We asked an expert committee to give feedback on the project results, the so-called Intellectual Outputs.
Randy Bundel, an international cooperation academic projects expert and lecturer
I was asked to review the results of the Researching the city: mapping imaginaries (IMAGE) project and report my findings. It was a great pleasure to go through the project output, which I found quite impressive.
I have studied the Intellectual Outputs and compared them with the descriptions and criteria set out in the Erasmus+ funding application (Application form KA203-54E08B29-EN), i.e.:
- Fulfilment: whether the project fulfilled what it promised in the Application.
- Quality: whether the quality of the results is sufficient.
- Transferability: whether the results are transferable, whether they can be used by others, and whether they are clear enough.
- Relevance: whether the results are relevant.
- Impact: the potential impact of the Intellectual Output.
Image Project Review Report – Randy Bundel
Neo Galceeran, participating student
Was asked for his feedback, as a participating student, on the project as a whole, the quality, the relevance, and the impact on:
- a) the students
- b) the high education institutions
- c) city partners and stakeholders from the neighborhoods
- d) the specific peripheric neighborhoods
This is part of his answer:
After having the opportunity to participate in the IMAGE project last year (happy new year!) I have been able to distance myself and gain a more ‘wide’ view on the whole output.And I will be completely sincere with my insight: the goal of the project is “capturing Imaginaries as a way to contribute to operationalizing insights into cities’ images and reputations” (Calibration Doc).Its aim is empathetic, ambitious, empowering, and, in my opinion, utterly necessary. I believe a true collaborative effort between the three cities can really contribute to:
- A better understanding of the students of the global scale of specific peripheric neighborhoods, connecting Amsterdam, Lisbon and Barcelona.
- An enduring connection between pioneering universities to create future similarly ambitious and innovative projects.
- A true change in the local communities and “underdeveloped” areas of each city with the collaboration of city partners and stakeholders from the neighborhoods.
Retrospectively, the IMAGE project succeeded in connecting the three universities and contributed to a better understanding of the abovementioned local communities. I, myself, had the opportunity to interact with students from Amsterdam and work alongside Lisbon students, understanding the issues present in their own cities and empathizing with their culture. We spoke on an almost day-to-day basis, closely counseled by a tutor that guided us and pushed us to deliver a comprehensive research and analysis.…Being the self-critic that I am, I conclude that the output of the Case has failed, due to its own format and due to its final placement. As I reflect on the Image, I ask myself:How close did we get to the people that are really in need of help in these three cities? In our city? In the Raval neighborhood? How did we help the less-favoured communities to cope with their struggle? What did we really do to improve the view of our own city–a city that, six months after we submitted our case, has increased in crime rate and, according to Barcelona’s security major: “Has a Real security problem”?The aim of the Image Project is pure. It connects us students to the real world through the difficulties that all the cities we live in all cope with. However, being an observer…is never enough. I thoroughly encourage future students involved in the Image in the following years to truly aim to change the world we live in. To leave a better world for the generations ahead. A multicultural world of equal opportunities, safety and technological progress.Then, the full aim of the Image Case will be fulfilled.