PADMICA

Mobility is not a value in itself. Simply having first-hand experience of “otherness” or living in a foreign country does not automatically lead to intercultural learning. Meaningful immersion in a different culture can only lead to intercultural competence development when it is accompanied with sufficient reflection and analysis.

Higher education institutions can improve the quality of experiences abroad (in terms of intercultural learning) by preparing students, as well as by giving them opportunities for reflection upon their return.

Still, many higher education institutions lack the time and resources to equip outgoing students with essential knowledge and tools for dealing with interculturality abroad. Opportunities for reflection upon return also often remain untapped. This project aims to address those needs.

PADMICA will develop ready-made blended intercultural preparation and debriefing modules, that are rooted in intercultural education theory and hold up in different institutional settings and cultural contexts, targeting outgoing students.

The project will also enable International Relations Officers/Higher Education Institution staff to deliver those modules by implementing a train-the-trainer module, creating new in-house expertise.

Project consortium: Ghent University (coordinator), Eötvös Loránd University, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Philipps-Universität Marburg, University of Porto and EUF.