From 11 to 15 May 2026, the University of Rijeka (UNIRI), together with Matej Bel University (UMB), conducted a Training of Trainers (ToT) programme for ENHANCE-GSL partners from Georgia and Sierra Leone in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.
The five-day programme aimed to prepare participants to independently design, facilitate and evaluate training programmes on Community Engagement (CE) and Community-Engaged Teaching & Learning (CETL) in higher education. Particular attention was given to strengthening the pedagogical and facilitation competencies needed not only to implement these approaches in participants’ own institutional contexts, but also to support and train other university staff.
Participants from the University of Georgia, Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University, the University of Makeni and the FBC of the University of Sierra Leone engaged in interactive training sessions, micro-teaching activities, peer learning and discussions with trainers. The programme was complemented by visits to local community organisations and educational centres, providing opportunities to connect the concepts discussed during the training with concrete examples of community-based practice.
Delivered by professors and trainers from Matej Bel University (Alžbeta Brozmanová Gregorová and Zuzana Heinzová) and the University of Rijeka (Bojana Ćulum Ilić), the programme created a dynamic space for professional learning, exchange of knowledge and experience, networking and intercultural dialogue. By strengthening the capacity of partner institutions to further disseminate and embed community-engaged approaches, the Training of Trainers contributed to the longer-term sustainability of the ENHANCE-GSL project.