EMBRACE UFABC team’s continuing teacher training experience

The EMBRACE project, funded by EACEA, focuses on modernizing higher education by enhancing teacher training in digital pedagogy, integrating CLIL and ePedagogy approaches. Through international collaboration and active learning strategies, UFABC participants developed digital competences and adapted global practices to local needs, emphasizing inclusion, accessibility, and student-centered methodologies for lasting educational transformation.

Between the human and the artificial: towards a digital teaching approach based on the generative dialectic of AI

This article explores AI-assisted digital teaching through the lens of digital dialectics. It highlights how human-AI interaction can foster critical thinking, argumentation, and knowledge construction, while warning against cognitive sedentarism. Emphasizing ethical use, it presents AI as a human extension that should support—not replace—deep, reflective learning.

Building and Empowering Professional Learning Communities in Higher Education: case Embrace

This article examines how the EMBRACE project builds professional learning communities in higher education, fostering collaboration, digital pedagogy, and institutional transformation. It highlights achievements, challenges, and strategies to strengthen teacher development, innovation, and sustainable partnerships between academia and society.

Transforming Learning: Designing Cognitive Activities through Bloom’s Taxonomy and Technology Tools

The article explores how the design of cognitive activities based on Bloom’s Taxonomy, combined with technological tools, transforms learning. It sets clear and measurable objectives at each cognitive level, from basic comprehension to critical evaluation, encouraging dynamic learning aligned with desired competencies.

Launch of the Embrace MOOC trilogy

The EMBRACE project, led by HAMK (Finland) with partners from Brazil, Colombia, and Portugal, launched a trilogy of MOOCs to train educators in digital and pedagogical skills, based on the ADDIEM model and DigCompEdu framework. The courses are available in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Teachers’ Digital Competency Development

Collaborative book outlining digital competency frameworks, policies, and institutional practices to support higher education teachers’ digital pedagogy in Latin America.

The relevance of competency-based training, what does it consist of?

Competency-based training is based on identifying these key skills and designing educational programs that help students acquire them and apply them in practical situations.

Instituto Federal do São Paulo (IFSP)

IFSP is a multi campuses pluri-curricula higher and professional education institution.

A girl is studing with a robot. Picture generated with AI

Academic tutoring for university students from artificial intelligence (chatbot)

The power of artificial intelligence in academic tutoring of university students offers a new worldview of the educational scenario from learning to learn, which allows consolidation of educational activities based on the strategic use of ICT.

Instructional Design Research in the Brazilian Context: Contributions of Qualitative Principles

The present essay proposes a reflection on the contributions of qualitative principles in research to be developed in the field of Instructional Design, aiming to contribute to the proposition of new methodological approaches.

EMBRACE managers

Felipe Baena, Sectional Rector at Areandina, and André Romero da Silva, Dean of Research and Graduate Studies at IFES, share their perspectives on the Embrace Project.

Häme University of Applied Sciences, the project leader.

At HAMK, studying is a team effort – both with other students and with partners. As a student, you’ll get to solve real-life problems right from the start of your studies.

Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC)

UFABC is a Brazilian federal public institution of higher learning based in Santo André and São Bernardo do Campo, municipalities belonging to the ABC region, both in the state of São Paulo.

EMBRACE: Cultivating Learning Ecosystems for Thriving Communities and Economic Growth

The digitalization of work demands stronger ties between universities and industries, emphasizing collaboration, transversal skills, and innovative ecosystems to prepare students for the evolving future of work.

Development and pilot offer of MOOCs in the EMBRACE project: the multiplicity of knowledge from the perspective of the UFABC team.

The development of three MOOCs by teams of experts and IDs followed a collaborative, competency-based approach, promoting pedagogical innovation. Despite cultural and linguistic challenges, courses were successfully offered in three languages on digital and pedagogical skills, aligned with the EMBRACE project’s objectives.

Rethinking Higher Education Innovation Ecosystems in Latin America and Europe -Lessons from the EMBRACE Project –

This report presents the design and implementation of strategies to strengthen digital competencies and institutional innovation within the EMBRACE project. It highlights collaborative approaches, capacity building, and systemic transformation across partner institutions, fostering sustainable digital education and enhancing academic and professional practices.

Faculty Development and Training for Global Digital Learning Initiatives

The fast evolution of digital technologies is transforming higher education, highlighting the need for ongoing professional development in global digital learning. Faculty must be trained in digital pedagogy, cross-cultural collaboration, and emerging technologies to create engaging, inclusive, and flexible online learning experiences across international contexts.

From the Traditional Classroom to the Digital Space: The Need for Digital Competences in Teaching for Learning

The enhancement of teaching and learning activities is a central objective in contemporary education, especially in the context of the digitisation of information. In this context, digital teaching strategies promote a learner-centred process when properly managed and thought through by significantly enhancing the learning process.

What are MOOCs?

According to George Siemens, MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are online courses that provide learning on a large scale, allowing mass participation and free access to high-quality materials, without the need for prerequisites for participation.

EMBRACE, the Podcast

EMBRACE is an international podcast about innovation and digital transformation in higher education, analyzing the impact of technology, artificial intelligence, and global cooperation on the modernization of teaching and the development of 21st-century skills.

Instituto Politécnico De Bragança

The IPB is a public institution of higher education, committed to providing quality training and promoting research and extension activities with an impact on the economic, social and cultural environment.

The detected short-term impact of the EMBRACE project

The EMBRACE project demonstrates significant impact in digital transformation, teacher competence development, and institutional collaboration. Using a mixed-methods evaluation, it reveals systemic change across partner institutions, strengthening governance, learning ecosystems, and international cooperation, while generating measurable socio-institutional value and fostering sustainable innovation in higher education.

Instituto Federal del Espírito Santo (IFES)

With more than four thousand students, preparing for the job market is just one of the institution’s functions.

Per(courses) of researchers in teacher training: possibilities and challenges for institutional transformation in education and technologies

Thus, the following sections present actions coordinated by the researchers, such as training courses, workshops and events, which culminated in the approval of the international research project Erasmus Capacity Building Higher Education “EMBRACE – Education Modernization Brazil, Colombia, Europe – the new era of digital higher education cooperation, valid from 2023 to 2026, in which, in addition to UFABC, other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) from Brazil, Finland, Portugal and Colombia participate.

Between Northern Lights and Digital Clicks: Why Teaching Is Also About Continuing to Learn (V.8, N.7, P.8, 2025)

The article highlights the importance of continuous teacher training, using Finland and the international EMBRACE project as examples. The initiative promotes inclusive and collaborative learning ecosystems in Brazil, Colombia, and Europe, fostering teacher development through technology, internationalization, and co-creation tailored to diverse contexts.

At the top of the picture, the header has a navy blue image cut by light blue bundles of lines and dots. In the left-hand corner of the image is written Open courses - Federal Institute of Espírito Santo and the menu for accessing the options: Home, Courses Search and Embrace. At the bottom of the picture, the three available EMBRACE MOOC courses are shown side by side: 1. DIGIPEDA - Digital and Pedagogical Skills; 2. Active Pedagogies Using Digital Tools; and 3. World of Work: Digital Skills and Innovation.

Provision of MOOCs in the EMBRACE project: UFABC team tutors’ perspective on MOOC 1.

The EMBRACE project MOOCs involved UFABC teacher tutors who evaluated and improved content to ensure academic quality. They praised the variety of materials and digital tools but noted challenges in language integration, assessments, and Moodle navigation. Their feedback will help refine future editions.

Techno-Pedagogical Report on the use of Artificial Intelligence tools at the University

The emergence of Artificial Intelligence based on usage models, such as the recognition and generation of texts, contexts and images based on simple questions.

Digital transformation in higher education: UFABC towards the development of a learning ecosystem

The project, entitled EMBRACE: “Education Modernization Brazil, Colombia, Europe – the new era of digital higher education cooperation”, was approved under the ERASMUS-EDU-2022-CBHE call, Development of Competences in the Field of Higher Education, Axis 2: Partnerships for Transformation in Higher Education.

Empowering Educators: Transforming Teaching through the EMBRACE Professional Development Program

The EMBRACE Professional Development Program enhances digital and pedagogical skills of higher education teachers in Brazil and Colombia, addressing gaps exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative promotes teacher training, inclusive digital learning, and collaboration with the European DigCompEdu framework. Initial feedback highlights the program’s rich content, accessibility challenges, and its potential for transformative educational change.

Dynamic Tests for Assertive Formative Assessment

This paper explores the use of generative artificial intelligences to create dynamic tests in formative assessments. Through personalized quizzes, immediate feedback is facilitated, allowing the teacher to adjust his or her teaching in real time. This innovative methodology improves students’ understanding, catering to their individual needs and fostering deeper and more meaningful learning.

Higher Education Innovation Ecosystem LatinAmerica and Europe: Self Assessment and Development Plans

This study examines how higher education institutions in Latin America and Europe assess and develop innovation ecosystems through participatory self-assessment. Findings reveal shared challenges, contextual differences, and strategic priorities, highlighting universities’ evolving role as key drivers of collaboration, inclusion, and sustainable innovation in complex educational and societal environments.

Tutor Training of the Embrace Project at Ifes

Between May and December 2024, Ifes implemented tutor training under the Embrace Project, enhancing teachers’ digital and pedagogical skills through MOOCs. The initiative fostered educational innovation and workplace alignment, empowering educators as multipliers of modern teaching practices across campuses, with strong participant engagement and promising long-term impact.

Rethinking Higher Education Innovation Ecosystems in Latin America and Europe -Lessons from the EMBRACE Project –

D4.2 Series of workshops to support ecosystem development in partner institutions

Higher Education Innovation Ecosystem LatinAmerica and Europe: Self Assessment and Development Plans

Main Articles

Rethinking Higher Education Innovation Ecosystems in Latin America and Europe -Lessons from the EMBRACE Project –

D4.2 Series of workshops to support ecosystem development in partner institutions

Higher Education Innovation Ecosystem LatinAmerica and Europe: Self Assessment and Development Plans

Other Articles

EMBRACE UFABC team’s continuing teacher training experience

Between the human and the artificial: towards a digital teaching approach based on the generative dialectic of AI

Building and Empowering Professional Learning Communities in Higher Education: case Embrace

Transforming Learning: Designing Cognitive Activities through Bloom’s Taxonomy and Technology Tools

Launch of the Embrace MOOC trilogy

Teachers’ Digital Competency Development

The relevance of competency-based training, what does it consist of?

Instituto Federal do São Paulo (IFSP)

Academic tutoring for university students from artificial intelligence (chatbot)

Instructional Design Research in the Brazilian Context: Contributions of Qualitative Principles

EMBRACE managers

Häme University of Applied Sciences, the project leader.

Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC)

EMBRACE: Cultivating Learning Ecosystems for Thriving Communities and Economic Growth

Development and pilot offer of MOOCs in the EMBRACE project: the multiplicity of knowledge from the perspective of the UFABC team.

Rethinking Higher Education Innovation Ecosystems in Latin America and Europe -Lessons from the EMBRACE Project –

Faculty Development and Training for Global Digital Learning Initiatives

From the Traditional Classroom to the Digital Space: The Need for Digital Competences in Teaching for Learning

What are MOOCs?

EMBRACE, the Podcast

Instituto Politécnico De Bragança

The detected short-term impact of the EMBRACE project

Instituto Federal del Espírito Santo (IFES)

Per(courses) of researchers in teacher training: possibilities and challenges for institutional transformation in education and technologies

Between Northern Lights and Digital Clicks: Why Teaching Is Also About Continuing to Learn (V.8, N.7, P.8, 2025)

Provision of MOOCs in the EMBRACE project: UFABC team tutors’ perspective on MOOC 1.

Techno-Pedagogical Report on the use of Artificial Intelligence tools at the University

Digital transformation in higher education: UFABC towards the development of a learning ecosystem

Empowering Educators: Transforming Teaching through the EMBRACE Professional Development Program

Dynamic Tests for Assertive Formative Assessment

Higher Education Innovation Ecosystem LatinAmerica and Europe: Self Assessment and Development Plans

Tutor Training of the Embrace Project at Ifes