The LeNSin project aims at the internationalization, intercultural cross-fertilization and accessibility of higher education by consolidating and empowering a global network called the Learning Network on Sustainability. This network is composed of 6 existing, functioning regional networks (14 HEIs in 5 partner countries and 4 European HEIs): LeNS_Brasil, LeNS_Mexico; LeNS_South Africa, LeNS_China, LeNS_India and LeNS_Europe. The project stresses curriculum development in the field of Design for Sustainability (DfS) focused on Sustainable Product-Service Systems (S.PSS) and Distributed Economies (DE), both known as promising models to couple environmental protection with social equity/cohesion and economic prosperity. LeNSin fosters capacity building in each region through 5 Seminars and 10 Curricular Courses, designed and implemented by the Partner countries’ and European HEIs in close collaboration and involving local companies/NGOs/institutions.The two supporting structures of the project are:-The distributed Open Learning E-Platform (d.OLEP): a decentralized web platform enabling distributed production&transfer of knowledge, adopting a learning-by-sharing mechanism with an open&copyleft ethos. It is a repository of learning resources (slide shows, video, audio, texts, etc.) and tools that any teacher can download for free and reuse and adapt to contextual conditions. -A set of labs (LeNS_labs) that: support students, teachers, researchers and local stakeholders with DfS tools and resources; host the d.OLEP with regionally developed resources and tools; and act as hubs connecting all LeNS_labs with local and global HEIs and companies/NGOs/institutions in a multipolar scheme. The d.OLEP and the labs will remain after the project end to ensure endurance of the action.An international “Decentralized Conference” (5 simultaneous national Conferences in the Partner countries and 1 in Europe) and a Students’ Design Award further disseminate the project results.

The main objective of the PONCHO project is to encourage the process of internationalization of Latin American Universities partners in the project, with special focus on the Universities of peripheral areas of the region, whose geographical position or the volume of students have been unable to develop their internationalization in the same way as capital universities or major universities in the region. The PONCHO consortium is then composed mainly with universities having no experience in project of capacity building (former Alfa) and only 4 Latin American institutions have experience: Asuncion, Goias, San Simon and Nacional del Sur. Hence the exchange of good practices from the more experienced partners to the not so experienced partners is highly valued in order to increase, not only EU-Third country cooperation, but also Third country-Third country cooperation.To develop its objectives, PONCHO will work at three levels: at technical level: through the training of the IROs staff; at academic and students level: through the organization of Info days and Students Camp where academics and students will receive training and awareness session to approach them to internationalization, intercultural and integration using non-formal training tools; and finally at institutional level: through an online platform and the organisation of International Fair where the institution will be able to develop on one side their support process for a good internationalization and on the other side, through international marketing and network, to increase their international presence. The focus of active participation and collaborative decision making of the project will be implemented in the preparation, management, dissemination and optimization and quality control and through the PONCHO platform the consortium will not only be able to work together but also to develop new collaborations with other universities of the region.