Short exchange programs provide meaningful learning experiences 

SCIENCE NEWS FROM KRISTIANIA: Exchange programs

The short but intensive format is called the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP). It requires close collaboration between three European higher education institutions, creating a unique opportunity for learning, knowledge exchange, and networking. 

In a case study conducted by Kristiania University of Applied Sciences in 2024, the findings showed that the students participating in the BIP developed a range of core skills highly valued in the global job market, motivating many of them to pursue an international career. 

Developing essential skills 

The BIP examined in this study was developed in collaboration with Kristiania's partners in Dublin, Brüssels and Zaragoza, and was titled "Diversity and Sustainability in Global Business".

To investigate students’ perceived learning outcomes, I analysed 70 reflection reports written after the BIP. In total, I identified a total of 25 skills, which were grouped in five categories: 

1. Self-awareness (e.g, self-examination, openness, moral judgment) 
2. Cognitive skills (e.g, critical thinking, perspective-taking, complexity awareness) 
3. Care for others (e.g, empathy, tolerance, appreciation of diversity) 
4. Social skills (e.g, inclusion, collaboration, intercultural communication) 
5. Action skills (e.g, courage, initiative, problem-solving) 

The skills most frequently highlighted by students were critical thinking, perspective-taking, inclusion, self-examination, intercultural communication, appreciation of diversity, and openness. 

One student said: “By working through a cross-cultural group, I developed a deeper sense of empathy and understanding because I had to truly listen to people whose opinions differed from my own.” 

The students reported a growing motivation to apply for international positions and an increased interest in global and international contexts. 

32 students completed a questionnaire on their learning outcomes, which helped complement the findings and distinguish between visiting and host students. 

When the students were asked to assess what they had learnt the most from, most highlighted challenging activities that prompted them to question their previous assumptions. 

The structure of the program  

In a BIP, the participating institutions typically take turns on hosting the programme while collaborating on the educational design.  

Experiential learning activities, company visits, cultural experiences, and exchanging of perspectives are central elements that promote learning through interaction, critical thinking, and reflection.  

Three institutions, one virtual activity and five days of physical activity are the minimum requirements to receive the Erasmus+ funding for implementation and participant scholarships. 

The goal of the BIPs is to educate globally competent citizens who can contribute to sustainable development, diversity and inclusion.  

Research shows that students in exchange programmes learn the most when they are challenged to reconsider their own and others’ perspectives, and when they experience shifts in how they understand the world. 

When we developed the learning activities, our goal was to stimulate the development of soft skills, such as empathy, critical thinking, problem-solving, the ability to shift perspectives and intercultural communication.  

We ensured that the student groups were as culturally diverse as possible and created spaced where they had to solve problems, collaborate and exchange perspectives. Real cases, company visits and guests from the business sector provided the framework for the seminars, discussions and student projects.   

Five conditions students identified as important for learning: 

1. Motivation: The visiting students reported higher learning outcomes and developed more skills than the host students. This may be because the visiting student experienced a new culture and had specifically applied for the programme, whilst the host students participated in the  BIP as a compulsory part of their module. 
2. Variation: The variation between learning activities was highlighted as important to the students’ learning. They particularly enjoyed getting out of the classroom and taking part in excursions, company visits and social activities.  
3. Cultural diversity: The opportunity to work in rotating multicultural groups was highlighted as an effective strategy for enhancing learning and socialisation. 
4. Industry contact: Company visits and the opportunities to see how businesses addressed real-world challenges were seen as highly valuable learning experiences. 
5. Time: The students noted that they would have liked more time for discussions, socialisation and free time with their new acquaintances to further develop their social and interpersonal skills. One takeaway, therefore, is not to design a programme too tightly.   

The BIP fosters key competencies for the global workplace, primarily by bringing people together in ways that inspire both students and educators to develop critical thinking, adaptability, empathy, and strong communication and teamwork skills.  

BIP offers a unique opportunity for students who want to experience the world. As one student put it: “I gained insights into how cultural perspectives influence business practices, and the BIP expanded my understanding of global issues”. 

Another student noted: “Through the company visits, we gained insight into both real-world challenges and solutions.” 

References: 

European Commission. (2023). Blended Intensive Programmes.  

Hepple, E., Alford, J., Henderson, D., Tangen, D., Hurwood, M., Alwi, A., Shaari, Z. A. H. og Alwi, A. (2017.) Developing intercultural learning in Australian pre-service teachers through participating in a short  term mobility Programme in Malaysia. Teaching and Teacher Education, 66, s. 273-281.  

Nada, C., og Legutko, J. (2022). Maybe we did not learn that much academically, but we learn more from experience – Erasmus mobility and its potential for transformative learning. Journal of Intercultural Relations, 87(3), s. 183-192. 

Purg, P., Sirok, K. og Brasil, D. (2018). The Transformative impact of Blended Mobility Courses. The international journal of Art & Design education, 37(2), s. 187.198.  

Stavelie, Hanne. (2025). Developing soft-skills for the global workplace in a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP). Proceedings of WIL'25. The Third International Conference of Work-Integrated Learning. 'Shaping the Future Landscape of Work-Integrated Learning.' , s. 20-24.  

Text: Hanne Stavelie, Associate professor, School of Communication, Leadership and Marketing, Kristiania University of Applied Sciences. 

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