Faculty of Psychology in Warsaw - the oldest and the largest faculty of SWPS University - is the third best center for social sciences in Poland according to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The Faculty conducts advanced scientific research in psychology, including projects of international reach. It offers studies in psychology which were awarded a distinction by the Polish Accreditation Committee. It has an educational program in behavior analysis and its academic staff has expertise in developing programs in progressive methods of work with challenging behavior. Previously Masaryk University didn`t have any cooperation.

University of Tetova

University of Tetova (UT) was founded in 1994 as an initiative of Albanian intellectuals, various associations, and supporters of higher education from North Macedonia and abroad. UT carries out international projects thanks to Erasmus+, CEPUS, DAAD, Tempus, etc. Relying on European standards, the educational quality is growing, thus providing unique academic opportunities for the Albanian minority in North Macedonia. Currently, a program in behavior analysis and inclusion is not available at UT and it would be a great benefit to the students of pre-school and school education, psychology, and social work. UT academic staff has the expertise and the capacity to develop and implement the curriculum under this project. MU and UT cooperate through Erasmus+ projects: ex.: Positive Parenting (P+): an autism parent training.

Odessa Regional Academy of In-Service Education (ORAIE) 

Odesa Regional Academy of In-Service Education is a governmental institution for scientific and methodological support of specialists in the education system (teachers, teaching assistants, IRC employees, and practical psychologists working in the Ukrainian education system). Its academic staff has the expertise in the field of inclusive education and the capacity to implement the curriculum developed under this project with the in-service teachers and other school staff in the Odesa region of Ukraine. MU and Odessa Regional Academy cooperate through the Erasmus+ project: Ready 4 School

Donbas State Pedagogical University (DSPU)

Established in 1939, Donbas State Pedagogical University is a non-profit public higher education institution located city of Sloviansk Donetsk Oblast. During the Russia-Ukrainian war, the university was damaged and forced to temporarily relocate. Still, now it continues to function in Dnipro city, where it continues to provide teaching processes and conduct research. Concerning the scope of its subjects and degree programs offered, the State Higher Education Institution "Donbas State Pedagogical University" is a specialized institution. DSPU has been taking the leading positions in the educational services market for more than 80 years. High-quality teaching and scientific research levels create unique training opportunities for highly qualified specialists education in leading scientists and researchers.

Nationa Technical University of Ukrajine

"Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute"

Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (ISKPI) has extensive experience in programs such as Horizon 2020, NATO Science for Peace and Security, NAWA, Erasmus+, Fulbright, DAAD, the International Visegrad Fund, and others. ISKPI is set to give a big boost to the proposed project by sharing the experience of inclusive social work, developing new intervention methods, applying new technologies to education (including remote-learning technologies), fostering multilateral academic exchange, and elaborating a framework for long-term cooperation in behavior analysis. The results of this project will benefit future social workers, who are being trained at ISKPI. Previously our institutions did not cooperate.