Fostering Inclusive Learning Environments:
Strategies for Supporting Parenting Students in Higher Education
Tender ID: 2023-1-HU01-KA220-HED-000156058

The main aim of the project is to reduce the barriers for students with children in higher education institutions. The project, implemented in partnership, will create an inclusive approach for universities to integrate this target group into higher education activities. The partnership will make the development of family-friendly higher education systems a top priority, with a particular focus on increasing access, participation and completion rates for disadvantaged students.

Through the comprehensive resources and their use that will be generated as a result of the project, the partnership aims to implement inclusive, family-friendly curricula and practices in the participating higher education institutions. The diverse range of knowledge, experience and ideas of the international consortium will be combined and analysed from multiple perspectives, linking them together in a commitment to the European Education Area.

The project is a strong advocate of European strategies such as the European Education Area, the European Higher Education Area and the European University Strategy, as well as the European Strategy for Gender Equality and the European Care Strategy. It strengthens the capacities of European and Ukrainian organisations, while producing high quality and effective intellectual outputs for inclusiveness.

The project will include a comprehensive focus group research activity within the institutional framework of the partner organisations. Two research papers will explore the challenges that families face in university life and the skills that teachers need to respond to these challenges. The research findings will be used to produce a toolkit – a document that will provide guidance and methodological tools for teachers to support students with families in higher education institutions. The document will focus on specific skills needed to create an inclusive learning environment, such as communication, empathy and compassion, resilience and adaptability, technology and collaboration skills.

The progress and effectiveness of the outlined – planned reforms will be monitored and evaluated in the context of the higher education institutions participating in the project, using a set of monitoring and evaluation templates. A roadmap of key milestones will then be developed to ensure the transferability of results and the sustainability of the project.

Project duration: 30 months
2023.09.01-2026.02.28

The first study tour of the project took place in Budapest, organised by the Károli Gáspár Reformed University. In the framework of the international meeting, representatives of the participating higher education institutions and the coordinating organisation reviewed the current situation of the programme, discussed and shared experiences gained from previous activities and agreed on the tasks and events to be carried out in the near future.

The document has been developed on the basis of information gathered during focus group interviews with higher education students with families and children. This toolkit will help the institution, and in particular the lecturers, to understand and effectively support students with children and to create a more flexible and inclusive educational environment for them.

The second study visit of the project took place in Komárom, organised by the Selye János University. In the framework of the international meeting, representatives of the higher education institutions participating in the programme and the coordinating organisation reviewed the current situation of the programme, discussed and shared experiences gained from previous activities and agreed on the tasks and events to be carried out in the near future.

“Parents in the classroom – How can we support students with children in higher education?” – Webinar presentation
January 30, 2025

As part of the webinar, we will present our Erasmus+ project 2023-1-HU01-KA220-HED-000156058 “Supporting inclusive learning environments – strategies for supporting students with children in higher education,” which is being implemented with the support of the European Union as a major higher education project under the Erasmus+ program.

Partners:

• Károli Gáspár Reformed University
• Komáromi Selye János University
• II. Rákóczi Ferenc Carpathian Hungarian College
• Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania

Webinar program

Research results – Bálint Duráczky, research leader

“Family-friendly approaches in Europe and Hungary – best practices from local governments, companies and higher education” – Kinga Joó, Vice President, European Large Families Confederation (ELFAC)

The role of NOE in higher education – Gábor Herbert, President, National Association of Large Families (NOE)

About the project

The main objective of the project is to reduce the barriers faced by students with children in higher education institutions. The partnership project creates an inclusive approach for universities that enables the integration of the target group into higher education activities. Within the framework of the program, the partnership considers the development of family-friendly higher education systems to be its top priority, with a particular focus on increasing the access, participation, and completion rates of disadvantaged students.

With the comprehensive resources created as a result of the project and their use, the partnership aims to implement inclusive, family-friendly curricula and practices in the participating higher education institutions.

Comprehensive focus group research will be carried out within the institutional framework of the partner organizations. Two research documents will explore the challenges families face in university life and the skills teachers need to respond to these challenges. Based on the research results, a toolkit will be compiled to provide guidance and methodological tools for teachers to support students with families in higher education institutions.

Although there has been some delay compared to the original plan, the research activities, which began in February-March 2024, are now proceeding according to the original schedule for the fall of 2024. As a result of the focus group research activities, a toolkit was completed by September 2024, based on information gathered during focus group interviews with higher education students with families and children, with the aim of helping institutions, and educators in particular, to understand and effectively support students raising children, thereby contributing to the creation of more flexible and inclusive higher education environments.

“Parents in the classroom – How can we support students with children in higher education?” – Webinar presentation
June 12, 2025

As part of the webinar, we will present our Erasmus+ project 2023-1-HU01-KA220-HED-000156058 “Supporting inclusive learning environments – strategies for supporting students with children in higher education,” which is being implemented with the support of the European Union as a major higher education project under the Erasmus+ program.

Partners:

• Károli Gáspár Reformed University
• Komáromi Selye János University
• II. Rákóczi Ferenc Carpathian Hungarian College
• Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania

Webinar program

Information about the project – presentation of the project elements to date and the project tasks planned for the second half of 2025 – Örs Levente Kovács, project coordinator NOE

Results of the research carried out within the framework of the project – Bálint Duráczky, research leader

About the project

The main objective of the project is to reduce the barriers affecting students with children in higher education institutions. The project, implemented within the framework of a partnership, creates an inclusive approach for universities that enables the integration of the target group into higher education activities. Within the framework of the program, the partnership considers the development of family-friendly higher education systems to be its top priority, with a particular focus on increasing the access, participation, and completion rates of disadvantaged students.

With the comprehensive resources created as a result of the project and their use, the partnership aims to implement inclusive, family-friendly curricula and practices in the participating higher education institutions.

Comprehensive focus group research will be carried out within the institutional framework of the partner organizations. Two research documents will explore the challenges families face in university life and the skills teachers need to respond to these challenges. Based on the research results, a toolkit will be compiled to provide guidance and methodological tools for teachers to support students with families in higher education institutions.

Presentation of current program elements/Research summary

In addition to presenting the events that took place during the six-month project period, the briefing also provided a brief overview of the research activities that are a central element of the program, with particular emphasis on the fact that the institutional testing phase of the previously completed toolkit is nearing completion. During the predominantly qualitative data collection, student opinions and feedback from teachers and institutions were and are being channelled to the partner institutions with a deadline of the end of May 2025. Selected teachers (7 at Károli Gáspár University and 5 at the other partner institutions) are keeping test logs of the testing activities. These documents will be used to compile a set of recommendations, which will be compiled and finalized in a broad interpretative context, applying the perspective of students with families, in a toolkit document that is considered one of the main objectives of the project. Following the testing period, interviews with teachers will be conducted, and the experiences and results of the test logs will be used in this research phase.

With the comprehensive resources created as a result of the project and their use, the partnership aims to implement inclusive, family-friendly curricula and practices in the higher education institutions involved in the project. Comprehensive focus group research was carried out within the institutional frameworks of the partner organizations as part of the project. Two research documents explored the challenges families face in university life and the skills teachers need to respond to these challenges. Based on the research results and testing by partner institutions, a toolkit document was compiled that provides guidance and methodological tools for teachers to support students with families in higher education institutions. The document focuses on specific skills needed to create an inclusive learning environment, such as communication, empathy and compassion, flexibility and adaptability, technological and collaborative skills.

“Parents in the classroom – How can we support students with children in higher education?” – Webinar presentation
October 28, 2025

As part of the webinar, we will present our Erasmus+ project 2023-1-HU01-KA220-HED-000156058 “Supporting inclusive learning environments – strategies for supporting students with children in higher education,” which is being implemented with the support of the European Union as a major higher education project under the Erasmus+ program.

Partners:

• Károli Gáspár Reformed University
• Komáromi Selye János University
• II. Rákóczi Ferenc Carpathian Hungarian College
• Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania

Webinar program

Information about the project – presentation of the project elements to date and the project tasks due at the end of 2025 – beginning of 2026 – Örs Levente Kovács, project coordinator

Results of the research carried out as part of the project – Presentation of the document entitled “Toolkit for higher education institutions for dealing with situations arising in the case of students with children and families” – Bálint Duráczky, research leader

About the project

The main objective of the project is to reduce the barriers faced by students with children in higher education institutions. The project, implemented within the framework of a partnership, creates an inclusive approach for universities that enables the integration of the target group into higher education activities. Within the framework of the program, the partnership considers the development of family-friendly higher education systems to be its top priority, with a particular focus on increasing the access, participation, and completion rates of disadvantaged students.

With the comprehensive resources created as a result of the project and their use, the partnership aims to implement inclusive, family-friendly curricula and practices in the participating higher education institutions.

Comprehensive focus group research will be carried out within the institutional framework of the partner organizations. Two research documents will explore the challenges families face in university life and the skills teachers need to respond to these challenges. Based on the research results, a toolkit will be compiled to provide guidance and methodological tools for teachers to support students with families in higher education institutions.

Presentation of current program elements/Research summary

The presentations provided interested parties with information on the current status of the project and future tasks and events. A separate presentation was given on the completed Toolkit document, which is one of the final results of the research activity carried out within the framework of the project and one of the most important objectives of the project. Within the framework of the project, in connection with the completed document and the research program coming to a close, the partnership is paying special attention to involving external stakeholder institutions and channeling their opinions and comments, focusing on the applicability and adaptability of the strategies summarized in the Toolkit document.

Those interested were also able to learn about the planned program for the closing conference in Budapest on January 30, 2026.

The one-day conference will begin with a protocol-style session attended by domestic and foreign guests. A significant part of the conference presentations will showcase the implementation of the project. The planned roundtable discussion will include foreign participants representing European organizations of family organizations and large families, as well as organizations representing students from European higher education institutions. The event is part of a series of communication and dissemination activities (planned between December 1, 2025, and January 30, 2026) aimed at promoting the results of the project and providing as much information as possible about the implementation of the project and the results achieved.

We concluded the Erasmus+ project coordinated by NOE with a meaningful and inspiring day at the closing conference held on January 30 at the Pasaréti Community Center. Domestic and international experts, higher education stakeholders, and civil society partners shared their experiences regarding the project’s tangible outcomes—which began in 2023—as well as the practical tools designed to support instructors and students with families. Given the significant international interest, we also announced the event as an online webinar.

The conference was opened by Levente Kovács Örs, the project coordinator, with welcoming remarks by Gábor Herbert, president of NOE, Dr. Veronika Varga-Bajusz, state secretary for higher education, vocational and adult education, and youth, and Radek Waszkiewicz, president of ELFAC. They all emphasized that strengthening a family-friendly approach in higher education is not only in the interest of society, but also a long-term investment.

Örs Levente Kovács presented the results of the project, explaining in detail how the research revealed the obstacles faced by students with families. The challenges faced by students raising children were discussed, as well as solutions that could help them in their studies.

During an international roundtable discussion, Raul Sanchez, Secretary General of the European Network of Family-Friendly Cities, Irina Granzulea, President of the Romanian Association of Large Families, and Kristóf Dallman, Secretary of the PPKE Student Service Center, on behalf of HÖOK, shared their experiences and discussed the future of inclusive higher education. The details of the research and the best practices developed were presented by research leader Bálint Duráczky.

The research results of the two-year project were also published separately in the form of a study volume. The volume entitled “Between Diploma and Cradle – Students Raising Children in Higher Education” was presented to the participants by researchers from Károli Gáspár Reformed University. The program concluded with reports from partner institutions.

The professional day was accompanied by a good atmosphere, openness, and active dialogue. The closing conference confirmed that family-friendly higher education is not only necessary but also feasible. The results of the project can contribute in the long term to a more flexible and inclusive environment for both students and teachers.

“Parents in the classroom – How can we support students with children in higher education?”

Presentation of the program for the project closing conference on January 30, 2026 – Webinar presentation

February 17, 2026, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

As part of the webinar, we will present our Erasmus+ project 2023-1-HU01-KA220-HED-000156058 “Supporting inclusive learning environments – strategies for supporting students with children and families in higher education,” which was implemented with the support of the European Union as a major higher education project under the Erasmus+ program.

Partners: HÖOK Public Benefit Non-Profit Ltd.

Károli Gáspár Reformed University

Komáromi Selye János University

II. Rákóczi Ferenc Carpathian Hungarian College

Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania

Webinar program

Brief overview of the project’s implementation and results achieved – Örs Levente Kovács, project coordinator, National Association of Large Families

Results of the research carried out within the framework of the project – Presentation of the document entitled “Toolkit for higher education institutions for dealing with situations arising in the case of students with children” – Bálint Duráczky, research leader, HÖOK Közhasznú Nonprofit Kft.

Presentation of the activities of the Tempus Public Foundation in relation to Erasmus+ programs – Richárd Bodrogi, Director General, Tempus Public Foundation

International outlook – comments from representatives of European level family organizations and organizations representing students – moderator: Kinga Joó, National Association of Large Families

About the project

In the fall of 2023, the National Association of Large Families launched its Erasmus+ higher education project, “Supporting inclusive learning environments: higher education strategies for supporting students with families and children” (project ID: 2023-1-HU01-KA220-HED-000156058), in partnership with Károli Gáspár Reformed University and Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania. in partnership with Károli Gáspár Reformed University, Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, Selye János University in Komárom, and II. Rákóczi Ferenc Carpathian Hungarian College (now a university), as well as HÖOK Közhasznú Nonprofit Kft., which joined the project later.

The main goal of the project, which will be completed on February 28, 2026, is to reduce the barriers affecting students with children in higher education institutions. The project, implemented within the framework of the partnership, creates an inclusive approach for universities that enables the integration of the aforementioned target group into higher education activities.

Within the framework of the project, the partnership considers the development of family-friendly higher education systems to be a top priority, with a particular focus on increasing the access, participation, and completion rates of disadvantaged students, as well as measures to reduce dropout rates. Using the results of the project, the partnership aims to implement inclusive, family-friendly curricula and practices in the higher education institutions involved in the project.

Between March 2024 and September 2025, comprehensive focus group research was carried out within the institutional frameworks of the partner organizations. Two research documents explored the challenges families face in university life and the skills teachers and administration need to respond to these challenges.

Based on the research results and testing by partner institutions, a toolkit document was compiled that provides guidance and methodological tools for teachers and administration to support students with family duties in higher education institutions. The document focuses on specific skills necessary for creating an inclusive learning environment, such as communication, empathy and compassion, flexibility and adaptability, technological and collaborative skills.

As a partner organization and external stakeholder institution – Pannon University (Veszprém), Budapest Metropolitan University, Partium Christian University (Romania, Oradea), Uzhhorod National University – Department of Hungarian Philology (Ukraine, Uzhhorod) – through cooperation with participating higher education institutions, we monitor and evaluate the progress and effectiveness of the outlined and planned reforms using document packages containing monitoring and evaluation templates.