Back to the future

About the project

BACK TO THE FUTURE – Enhancing Futures Literacy through Interactive MOOCs in the Western Balkans (BTTF) is a regional educational project designed to help university students better understand change, navigate uncertainty and take an active role in shaping the future.

The project brings together students, universities, professors, mentors and experts from North Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Montenegro. Through interactive Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), it will address topics such as digital transformation, media literacy, climate activism and human rights.

BTTF responds to an important gap in higher education across the region. Many students have limited opportunities to participate in structured programmes that combine futures thinking, digital and media literacy, practical learning and international cooperation. The project therefore creates a shared learning space in which students can explore real-world challenges, exchange perspectives and work with peers from different countries.

Through expert-led lectures, case studies, discussions, practical assignments and cross-border teamwork, BTTF aims to make future-oriented education accessible, engaging and relevant. Its overall goal is to help young people move beyond simply reacting to change and develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to prepare for and actively shape the future.

Why Futures Literacy?

Futures Literacy is not about predicting exactly what will happen. It is about learning how to think about the future in a more open, critical and informed way.

It helps young people imagine different possible futures, recognize the assumptions that shape their expectations and understand that the future is not fixed. By exploring different scenarios, students can question what may seem inevitable, consider alternative perspectives and make better decisions in the present.

This way of thinking is especially important in a period of rapid technological, environmental and social change. Futures Literacy can help students become more adaptable, creative and confident when facing uncertainty. It also supports critical thinking, strategic foresight and the ability to develop new responses to complex challenges.

Rather than preparing students for only one expected future, BTTF encourages them to explore many possibilities and recognize how their ideas about the future influence the choices they make today.

Project Objectives

The main objectives of BTTF are to:

  • 01

    Develop and implement interactive MOOCs and educational materials on Futures Literacy, combining online lectures, case studies, discussions, multimedia content and practical assignments.

  • 02

    Create a virtual learning environment that connects six higher education institutions and supports interdisciplinary learning, intercultural dialogue and regional cooperation.

  • 03

    Build a regional community of students, professors, mentors and experts who can exchange knowledge and promote Futures Literacy and social responsibility in the digital era.

Who is it for?

BTTF is created for curious, ambitious and forward-thinking university students aged 19 to 30 from North Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Montenegro.

Open to students from all fields of study, the project is an opportunity to look beyond the expected, explore the trends and challenges shaping our world and build skills for a future that is constantly changing. Participants will sharpen their critical thinking, exchange ideas with peers from across the region and learn from experienced professors, mentors and experts.

More than an online learning programme, BTTF is a space to connect, collaborate and turn ideas into possibilities—while becoming part of a regional community ready to imagine and shape what comes next.