Every year, thousands of young students participate in the Erasmus+ program, to work or study abroad and gain intercultural experiences. Though these exchange programs usually have positive effects, it often lacks pedagogical support / intercultural mentoring and intercultural seminars so participants can systematically reflect their experiences in their host cultures and improve the learning outcomes of their exchange.
Comprehensive individual mentoring is necessary in order to tap the full potential of the intercultural learning experience with Erasmus+. Unfortunately, most participants do not have access to such services. Our strategy is to incorporate virtual learning modules into existing mentoring programs and to create a platform that meets the demands of a modern and digital generation: Connect.
Connect is a cross-sectoral project, bringing together practitioners and experts from the university and youth sector, funded by the European Union. It was initiated to create an innovative intercultural learning scenario, consisting of an e-learning platform and curricula for pre-departure and re-entry orientation, to support Erasmus participants (students and interns) in the higher education sector before, during and after their exchange by integrating methods and concepts from non-formal youth education to formal education.
