Symposium served as a platform for conversations

Researchers from across Europe recently touched down on Leeside for conversations on best practices and innovation.

The one-day symposium entitled MFL Interculturalism and Internationalisation: Higher Education at a Crossroads was hosted by MTU in its Bishopstown campus.

The event stemmed from a wider research project funded by the INGENIUM European University Alliance, of which MTU is a member, and brought together research partners from higher education institutions in Ireland, France, Sweden, Romania, and Belgium.

The symposium served as a platform for conversations on best practices and innovation in Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) pedagogies, intercultural communication, and internationalisation within the European higher education landscape.The programme also featured a series of presentations exploring the challenges and opportunities surrounding internationalisation and intercultural competence development across HEIs. Participants shared insights on supporting students and staff in navigating diverse cultural environments both within institutions and across multinational, multi-organisational European partnerships.

Dr Kristin Brogan of MTU’s Department of Social Sciences, the principal investigator of the INGENIUM-funded project, commented on the success of the event. "This symposium highlighted the importance of collaborative reflection and action in fostering inclusive and globally connected higher education institutions. It is our hope that this event will catalyse future national and international cooperation in this vital area."

The event concluded with a roundtable discussion with the participants which focused on shaping future strategies and policies to advance internationalisation in higher education. Topics included stakeholder engagement, institutional collaboration and the design and implementation of relevant educational policies. The event spotlighted the impact of the INGENIUM-funded research.