Culture Traineeship Programme for Staff

Course Format: Flavour School

Flavour Schools are short, immersive five-day summer or winter schools developed within the ACE²-EU Alliance. They bring together students from across the partner universities for intensive programmes combining academic learning, experiential workshops, and collaborative projects.
Each edition focuses on real-world challenges identified by external stakeholders, connected to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and designed to foster interdisciplinary teamwork, creativity, and critical thinking.

They aim to promote European values, intercultural dialogue, and social responsibility, empowering students to become agents of positive change in their professional and community contexts.

 

Course Type: Staff traineeship WP4

This course is designed as an immersive professional traineeship experience aimed at higher education staff who wish to strengthen their intercultural, communicative, and student-support competences within an international context. It combines on-site experiential learning, collaborative activities, and reflective practice, enabling participants to engage directly with colleagues from across the ACE²-EU Alliance.

Participants will work through real institutional scenarios, explore inclusive and intercultural approaches, and exchange good practices that enhance the quality of support services and staff–student engagement across diverse cultural settings. The traineeship emphasises peer learning, co-creation, and hands-on application, offering a structured yet flexible environment for skill development and cross-institutional collaboration.

Ultimately, this course type fosters a community of practice that empowers staff to apply innovative, student-centred, and culturally responsive strategies within their home institutions while contributing to the wider mission of a more inclusive, connected, and internationally engaged European university ecosystem.

 

Duration and Timeline:

• Course components and contact hours: 20 hrs. onsite + 7 hrs. independent and group work
• On-site component: 23-26 FEBRUARY 2026 ( it will take place: MADRID, Spain)

 

Award, Credits and Certification

On sucessful completion of the course participants will receive 1 ECTS credits and a certificate of attendance

 

Organized by:

Universidad Francisco de Vitoria  (SPAIN) Lead and Host Institution

Alessia Tressoldi (UFV)

Latvian Academy of Culture (LATVIA)

Ieva Zermite (LKA)

FH KÄRTEN – University of Applied Sciences (AUSTRIA)

Gerlinde Koppitsch  (CUAS)

 

External stakeholders that will be involved in the course

Name of the Stakeholder TBD

 

Course Description and Learning Objectives

Course Description:
“The Culture Traineeship Programme for Staff supports the mission of the ACE²-EU Alliance by promoting intercultural understanding, inclusion, and social engagement across its member institutions. It aims to strengthen staff competences and institutional capacity by developing intercultural and communication skills, enhancing mutual knowledge among the nine universities, improving support for international students, and fostering inclusive and internationalised practices. The programme also seeks to build a sustainable cross-institutional network for collaboration and knowledge exchange, encourage reflective leadership, and empower staff to act as change agents within their institutions—ultimately contributing to a more connected, empathetic, and innovative European higher education community.”

Onsite sessions:

• The onsite component of the programme consists of a structured and immersive mobility week designed to provide participants with a combination of theoretical input, experiential learning, collaborative exercises, and engagement with local stakeholders. The training takes place from 23 to 26 February in Madrid, and integrates seminars, workshops, problem-based activities, mentoring sessions, and cultural visits.
• Throughout the week, participants engage in interactive theoretical sessions introducing core concepts related to internationalisation, intercultural communication, inclusion, and multicultural dynamics across the ACE²-EU Alliance. These sessions are complemented by Problem-Based Learning (PBL) activities in which participants work collaboratively to analyse and address real intercultural dilemmas drawn from academic and administrative contexts. The learning experience is further enriched through guided discussions, group dynamics, and reflective exercises, enabling participants to explore diverse cultural and professional perspectives within the alliance.
• The programme includes practical activities that encourage the application of theoretical insights to real scenarios, as well as mentoring moments where facilitators support critical reflection, provide feedback, and help participants connect the content of the training with their institutional responsibilities. In addition, stakeholder engagement sessions—including visits to cultural or academic institutions in Madrid—allow participants to contextualise intercultural and ethical challenges within real organisational and societal environments.
• The onsite week also incorporates cultural activities and local visits, strengthening participants’ understanding of the regional context, promoting intercultural awareness, and fostering a cohesive learning community. By combining academic input, experiential methodologies, and community engagement, the onsite sessions provide a comprehensive and transformative learning environment aligned with the pedagogical principles and values of the ACE²-EU Alliance.

 

Specific learning objectives include:

By the end of the course, staff members will be able to:

• Develop staff competence in intercultural communication, enabling effective interaction with students and colleagues from diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Increase awareness of partner cultures and alliance dynamics, fostering mutual understanding and smoother collaboration across the nine universities.
• Enhance staff ability to support international students, particularly those at risk of cultural exclusion, by promoting inclusive practices and tailored support initiatives.
• Empower staff to act as change agents within their institutions, transferring acquired knowledge and practices to their departments and generating a multiplier effect.
• Strengthen institutional frameworks for internationalisation, embedding inclusive approaches into everyday operations, governance structures, and student services.
• Build a sustainable cross-institutional network, where trained staff exchange experiences, resources, and innovations to advance intercultural learning.
• Foster reflective practice and leadership competences, encouraging participants to design, implement, and evaluate initiatives aligned with the alliance’s mission and values.

 

Which staff member would find this course useful for them?

This course may be suitable for staff members from ACE²-EU partner universities from WPs: WP2, WP4 and WP6.

Recommended Language Level :

Basic to intermediate level of English (B1-B2), as the working language will be English

Application Process:

Each university will nominate four staff members and send the list by 9 January 2026 to the following address: ace2eu@ufv.es

 

Further Information

For any further information or queries related to the course, please contact: ace2eu@ufv.es