To provide our students with international experience, the alliance has designed a comprehensive mobility scheme offering an array of inclusive opportunities for those heading abroad as well as for students who prefer to benefit from internationalisation at home. COIL, internships, or language & culture programme will invite students to enjoy the whole of their NEOLAiA home.
NEOLAiA Mobility Scheme aims to contribute essentially to the internationalisation of the curricula at all participating universities and of the teaching and learning process by developing diverse physical and virtual mobility formats facilitating smooth recognition procedures and personalized higher education trajectories. In pursuit of their study and professional goals students can broaden and deepen their knowledge by choosing from custom-built course packages at NEOLAiA universities, fitting in their degree programme curriculum, or decide for a traineeship for regional leadership in institutions and organisations that manage or contribute to the development of the region such as municipal and regional authorities, regional development and innovation centres, innovative companies, non-profit organisations fostering active citizenship, and NEOLAiA universities themselves.
Participation in physical or virtual mobility is not only a valuable experience in itself, it is also a way of acquiring a range of global skills
The recent challenges of the pandemic as well as the growing number of students who would like to effectively combine study and work have taught us that sustainability and resilience in internationalisation can only be achieved by complementing physical mobility programmes with a wide virtual and blended mobility offer. Introducing a range of courses implementing collaborative online international learning and intensive short-term activities at partner universities abroad, rounding up virtual international study experience, help develop internationalisation opportunities for all. The Mobility Scheme also makes sure that students get the most of the wealth of languages and cultures across NEOLAiA European regions: participating in LACE, language and culture exchange programme, students will broaden the portfolio of their skills and knowledge becoming active ambassadors of their languages and cultures either on the spot during their study stays at partner universities, or virtually, while studying at their home university.
The Mobility Scheme design has been shaped by NEOLAiA vision and European values cherished by all the partner universities in the alliance and strives to translate these principles into tangible programmes and activities developing an open and inclusive educational and social environment, and ensuring that the diverse communities within the academia and in the regions feel connected and committed to work together, explains Renáta Tomášková from the University of Ostrava, the coordinating university of the Mobility Scheme Work Package in the project.
Participation in physical or virtual mobility is not only a valuable experience in itself, it is also a way of acquiring a range of global skills. NEOLAiA mobility support activities will help students keep track of their journey towards enhanced cultural awareness and intercultural communication competencies: starting with pre-departure awareness sessions, through reflective practices during mobility, and rounded up by after-mobility survey on the students’ takeaway from the experience and their personal feedback, students will be provided with guidance throughout their explorations into new cultures and the development of intercultural skills.
The Mobility Scheme has been devised in close collaboration of NEOLAiA partners and to turn the plans into reality for all will be a team endeavour as well – we hope the new mobility formats will soon get NEOLAiA students involved, making them to be part of the European team and enjoying it.
