- Name
- Verena Seitz
- Faculty/Department
- International Office
- Purpose
- Erasmus+ Staff Training Week
- Host Institution
- University of the Basque Country
- Location
- Bilbao, Spain
- Period
- June 2018
What was your main motivation to go abroad?
My participation in the Staff Training Week was aimed at getting to know our partner university and the colleagues there, exchanging professional topics with an international group of colleagues, sharing my expertise in a presentation on "Digital procedures to manage international exchanges" and expanding my international network. As the partner university is very popular with our students studying abroad, it was particularly interesting to get to know this popular destination in person and to talk about further options for student exchange.
I highly recommend it to every colleague to gain international experience and to expand one's own knowledge with international aspects.
Did you have any concerns?
No. :)
Would you recommend going abroad? Why?
I highly recommend it to every colleague to gain international experience and to expand one's own knowledge with international aspects. There are various ways to do this: International Staff Training Weeks, individual stays at partner universities to look over the shoulder of a colleague at work and exchange best practices (so-called job shadowing), language courses abroad, teaching and much more.
Fun Fact
The Basque word "agur" has a long history and mostly means "goodbye", but it can also mean "hello" and a lot more. You will get to know it very quickly during a visit to Bilbao.
What did you gain from your stay abroad?
Numerous new contacts, many beautiful impressions of the Basque Country and the city of Bilbao, which is exciting for many reasons, a new passion for tapas, the realisation that it would be good to learn Spanish, the realisation that Spanish does not always help, new inspiration, new ideas and new energy for work. And the wish that as many colleagues as possible make use of these opportunities.
Were your expectations met?
My expectations were not only met but also exceeded.
Is there anything you would like to highlight about your experience abroad?
It was particularly sustainable that I was able to make new contacts, which in the end led to us being able to expand the international network of HNU partners. Thanks to a Staff Week in the Basque Country, we now have a new partner university in Japan. Which in turn is very popular with our students.
Impressions of Spain
