DIGI-S.PA.C.E - The DIGItal innovative Strategies for PArental and Civic Engagement

About this project

The DIGItal innovative Strategies for PArental and Civic Engagement - DIGI-S.PA.C.E. project is a three-year (2019-2022) Erasmus+ project with the Create Partnership Trust, UK, and partners in Italy, Lithuania and Portugal.

The project pursues the following general objectives:

  • To prevent early school leaving, social exclusion and poor learning outcomes through a proactive parental engagement in the education life of the pupils.
  • To reinvent the approach to parental engagement by introducing innovative methods that include ICT tools, peer support, a whole-school differentiated strategy.

Researchers in the Education Department at Staffordshire University are responsible for evaluating the project. To date the researchers have conducted a needs analysis designed to ascertain precisely parents’ needs and the views of teachers and stakeholders, which will inform the shaping and development of the four Intellectual Outputs (IOs) and the project’s associated activities. The IOs comprise:

  • IO1 - Training kit for school staff and Parent Support Advisors
  • IO2 - Protocol for Parental Engagement
  • IO3 - Training kit to enhance parenting skills
  • IO4 - DIGI-S.PA.C.E. App

You can find more details about the project and its activities at the DIGI-S.PA.C.E. website.

Lead researcher

Professor Gillian Forrester

Professor Of Education Policy

I lead the Professional Doctorate in Education (EdD), which is a vibrant research degree programme for professional educators. I supervise doctoral students (PhD and EdD) and I am involved in several externally funded research projects.

Gillian's profile

Associated researchers

Dr Jim Pugh

Director - Inst. Of Ed. - Assoc Prof.

I am proud to be the Director of the Institute of Education leading an innovative group of professionals, educators, researchers and working with our creative and exciting students, partners and community.

Jim's profile

Dr Ruth Hudson

P/T Lecturer (Hrly) - Education

Ruth's profile

Collaborators and funding

The DIGI-S.PA.C.E (DIGital Innovative Strategies for Parental and Civic Engagement) is led by CREATE Partnership Trust, in partnership with Agrupamento de Escolas da Mia (Portugal), Etiudas Kindergarden ( Lithuania) , St Thomas’s International School (Italy).

The project is supported by Ponto PR (technical support), Staffordshire University and the Home of Psychological Ideas (research and evaluation partners) and ProMETEUS (QA partner) representative of 4 EU countries (UK, Italy, Portugal and Lithuania).

Co-funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ Programme.

in the UK for Quality Education

Sustainable Development Goal 4, Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021