ConnectEurasia

Partners from the four institutions gathered in Neuchâtel the week of August 18^th to evaluate the learning outcomes of COIL course and to share their experiences in the partnership.

After sharing their perspectives on collaboration experience, participants assessed student learning accomplishment during the session facilitated by Sandra McGury. The rich conversation continued with discussions around the successes and improvements in delivery for enhanced student learning. Participants further reviewed their workplan for the dissemination of learning from the project.

Keeping the constructive and collaborative spirit, the partners expressed their wish to continue the COIL with a new cohort of students in spring 2026.

A promising step that paves the way for exciting developments ahead!

Two live sessions were held at the end of the COIL, on May 20 and 22, 2025. These sessions brought together the entire group — project leader, students, and coaches — to review the project and gather participatory feedback on the COIL. Key topics discussed included learning objectives, cross-cultural exchanges, challenges faced, and students’ suggestions.

Students especially highlighted:

• Gaining knowledge about sustainable development and multicultural teamwork
• Learning about and embracing the challenges of Goal 12 (Responsible consumption and production) from the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Understanding practical applications to analyze a company’s sustainability and explain their findings.
• Being able to formulate recommendations based on best practices.
• Improving their own communication skills.
• Broadening their horizons by discovering the daily lives, cultures, and traditions of peers from other universities
• The challenge of time zone differences and lack of common communication tools.

This milestone successfully concludes the ConnectEurasia project, characterized by a dynamic, multicultural, and sustainability-focused international experience!

Understanding the Industry Landscape

Across energy, mobility, mining, and food manufacturing, industries worldwide are facing the same challenge: how to keep growing while respecting the planet’s limits. The student reports highlight that the path forward involves cleaner energy, smarter technologies, stronger regulations, and a shift towards circular economy practices. While some countries are racing ahead with innovation, others are still laying the foundations for their transition.

What Has Been Achieved So Far

Progress is already visible in several areas. Energy producers are cutting emissions, investing in large-scale wind and solar projects, and exploring hydrogen as a clean alternative. The mobility sector is embracing electric vehicles, with fast growth in adoption and infrastructure, though recycling and affordability remain ongoing concerns. Mining companies are beginning to modernize operations with digital tools and sustainability pledges, but enforcement gaps still exist. In the food industry, eco-packaging, healthier product lines, and sustainability-focused campaigns are gaining traction, particularly in more advanced markets.

Key Themes Emerging from the Reports

Several recurring themes connect these diverse industries:

• Protecting the environment by reducing emissions, cutting waste, and conserving water.

• Using innovation such as digital monitoring, automation, and supply chain traceability.

• Strengthening governance through policies, regulation, and alignment with global standards.

• Promoting social responsibility in labor conditions, consumer health, and community outreach.

• Embracing the circular economy by recycling materials, reusing resources, and designing products with sustainability in mind.

A Tale of Four Countries

The reports focused on four national contexts—Azerbaijan, China, Kazakhstan, and Switzerland—which show very different stages in the sustainability journey:

• Azerbaijan is taking its first steps, with strong state commitments but continued reliance on fossil fuels.

• China leads in scale and innovation, especially in renewables and electric vehicles, though coal dependency and recycling gaps remain big challenges.

• Kazakhstan is still highly dependent on fossil fuels. Transition is underway, but weak infrastructure and outdated technologies slow progress.

• Switzerland stands out as a mature model, with strong governance, advanced digital solutions, and engaged consumers. Its challenge lies in ensuring global accountability and making sustainable choices affordable for everyone.

Why This Matters

The key takeaway is simple: no single country or company can achieve sustainability on its own. Collaboration across borders, industries, and communities is essential.

Students’ Contribution

These reports demonstrate not only the complexity of the global sustainability transition but also the creativity and analytical skills of the students who prepared them. Through this assignment, they practiced real-world industry analysis, worked collaboratively in teams, and engaged critically with pressing global challenges. Their work underlines how future professionals can contribute to building a more sustainable and responsible economy—one where innovation, accountability, and cooperation go hand in hand.

The activities of the ConnectEurasia project were launched at partner universities on March 17, 2025. A total of 36 students joined the initiative and were assigned to groups of five, each mixing students from different universities. Each group was guided by a coach, who is a professor at Consortium universities.

The various activities were presented on the digital platform Padlet, which enabled students to collaborate interactively, thus encouraging exchanges and active participation. By uploading videos, the students were first able to introduce themselves individually and then, in a second stage, to present their respective universities, offering an insight into the infrastructure, campus life, and teaching and research activities.

In addition, students enriched their intercultural experience by sharing aspects of their daily lives and showcasing traditional dishes from their countries of origin. These exchanges sparked curiosity and led to many meaningful conversations among peers.