NICE Programme

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The NICE Programme: Virtual Exchange

The Network for Intercultural Competence to facilitate Entrepreneurship (NICE) Programme is a 12-week virtual exchange programme aimed at students interested in learning about current global challenges in the areas of:

  1. health and wellbeing
  2. climate change and environment
  3. diversity and inclusion

Students design creative solutions for identified challenges, working in international teams of students from five other universities in Europe and beyond.

Students develop intercultural awareness and communication, interpersonal, leadership, teamwork and other skills by completing interactive online modules, working in multicultural virtual teams, participating in facilitated group meetings, and developing innovative business ideas connected to relevant global challenges. The programme enables students to develop personally and professionally and become better prepared to live and work in an increasingly global and digital world.

The Programme commenced in 2017, co-ordinated by the University of Edinburgh and co-funded by Erasmus+, as a partnership between eight different research-focused universities across the UK and Europe, including UCD.

There is no fee for participating in the NICE Programme. Find out more by visiting the NICE website.

What will I do?

The NICE Programme will begin with an onboarding period that will take place over three weeks, from the week of 3 March 2025 until the week of 17 March 2025. During this period, students will get access to the online platform and should be able to commit up to three hours throughout the week to meet their teams, decide on a regular meeting time for the duration of the Programme and have their first facilitated meeting. Students are also expected to attend an official kick-off event during the second week of the onboarding period (date to be announced). 

The NICE Programme, consisting of four phases happening over 12 weeks, will take place between Monday, 24 March - Sunday, 15 June 2025. During this period, students will take part in online modules where they will gain knowledge necessary to complete the Programme, submit exercises necessary to advance to the next phase, participate in facilitated group meetings, and work on their business idea with their team members. The final event will take place the week after the students finish their modules and groups submit their business ideas. 
Teamwork is central to the programme. Your team will be self-managed, meaning that you and your team members will have to discuss and agree how you plan to work together. You will also have to resolve any potential challenges and conflicts. While you will be supported in this by your facilitator, you will have to collectively show initiative. While this process may seem challenging, it is also rewarding and learning, development and growth is guaranteed. You will challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and question what you think you know about yourself and others, put your skills to the test, and discover what truly motivates you, what your boundaries are, what roles you gravitate towards in a team, where your strengths and weaknesses lie, and much more!

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Summer School

The 2025 NICE Summer School will be held in person at the University of Edinburgh in Edinburgh, Scotland from 29 June to 4 July 2025. There will be a limited number of places for the Summer School, so please note that not all students who are offered a place on the NICE programme will be offered a place at the Summer School. Places will be allocated on a competitive basis. The Summer School is not compulsory and students do not have to attend it in order to complete the NICE Programme. 

Funding

Students who are selected to attend the NICE Summer School will receive funding to help cover the cost of travel, accommodation, food, transportation and travel insurance. Further information regarding funding opportunities will be provided at a later date.

Applicants must be available to travel for the full duration of the Summer School and ensure that the Summer School does not interfere with the commitments of their primary course at UCD including any assignments set as part of their programme.

How can I apply?

The programme is available to all UCD students including those who are currently abroad on exchange as well as students currently attending UCD as exchange students. While applications are open to students at any level, students must ensure that the Programme will not interfere with the commitments of their main programme of study at UCD. The NICE programme may be particularly suitable for students who would like to have an international experience but are not in a position to go abroad in person or commit to a long term exchange.

Applications for the 2025 NICE Programme are now open. The deadline for applications is Monday, 27 January 2025 at 23:59 GMT. If you have any queries please email nice@ucd.ie.
If you are unable to attend the info session and / or if you have any further questions or concerns you would like to talk to us about, you can book a meeting appointment here.
Interested students are encouraged to attend an online info session on Thursday, 16 January 2025 at 11am GMT. Please register for the info session via this form.

Apply Here

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