The event, held online due to Operation “Lion’s Roar,” demonstrated by its very existence that international connection can be sustained even in times of crisis, creating the flexibility needed to maintain dialogue even when reality gets in the way.
IMPACT Inter-Mediterranean Peace and Collaboration is an EU-funded project that brings together a consortium of universities, colleges, and youth groups from Israel, Morocco, and various European countries. It focuses on developing COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) courses that unite students from around the world into a single shared classroom. Over the past three years, approximately ten different courses were run within the project’s framework, with hundreds of students participating simultaneously.
The values at the heart of the project include tolerance, intercultural understanding, critical thinking, media literacy, active citizenship, and the development of soft skills. During the closing conference, participants exchanged views and assessments regarding the project’s impact on the learning experience and international encounters, on participating students, on lecturers, and on the institutions themselves particularly in terms of their capacity to listen to diverse perspectives, embrace the other, and engage in meaningful dialogue.
One of the participating lecturers said the project had changed not only what she teaches, but the way she understands how learning happens: “I realized that real learning occurs when the student takes an active role in the process, reflects on themselves, and connects with others.”
Omer Ninio, a student from the Faculty of Design at HIT who took part in the conference, said that her involvement in the project had added a new dimension to the way she communicates with people: “The courses open a gateway to learning about other cultures through direct encounters. I can say that I grew through this project and acquired new skills.”
Dr. Nava Shaked, Head of the School of Multidisciplinary Studies and IMPACT project lead at HIT, said at the conference: “The project launched two weeks before October 7th, with the aim of creating a bridging platform between the countries of the Middle East, Europe, and Morocco, grounded in the belief that dialogue, mediation, and education are critical to our coexistence. We did not know, nor could we have imagined that by the project’s end we would be navigating such a profoundly challenging period, both academically and socially, and in terms of the collaborations within the project and beyond it.
We learned that even under pressure and threat, we can create remarkable things; that our students vote with their feet and love being involved in projects even when they push them outside their comfort zones. We came to understand that creativity is the name of the game, that resilience is critical, and we learned who our reliable partners are those with whom we can reach new heights together. Our dedicated team supported the project even in its less pleasant hours, and in the end, we created a whole ecosystem of courses, meetings, intellectual enrichment, and even podcasts all in a time of war and hope for peace.”
Prof. Rhonda Soifer of Gordon College, who facilitated the event, concluded: “What this project achieved is considered rare among European projects it forged ties between institutions in Israel and Morocco. That is not something to be taken for granted. It succeeded thanks to the central project manager, who managed to unite people who are not typically considered connected. International education usually reaches the fortunate few who can afford to fly. COIL courses open the door to students who, under ordinary circumstances, would never have had such an opportunity.”
Over the past three years, IMPACT has crossed the threshold of 2,500 students, built a library of 90 instructional videos, and transformed the way Israeli and European colleges think about internationalization.
