The blended Intensive programme has brought students into beautiful and sunny (including midnight sun) Jyväskylä to improve their English Language communication, presentation and teamwork skills in multicultural and multidisciplinary setting
The programme, in which 10 students from UV have taken part, is worth 3 ECTS academically and was comprised of four mandatory on-line meetings, learning diaries and a live in-person week. The online sessions took place on 8, 12, 19 and 27 November, while the live on-site teaching week in Jyväskylä took place 9-13 June last week.
On completion of this 3-ECTS BIP, the participant students are now expected to:
- Have gained more courage and confidence in speaking a particular foreign language.
- Have developed and used the skills and tools for interaction in multicultural setting.
- Know how to function and contribute as an active member of a multicultural team.
- Reflect on their development of language, interaction and teamwork skills.
Forthem Europa Forum is a project within Forthem European University Alliance: Forthem – Europe Forum). Expected CEFR-level of the participants is B1-C1.
The social programme of the week was planned to ensure the participants could get the most out of the experience by getting to know Jyväskylä and Finland and creating unforgettable memories with fellow students from the alliance universities.
The course and the social programme have been free of charge for the participants, though these have had to bear the costs of their travel expenses, accommodation and meals.
Here is their fresh testimonial on their return from Jyväskylä after completing the BIP:
All the students who have participated in this short-term mobility (BIP FORTHEM Europa Forum Language Project – English Language) agree that it has been a blessing to have experienced this for multiple reasons: apart from putting our communication skills in English into practice, we have learned to thrive in multicultural environments, leaving aside prejudices and stereotypes, opening our minds, discovering the differences and similarities between people from different countries and understanding the importance of having a positive feeling towards the European Union.
In addition, it is an opportunity to establish future work relationships and, above all, intense personal connections. All this by getting to know ourselves in contexts outside our comfort zone, where we have had to face new realities, developing with autonomy and independence, but without ceasing to work as a team, in a cooperative manner.
In short, these types of programmes allow us to accumulate a number of tools, significant experiences and transversal learning that we can apply at any time during the training period.
Thanks to FORTHEM for providing the facilities and making such an enriching and valuable experience accessible. It is difficult to put into words everything we have experienced these days, but, without a doubt, the lessons learned and the memories built will remain with us forever.
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