We are thrilled to announce that our team has made it to the finals of the SURE Program (Students for a United and Resilient Europe)!
This remarkable achievement is the result of the dedication and passion of the team from the Free International University of Moldova (ULIM) within the framework of this American project, facilitated and coordinated institutionally by Dr. Valentina Ciumacenco, Associate Professor and Vice-Rector for International Relations at ULIM.
The student team, under the guidance of Dr. Iulia Iurchevici, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, ULIM, includes: Ana Felicia Lungu, Carolina Nigmatulin, Gabriela Ginju, Daniel Gritcu, Leonela Lemesca, Marcelina Uncu, Cristina Nigmatulin, Pavel Zagoruico, Valentina Salticova, Ecaterina Tihohod, and Vlad Ursu.
The SURE Program has encouraged students to promote social cohesion and counteract misinformation in Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. Its primary goal has been to raise public awareness about harmful disinformation while ensuring the peaceful coexistence of Ukrainian refugees in host communities.
Since February, participating teams have conducted primary and secondary research to develop, implement, and evaluate the success of online and offline campaigns aimed at countering propaganda designed to create tensions between Ukrainian refugees and their host communities.
Direct beneficiaries of the program include students from the four countries, while indirect beneficiaries include the general public, NGOs, local business communities, and media outlets.
With enthusiasm and unwavering commitment, the ULIM team worked diligently to meet the program’s objectives. Their chosen research topic, “The online information competence of adolescents in the issues of war refugees: The case of Ukraine (MediaMind Unity),” addresses critical issues in the digital information landscape.
Out of the 16 universities across four countries participating in the SURE Program, teams competed for a chance to be one of five finalists presenting their research projects at the final competition in Bucharest on July 30. Prizes include $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place, and $1,000 for third place. The event audience will include high-ranking leaders, field experts, and special guests.
The ULIM team’s qualification for the finals highlights our ongoing efforts and positive impact in promoting critical thinking and media literacy among youth. We are proud of this progress and eagerly anticipate the challenges ahead in the competition!
We thank everyone for their support and look forward to sharing more good news with you soon!
The SURE Program is funded by the U.S. Department of State and implemented by the American Councils for International Education, a leading organization in academic and cultural exchanges, in partnership with EdVenture Partners (EVP).
EdVenture Partners, a technical partner in the SURE Program, specializes in designing experiential academic programs that empower students to develop creative solutions to real-world challenges. Their programs have been implemented in over 900 universities across 76 countries.
