Abstract:

The Technical University of Madrid (UPM), as a European project leader university, has developed a series of international actions to address the new challenges appearing in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) through the internationalization processes in higher education, society and economy. Five Erasmus actions have been developed in the last years: European Islands Continue Education on Resources Efficiency Virtual Gateway (VIREG), MSc Programme in Environmental Security (SEMP), Green Technology European Virtual Gateway (VITEG), MSc Programme in Management of Ecological and Sustainable Tourism (MEST) and MSc Programme in Climate Change and Restoration of Degraded Land (RECLAND). Most of these actions were supported under the framework of the Multilateral projects focused on innovation and the exchange of good practices in the environment. The awarded funding were provided by the European programme of Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency.
The common aim of these projects were to develop and implement study programmes in order to assure strategies to modernise specific aspects of higher education in the European area. These actions should improve and protect the environmental quality of life in a sustainable and equitable manner, while adapting to changing climate in the short term and contributing to the mitigation of climate change in the future. To our understanding, the results inspired in the establishment of the Bologna agreement have promoted the cooperation between higher education institutions and other education-related enterprises. They have improved the social dimension of higher education in the 21th century, addressing mobility strategies throughout Europe and applying the knowledge triangle (education, research and innovation). Further improvements on education, research and innovation are desirable in higher education policy in order to face the challenges of globalisation and to foster knowledge and innovation throughout Europe in a local and global climate change scenario.

Keywords:

Climate Action, environmental challenges.