What kind of environment do students need to study successfully in a digital and international context?
To explore this question, students from the eight universities of the European Digital UniverCity (EDUC) will collaborate in the EDUC Think Lab – Virtual Campus during the 2025/2026 academic year.
The Think Lab was created to actively involve the largest group of stakeholders at our universities – the students – in shaping the development of the EDUC Virtual Campus.
In this unique format, students develop specific ideas and practical components they would like to see as part of their virtual campus, and present them to a panel of European experts.
Throughout the process, they are mentored and supported by staff from the eight partner universities within the EDUC Alliance.
Two places in the Think Lab are reserved for students from the University of South-Eastern Norway offering them the opportunity to help shape the future of their virtual campus. To enable the selected students to invest time and energy in the Think Lab, they will be employed by the EDUC project and receive the standard pay rate for student assistants (code 1429), with salary grade 26 for bachelor’s students and grade 30 for master’s students.
Travel expenses will be covered.
How?
The Think Lab is a one-of-a-kind European initiative where students and staff from eight universities work together on the digitalisation of their European university alliance. The collaboration is based on mutual respect for the diverse perspectives and expertise of all participants.
The Think Lab has 16 places – two per EDUC university. Selected students will receive a scholarship, employment contract, or internship agreement, depending on the policies of their home institution, to enable their participation.
The active collaboration takes place over eight months. The Think Lab meets in person for three workshops in November 2025, March 2026, and June 2026 at EDUC partner universities, with regular online collaboration in between.
Students work in thematic groups on one or more components of the virtual campus, with clearly defined objectives. • Participants will be in regular contact with EDUC experts and receive continuous guidance.
Students will present their interim and final outcomes relating to the digital campus to the EDUC Steering Committee in summer 2026.
Participation in the Think Lab requires an average minimum commitment of two hours per week, which can be organised flexibly within the team.
Why?
What Are the Benefits of Taking Part? In addition to receiving payment as a USN student assistant, students benefit from hands-on, interdisciplinary collaboration in an international team of fellow students and staff.
Who?
Building and developing our virtual campus requires a broad range of perspectives and expertise – from programming skills and user experience design to community management. Some of the key questions include: What are the essential elements of a virtual campus? How can we create a space for learning and exchange?
The EDUC Think Lab was designed especially with students in Computer Science, IT Systems Engineering, Data Science, Business Informatics, Media Studies, and related fields in mind. However, we explicitly encourage applications from students of all disciplines
Questions?
Please contact: educ@usn.no
How to apply:
Simply send your application and short CV to educ@usn.no
- snarest
- Oppstart: November 2025
