Kirchliche Pädagogische Hochschule Wien/Krems

International Weeks for Students

International Weeks offer students and teachers the opportunity to meet students from all over Europe, at KPH Wien/Krems and at partner universities in other European countries.

Objectives

Students from different European partner universities work for one week on a pedagogically relevant topic, thus combining knowledge and competence growth with international encounters and experience.

Background

International Weeks are organized jointly by 15 partner universities of the Comenius Association with the aim of enabling as many students as possible from as many different universities and colleges as possible to participate. The topics are wide-ranging, but always have a concrete reference to schools, ranging from Wellbeing to Serious Games to Citizenship or Refugee Education. Teachers from the respective host universities often work in teams with guest teachers, thus opening up another dimension of internationalization.

(Implemented) Activities

The KPH Wien/Krems offers two International Weeks for students, one in the field of music and another one in the field of drama education. The program includes workshops and small performances, as well as a cultural program that brings the students closer to the city of Vienna.

Results

International Weeks provide those students who, for whatever reason, cannot spend a semester abroad with an opportunity for international experience that can be taken advantage of at a manageable cost. The International Weeks at KPH are also included as compulsory electives in the curriculum for primary education. This allows domestic students and, as part of their regular studies, international experience with visiting students and staff from all over Europe. In the subject area of drama education, a group of teachers formed over time who stay in contact beyond the International Week and exchange content, which additionally enriches the teaching on site.

Lessons learned

A certain continuity with simultaneous further development of the topics offered appears to be important. Then a community can also form around a topic. At the same time, the International Weeks are in a certain competition with the new format "Blended Intensive Program". Overall, however, they are easier to organize than BIPs, which are subject to comparatively stricter criteria.

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