The main objective of this project is to improve the cooperation between the Czech Republic and Norway in the area of learning support for mathematics and statistics in higher education institutions. Our inspiration stems from almost thirty years of experience of sigma, an established network for Mathematics and Statistics Learning Support (MSLS) covering England and Wales. "Mathematics Support is a recognised collective term for extra-curricular mathematics and statistics teaching and learning services in higher education institutions. The term covers activities, facilities and/or resources provided to support and enhance students’ learning of mathematics or statistics whilst the student is enrolled on a programme of study at undergraduate or postgraduate level. Such learning support is extra, optional, and non-compulsory. It is designed to assist students in developing mathematical and/or statistical confidence and skills." (2) Our consortium includes five higher education institutions: Brno University of Technology (BUT) in Czech Republic will act as the Project Promoter coordinating the efforts of four other participants, two Czech universities, Masaryk University (MU) and Tomas Bata University in Zlin (UTB), and two Norwegian Universities, The Arctic University of Norway (UiT) and University of Agder (UiA). The consortium features a balanced mixture of experienced organisations and those new to mathematics support. UiA, MU and UTB have established mathematics and statistics support centres since autumn 2015, spring 2016 and autumn 2016 respectively. BUT will set up a centre in autumn 2021, and UiT is particularly interested in developing so-called "remote support" offered to students who are not on campus. However, the provision of remote support is of high interest for the other partners too, not least because of the current pandemic of COVID-19 that is having a significant impact on university education. The main activities planned in the project: 1) Transfer of innovative ideas and methodology through peer learning and exchange of good practice through the four learning events described below. 2) Development of training materials for an introductory course for staff providing mathematics and statistics support („tutors“), including remote support (in English, Czech and Norwegian). 3) Development of a Handbook on good practices describing how to set up, manage and maintain Mathematics Support Centres (in English, Czech and Norwegian). Four peer learning events will be organized during the project implementation period, each focusing on a special type or aspect of mathematics and statistics support and arranged to facilitate the exchange of local experience and to level cultural, organizational and educational differences between the five partners from two countries. Participation of the consortium partners in the project will have three main components: 1) organization of one of the peer learning events (BUT, UiT, UiA, UTB); 2) participation in peer learning events (BUT, UiA, UiT, MU and UTB); 3) development of training materials (BUT, UiT) or good practices Handbook (UiA, MU, UTB) based on partners‘ experience and the knowledge gained at peer learning events. Results of the project will be made publicly available through institutional websites, and we expect their utilization by other organizations in the partner countries and beyond.

Klíčová slova
mathematics and statistics learning support in higher education, institutional cooperation projects, training materials for new tutors, handbook on good practices in setting up and managing MSLS