The goal of the project is to strengthen the resilience of communities in the regions of Palestine and Ukraine that have been significantly affected by war. Armed conflicts in these countries have severely undermined the functioning of higher education systems, disrupting their continuity and stability and putting compliance with minimum quality standards at risk.
Universities operate under conditions of damaged infrastructure, limited access to material and digital resources, and insufficient opportunities for practical student training. These challenges intersect with a broader range of critical societal issues related to urban resilience, including water resource management, energy sustainability, housing provision, food security, and gender equality. The situation is further complicated by a lack of skills in collecting, analysing, managing, and sharing field data, which are essential for developing evidence-based solutions to support community resilience.
A needs assessment has highlighted the necessity for updated curricula, practically oriented thematic research, and the implementation of FAIR data management principles to address urban resilience challenges in the areas of energy, housing, food security, water resources, and gender equality. Cooperation with European Union universities and other partners through joint educational programs, mentorship, and institutional capacity building will enhance the ability of war-affected universities to develop recovery strategies and effectively support local communities. Such collaboration simultaneously strengthens the role of higher education in responding to urgent societal challenges and demonstrates the EU’s commitment to education and peacebuilding.
In response to these pressing needs, the FORWARD project will develop an interdisciplinary online program on urban resilience. It will target students and faculty of relevant academic disciplines (including urban planning, disaster risk management, engineering, and information technologies), as well as professionals from non-academic institutions and civil society organisations working in this field. The program will combine academic rigor with practical orientation, making knowledge accessible and applicable to support the sustainable development of communities in affected regions.