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International students on exchange: Vechta active in Ireland!
UNI Vechta is participating in the successful Blended Intensive Program in Ireland, promoting exchange and early childhood education.
International students on exchange: Vechta active in Ireland!
On May 6, 2025, the University of Vechta will report on the successes of its Blended Intensive Program (BIP) entitled “An ordinary day in daycare”, which took place in Sligo, Ireland, at the Atlantic Technology University (ATU). This innovative program is part of the European Union's Erasmus+ program and enables the international exchange of students from different universities. A total of seven students from the University of Vechta took part, together with fellow students from the Karelia University of Applied Sciences in Finland and Tallinn University in Estonia.
The main focus of the program was to compare the early childhood education systems in Ireland, Germany, Estonia and Finland. In the initiative, which will be launched in 2023 by Prof. Dr. Anke König was launched, the University of Vechta played the role of host in 2024. In 2025, Dr. Karin White and Dr. Majella Mulkeen is the program director.
Focus on participatory educational processes
As part of the BIP, there was a strong focus on early childhood practice as well as positive nature and literature educational experiences. The focus was on storytelling, as a social and cultural form of shared experience. The participants had the opportunity to collect inspiration for their stories through excursions into Irish nature. Student Emily Falke highlighted surfing in the Atlantic as a personal highlight, while Alexandra Stele described international learning as particularly instructive and enriching.
Lecturers Linda Wellmeyer and Magnus Frampton emphasized the importance of such exchange programs for personal growth and the promotion of European values. Their common goal included discovery, experiential and project-based learning, supported by BIP structures that combine both physical and virtual components.
Outlook for future programs
The next BIP is scheduled for 2026 in Tallinn, Estonia. Interested students can contact Linda Wellmeyer for the programs. Two further BIPs are currently being advertised in Finland and Sweden, which focus on the areas of social work and social service management. The application deadline for these programs ends on May 16, 2025. Further information is available on the University of Vechta website.
The Blended Intensive Programs not only prove to be a valuable format for international exchange, but also promote innovative learning methods that include transnational and transdisciplinary collaboration. These programs are designed to enable flexibility in mobility and thus offer new perspectives for students from different disciplines. The combination of physical stays and virtual learning methods ensures that participants can gain relevant and practical experience that is integrated into modern everyday educational life.
Overall, it is clear that the University of Vechta's commitment in this international framework not only contributes to the personal development of students, but also contributes to strengthening European educational values. For a detailed insight into the program and the opportunities for prospective students, it is essential to visit the university's website. mynewsdesk.com and ec.europa.eu provide additional information on the framework conditions and goals of these programs.