. Can you tell us about yourself? (Who you are and what you study)
I’m Alexandre Caldeira, I live in Porto, I am 22 years old and study Industrial Management and Logistics. I’m passionate about travelling and getting to know new cultures, traditions, and customs. I see myself as a proactive young person who is always keen to learn.
. How did you discover this opportunity of Mobility?
I found out about these opportunities through an academic email that contained information about Erasmus+ Mobilities, which immediately piqued my interest.
. What were the main goals of your visit to the Receiving University?
Having an Erasmus experience is always important as it allows students from all over Europe to study and debate current issues, such as sustainability, for example. My main goals were, apart from making it an experience of a lifetime, to learn about new learning methods and understand how higher education and current affairs were approached at different Universities across Europe.
. What did you think of the physical mobility part of the mobility?
In my opinion, the physical part of the activity is the best part of the whole programme. Travelling to the university that will host us in the following days and meeting new teachers and new students with completely different ways of teaching/learning is what excites me the most. The friendships you make during these international weeks will change your life forever.
. What has your experience been like?
My experiences have always been remarkable. As I mentioned before, these are moments that will never be erased from our memories. All lessons, lectures and visits organised during these weeks always answer to the theme proposed beforehand. It’s worth mentioning that although the main focus is on studying or discussing a particular topic, the students who take part in this programme look forward to the visits and excursions organised by the organisations, which allow us to get to know the city and the environment in which the university is in.
. What do you think of this new type of mobility (virtual and physical periods)?
The virtual part becomes a crucial phase in this type of programme. Organisations that host us always take advantage of these moments to introduce themselves and provide some basic information. Initiating the topic and clarifying how the physical week will be organised is a very important aspect, and it always removes any kind of obstacles or fears that we might have as students.
. What were the most exciting moments of your visit? Would you recommend Receiving University to your fellow comrades?
I have to say that getting to know the city and the people involved in the programmes was the most fun and exciting part. I would recommend with my eyes closed the universities I’ve attended so far, Mednarodna fakulteta za družbene in poslovne študije and Școala Națională de Studii Politice și Administrative, in Slovenia and Romania, respectively.
. Did your experience differ from the expectations you had of this visit?
I must admit that when we apply and are selected for these kinds of activities, our expectations are always high. In my case, I think they exceeded what I was expecting. This was largely due to the people involved in the programmes and the cities that hosted us. I’m sure I’ll always have fond memories of them.
