Workshops – Chain5

Workshops CHAIN5 Maia, Porto 2025

Version: October 1, 2025

Rui Costa, Portugal:
Problem/Problem -Based Learning (PBL): Learning Outcomes in level 5
After this session:

You will be able to identify PBL’s potential in your current teaching.
You will learn practical tips for involving other stakeholders (e.g. companies) in Active Learning Methods.
You will gain ideas and strategies for redesigning or reformulating your teaching to better address the students’ Learning Outcomes.
Through collaborative discussion, you will begin to establish a clear understanding of what it means for a student to be better adapted to real-world needs.

Tine Maes & Lien Pergoot, Belgium:
A basket full of internationalization – good practices for internationalization @home at VIVES
In this workshop, we will discuss the internationalization@home initiatives for our associate degree students at VIVES UAS. We have a system set up where students can pick and choose from an array of activities organized on campus or elsewhere in Belgium in order to ‘fill’ their metaphorical ‘basket’ with internationalization initiatives.

Participants will

Discover various internationalization@home initiatives
Learn about our ‘basket’-based approach
Discuss internationalization@home at their own institutions
Talk about the financial impact of internationalization and the alternatives that internationalisation@home provides

Katarzyna Olszewska, Poland:
From level 4, to level 5, to level 6″ – does it work in Poland? Europe?
Introduction, the situation in Poland, European perspective, Does it work? Recommendations Conclusion
After session participants will:

Understand how Levels 4,5 and 6 are defined within Polish Qualifications Framework (PQF) and the European Qualifications Framework (EQF)
Recognize the main challenges and opportunities related to moving from Level 4 to Level 6, including the underused potential of Level 5 qualifications
Learn from European good practices that improve permeability between vocational and academic pathways
Identify gaps in awareness, policy and employer engagement that limit the effectiveness of these pathways

Henri Ponds, The Netherlands:
Session from working group Quality Assurance and Accreditation.
Within the European Education Area, level 5 consists of Short Cycle Higher Education (SCHE) programmes offered by universities of applied sciences or colleges. SCHE programmes fall under the external quality assurance framework in higher education, which is firmly organized under the guidance of ENQA, applying the European Standards and Guidelines, and implemented as part of the Bologna Declaration of 1999. As a result, the international recognition of the accreditation of SCHE programmes is well established.
The situation is different for programmes of the type Higher Vocational Education and Training (HVET). These are EQF level 5 programmes within vocational education and training (VET). Such programmes generally lack international recognition of their awarded level 5 diploma. The CHAIN5 thematic group is working to strengthen this recognition so that graduates can experience full acceptance of their diploma, whether pursuing further studies abroad or entering the international labour market. To this end, the CHAIN5 thematic group is developing a pilot project with its partners, which will be presented during the workshop. Partners include FIBAA, the ENIC-NARIC centres, and a Slovenian vocational education institution offering HVET programmes.

Sónia Ruão, Portugal:
The challenges of inclusive education.
After a introduction to the concepts of Inclusion and Inclusive Education, participants will reflect in groups on the questions posed. They will spend 10 minutes in each group/table and then rotate to another table with a different group and a different topic. Each table will have a key figure who will summarize what all the groups and participants who passed through that table have said. We summarize the workshop: participants will reflect on the proposals/conclusions presented for each theme with the aim of sharing opinions and practices with a view to promoting more effective inclusive practices.
After this session:

Participants will be able to define inclusive education and explain its importance in creating equal opportunities for all learners, regardless of their backgrounds or abilities.
Awareness of diversity in the classroom: Participants will recognize the various forms of diversity in the classroom, including students with disabilities, cultural differences, gender identities, and different learning needs.
Participants will identify common barriers (physical, attitudinal, pedagogical, and systemic) that hinder the effective implementation of inclusive education.
Reflect on their own practices and commit to continuous improvement in inclusivity.

Nina Spithost, The Netherlands:
Pioneering!
How teachers and education professionals can truly make a difference for pioneer students (first-generation higher education students) or students with a different background or context than UAS might be used to.

Mark van der Gun & Joao Loupatty, The Netherlands:
I’m not a Robot: Automating the Repetitive Tasks with AI.
Educators spend a large share of their time on repetitive tasks: answering emails, explaining the same parts of the syllabus, or drafting feedback. This practical workshop explores how AI can serve as a practical teaching assistant by automating low-value tasks and freeing up time for real teaching or other higher cognitive tasks. We will demonstrate tools such as custom GPTs for course materials, AI-powered email drafting, and agents that support grading workflows, without neglecting the ethics.
Attendees will leave with concrete strategies and practical tool suggestions they can apply immediately in their own teaching. They will also receive a clear, no-nonsense guide to creating their own AI-helper, ready to be implemented in daily educational practice.

Terje Kolderup, Norway:
From Problem Tree to Impact: Using IMM to Address Exclusion and Develop IT Talent
Lessons from GET Academy’s approach to combining social entrepreneurship, vocational education and structured impact measurement.
After this session, participants will know more about how to:

Use problem-tree analysis to clarify which root causes of exclusion an institution can influence.
Apply IMM (Impact Measurement and Management) as a practical tool for steering towards social outcomes.
Combine vocational training with personal development and transversal skills.
Transfer lessons from GET Academy to their own context, whether in education, social impact, or labour market alignment.

Anja Johanson & Elin Dalin, Norway:
ECTS, VET and level 5, 6 and 7 in Norway

Rens Rietveld, The Netherlands:
Impactmakership in Level 5 education’
During this workshop Rens wants to present the guidebook ‘Impactmakership in Level 5 education’ and encourage participants to implement “Impactmakership’ in educational programs in order to evolve towards impactful, futureproof, sustainable and inspirational level 5 educational programs.
After the session you will be inspired to:

Convert gained knowledge and experiences on impactful education into your own educational program(s).
Implement best practices in your educational programs in order to ignite futureproof ideas and solutions amongst our students.
Start building an international value driven alliance for impactful level 5 education.
Make impact!

Lindy Prins, Philip van den Berg & Merel Eilander, The Netherlands:
Boosting Student Success at Level 5: Connection, Participation, and Progression
How can Associate degree programmes strengthen student success without losing their unique DNA — while embracing the richness and diversity of the Ad student population? In this interactive workshop, we share how extending our onboarding from two to six weeks has significantly reduced dropout rates and increased student engagement. Participants will explore the balance between structure and flexibility and design their own six-week onboarding journey. Together, we will reflect on which elements truly foster connection, ownership, and long-term success for level 5 students, and learn from each other about other ways to enhance student success in Associate degree programmes.

Jannes Peeters, Ward De Ridder & Vaya Willemen, Belgium:
Responsible AI Use in Level 5 Education: Building Critical and Language-Aware Competencies.
This workshop aims to create an international platform for dialogue and collaboration among institutions offering Level 5 education. Together, we will explore practical strategies, pedagogical models, and best practices for teaching responsible AI use to a diverse and often vulnerable student population.

Frederiek Berthier and Joachim François, Belgium:
How AI can support learning
In this session, we will share practical examples from our classes — illustrating how AI can support learning throughout the semester and how we approach communication around assessments.
From there, we’ll broaden the discussion: participants from any field are invited to contribute their perspectives, share classroom experiences, and explore together how AI can enrich teaching and learning in higher education.
Through panel conversations, we will collectively map strategies, challenges, and opportunities for integrating AI in a way that fits different contexts and subject areas.
By the end of this session, participants will:

Gain insights into concrete ways AI can be integrated into associate degree programmes.
Reflect on examples as a springboard for adaptation in their own disciplines.
Identify strategies for addressing communication and transparency around AI in assessments.
Contribute to a shared set of practices, challenges, and opportunities gathered from an international panel of lecturers.

The session aims to leave participants with both inspiration and practical ideas they can take back to their classrooms, regardless of subject area.

Anja Vanroose & Koen Vandenberghe, Belgium:
The use of rubrics in the evaluation of workplace learning
How can rubrics make workplace learning more transparent and support student growth? In this interactive workshop, we share our practical approach to using rubrics for assessment at level 5, ensuring clear learning outcomes and fostering student development from evaluation towards growth.
By the end of this session, participants will:

Learn how to use rubrics as a tool for transparent assessment and as a lever for students’ professional growth
Take away inspiration to apply rubrics more widely within their own associate degree programs

Amber Dewil, Belgium:
How to incorporate different forms of workplace learning in your programme – Inspiration from a marketing & communication programme in Flanders
At Odisee University College in Flanders, the Associate Degree in Marketing & Communication Support integrates various forms of workplace learning throughout the programme. This gradual approach helps assess students’ readiness and motivation to enter the workforce while managing a large student cohort. In this workshop, participants will explore how to implement and adapt these strategies within their own educational contexts.
By the end of this session, participants will:

Gain insight into Associate Degrees and workplace learning in Flanders
Learn how the phased approach at Odisee assesses student readiness for the labour market
Exchange ideas and explore practical ways to integrate diverse forms of workplace learning in their own programmes.

Suzanne Duff & Eline de Becker, Belgium:
From Student to Professional: Turning Learning into Practice
What transforms a student into a confident young professional? In this workshop, we will explore how mentoring, teamwork, and industry connections guide students in developing their professional identity. We’ll share how different programme levels support this transformation and how educators can integrate these elements into their own teaching and mentoring practices.
By the end of this session, participants will:

Reflect on how mentoring, teamwork, and industry connections contribute to students’ growth into confident young professionals
Identify strategies and examples that foster professional identity at different program levels
Co-create practical ideas they can apply in their own teaching or mentoring practice

Stéphanie Pattyn, Belgium:
Reflective Learning as a Lever for Growth
Reflection is often a challenge for students—but it can become a powerful driver of personal and professional growth when structured effectively. In this workshop, participants will discover how Thomas More University implemented a phased reflective learning approach using Korthagen’s onion model. This model gives students the language and tools to analyse real experiences, understand their own actions and motivations, and use feedback constructively. Supported by authentic student voices, the session demonstrates how structured reflection helps learners develop self-awareness, resilience, and a growth mindset.
By the end of this session, participants will:

Learn how to design a step-by-step reflective learning approach that evolves with students’ readiness
Understand how to apply Korthagen’s onion model as a framework for deep reflection
Explore strategies for embedding reflection into the curriculum as a developmental tool, not just an assessment
Discover how to foster a growth mindset and help students see reflection as an opportunity for improvement
Gain inspiration from student testimonials illustrating the transformation from resistance to engagement