GREAT Programme

Global Recognition for Employee Achievement and Training

The ENHANCE GREAT Programme supports university staff in developing skills and perspectives that contribute to societal transformation through education. It brings together online learning, in‑person activities and international mobility across the ENHANCE Alliance. GREAT is open to academic and non‑academic staff from all ENHANCE partner institutions and is particularly committed to including colleagues with fewer opportunities and diverse backgrounds.

Building on RWTH Aachen’s Certificate International for Employees (CIE), GREAT adapts this proven model to the international context of the ENHANCE Alliance. It offers short, primarily online training formats that respond directly to staff needs and professional experience.

Participants benefit from:

Professional development integrated into daily work routines
Flexible learning paths tailored to role, experience, and goals
International and transversal skills relevant to modern higher education
Recognised certification and microcredentials
Inclusive and accessible formats for diverse staff backgrounds
Networking with colleagues across the ENHANCE Alliance

The GREAT Programme is open to all academic and non-academic staff across ENHANCE institutions, with particular attention to employees with fewer opportunities, including administrative, international, technical, and maintenance staff, as well as employees from diverse backgrounds.

The Three GREAT Learning Tracks

The GREAT Programme offers three complementary tracks so that each staff member can choose the path that best fits their experience, interests and role.

Starting your international journey
Designed for staff with little or no international experience, the Basic Track focuses on core intercultural competences, language practice, networking, and a first experience with international mobility and collaboration.

The Basic Track offers staff a structured introduction to internationalisation through online sessions, preparatory job shadowing calls, and a three-day in-person Staff Week at our ENHANCE member Gdańsk University of Technology. Participants will gain practical experience, intercultural competence, and expand their professional networks across the ENHANCE Alliance.

Registration for the Spring 2026 Basic Track closed on March 3, 2026. Interested employees should complete the online enrollment form, providing information about their professional experience and areas of interest. Once registered, participants will be paired with a cross-border job shadowing partner to prepare for the programme’s online and in-person activities.

Key Dates & Workload:

Online sessions: 25 February, 4 March, 22 April 2026
Job shadowing video calls: 4 March – 22 April 2026
Staff Week at Gdańsk Tech: 6–8 May 2026
Total workload: 40 hours (5h online, 18h on-site including minimum 6h job shadowing, 17h preparation & reflection)

Deepening expertise and leadership
Designed for staff who already have experience in a particular field (for example teaching innovation, wellbeing, open science, staff mobility or diversity) and who want to deepen their expertise or act as multipliers, this track invites participants to work on advanced thematic topics, engage in peer‑to‑peer learning and connect their work more strongly to institutional and societal impact.

The Advanced Track offers an in‑depth learning experience for staff who are already engaged in a specific thematic area and want to go further. It is particularly suitable for colleagues who:

lead or support projects related to teaching innovation, mobility, wellbeing, open science or staff diversity
have prior experience with international collaboration and wish to expand their role
are interested in acting as peer trainers, mentors or change agents in their institutions.

Participants in the Advanced Track:

follow a series of advanced online sessions in one or more GREAT hubs
take part in an in‑person activity such as the GREAT Staff Week, including thematic workshops, job shadowing and networking
work on reflection or transfer tasks that help them apply what they have learned in their own context.

The Advanced Track supports staff in translating expertise into concrete improvements in their units and in contributing to the long‑term transformation aims of the ENHANCE Alliance.

Personalised development pathway
Designed for experienced staff who want to build an individualised learning journey across several topics and hubs, and with guidance from the GREAT team, participants in the Guided Track select activities that respond to their needs and context, combining online sessions, in‑person events and reflection tasks into a coherent programme.

The Guided Track is built for experienced staff who want a flexible, tailored pathway across different GREAT topics. It is a good option for colleagues who:

have broad responsibilities that touch several areas (e.g. teaching and mobility, wellbeing and diversity, open science and project management)
prefer to combine shorter activities rather than follow one fixed curriculum
appreciate structured guidance while keeping a high degree of choice.

Participants in the Guided Track:

select relevant online sessions from different GREAT hubs (for example Methodological Hub for Teachers, Wellbeing Hub, International Exchange Hub, Open Science Hub, Employee Functional Diversity Hub)
join at least one in‑person activity, such as the GREAT Staff Week or job shadowing at a partner university
receive guidance on shaping their programme and are encouraged to document and reflect on their learning and its impact.

The Guided Track enables staff to connect multiple perspectives, respond to the specific needs of their role and contribute to change in their local environment.

Certification & Recognition

Upon completing a learning track, participants receive a GREAT Certificate with Microcredentials, strengthening their professional profile and supporting institutional development. GREAT represents inclusive, flexible, and high-quality professional development, designed for today’s diverse university staff and tomorrow’s international higher education.

Registration for currently open GREAT Tracks

Thanks to the “ENHANCE PG” project by NAWA (FERS.01.05-IP.08-0219/23), participation is free of charge. Travel and accommodation support may be available through NAWA mobility scholarships or an STT mobility grant. Contact your local Mobility Coordinator for more information.

Contact

Justyna Lubośna
Education Officer
Work Package Co-Lead "Human Dimension"
justyna.lubosna@pg.edu.pl

Current GREAT Offers

Apply now for the ENHANCE GREAT Staff Week 2026

Learn more

Discover more ENHANCE Staff Opportunities

ENHANCE for Staff

ENHANCE offers an diverse selection of opportunities for staff to learn, exchange and expand their professional network across our alliance and beyond. We offer staff members the possibility to leave their working place and explore Europe across our ten member universities.