Virtual Exchange

The Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), taking place from 23 to 27 November at the University of Mannheim and coordinated by Mariateresa Cecalupo (Department of Romance Languages), combines linguistic diversity, cultural exploration, and intercultural learning in one of Germany’s most diverse cities. It is designed for students of Italian Studies as well as Italian-speaking students with at least a B2 level of proficiency. The program focuses on developing intercultural competences in multilingual and culturally diverse contexts. Through cultural exchange, ethnographic observation, and on-site encounters, participants engage with themes of language, migration, and identity. The aim is to sustainably strengthen students’ ability to communicate across cultures in academic and professional settings. The main language of instruction is Italian. We are currently looking for partner universities interested in joining the BIP; the Call for Partners (PDF, 317 kB) can be found here.

This COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) seminar will be offered online in the Fall/Winter Semester 2026 under the direction of Dr. Ana-Sofia Uhl (International Cultural Studies, University of Mannheim) and Prof. Nuno Medeiros (University of Lisbon). By bringing together students from Germany and Portugal in a virtual learning environment, the seminar explores food as a cultural, social, and political phenomenon. It begins with an examination of Portuguese and German food cultures before broadening its perspective to global contexts. Particular attention is paid to themes such as authenticity, memory, belonging, migration, and transculturality, situating personal food practices and narratives within wider historical and global frameworks. Working in international teams, students then develop projects that examine food identities and relate them to questions of globalization. The course combines concise lectures, guided discussions, Padlet-supported collaborative work, reflective writing, and both synchronous and asynchronous group work.

The ENGAGE.EU Winter School “Cultural Perspectives on Sustainability”, managed by Nico Stab (School of Humanities, University of Mannheim) is a two-week intensive program with a mix of virtual and in-person elements for bachelor’s students from all fields, hosted by the University of Mannheim from January 11 to 22, 2027. The Winter School equips students with state-of-the-art knowledge and skills on sustainability across Europe and beyond. Interdisciplinary academic exchange and intercultural experiences are core to the program, aligning with ENGAGE.EU’s mission to prepare responsible future leaders. Anchored in SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), the Winter School addresses ecological and social sustainability from a humanities perspective. Mannheim, as the host city, enables participants to engage both theoretically and practically with multiple dimensions of sustainability, connecting local characteristics to global questions.

More Information on ENGAGE.EU Winter and Summer School can be found on the website.

This five-day BIP will take place in Mannheim from 15 to 19 June 2026. Students and lecturers from Poland (Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań), Lithuania (Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas), Croatia (University of Zadar, Zadar) and the University of Mannheim will have the opportunity to collaborate on an interdisciplinary and international teaching and learning project. The course focuses on the theme of ‘food’ – not merely as a physical necessity, but as a cultural symbol, a medium for identity formation and a driver of sustainable transformation. The programme is divided into a preparatory online phase and a practice-oriented, project-based in-person phase in Mannheim. Participants work in interdisciplinary teams on topics such as food cultures, identity, nutrition and sustainability. Group work, collaborative projects and practical exercises form the core of the course. Particular emphasis is placed on experiential learning and intercultural exchange, enabling students to broaden their perspectives and forge lasting international connections.

Teilnahme als Partner, Universität Mannheim, Historisches Institut (Prof. Dr. Hiram Kümper, Dr. Anja Thaller), FSS 2025.

Von 11. bis 16. Mai 2025 fand in Ljubljana, organisiert von Doz. Dr. Mojca Peternel und Prof. Dr. Janez Mlinar, die Erasmus Summer School „Europäische Geschichte in slowenischen Archiven“ statt. Sechs Mannheimer Studierende, sowie Dr. Anja Thaller, Mitarbeiterin des Lehrstuhls für Geschichte des Spätmittelalters und der frühen Neuzeit, nahmen daran teil. Gemeinsam mit Studierenden der Universitäten Ljubljana, Salzburg und Innsbruck sowie der Humboldt-Universität Berlin hatten die Teilnehmenden die Gelegenheit, das in der Hauptstadt Sloweniens ansässige Staatsarchiv näher kennenzulernen und erlangten dank zweier Ausflüge nach Koper und Celje sowohl Einblicke in die dortigen Provinzialarchive als auch in das Institut für Zeitgeschichte in Ljubljana. In den Archiven und wissenschaftlichen Einrichtungen standen neben Führungen auch Vorträge und Workshops auf dem Plan. In Kleingruppen wurde mit unterschiedlichsten Archivalien aus sechs Jahrhunderten gearbeitet. Ein ausführlicher Bericht findet sich hier.

In collaboration with the Universidad de Desarrollo in Chile, the Department of Romance Languages offered the COIL course ‘La competencia intercultural – Intercultural Competence’ in the 2026 summer semester, led by Dr Claudia Villar. Through its virtual components, the course not only introduced students to international teaching formats but also brought together students at the Santiago de Chile and Mannheim campuses in a virtual, global classroom.

This COIL project was offered at the School of Humanities during the Spring Semester 2022. Students from Salem State University in the USA and students from the University of Mannheim had the opportunity to participate together in this international and virtual teaching and learning project (COIL). In terms of content, national and global topics related to the concept of crisis were examined from different disciplines. This project consisted of a variety of different topics presented by different lecturers. Students gained an understanding of the complexity of the term and the multitude of opinions, ideas and theories on the subject. Designed as an interactive, international and intercultural classroom, participants were given the opportunity to share their experiences and perceptions regarding the crisis in our global culture today. The lecturers introduced different terms and definitions of crisis and gave an overview of current discourses, which they embedded in the main theories of cultural studies.