I went abroad!Erasmus+ teaching staff exchange testimonial from Beja, Portugal

Welcome to our series of interviews with UA students and staff on their international adventures. This time, John Cowles, a former English teacher at the University Institute of Technology (IUT), shares his staff mobility story after undertaking a teaching mobility in Portugal.

Location and dates of your mobility

Teaching mobility (STA) to Instituto Politécnico (IP) in Beja, Portugal, from 7th to 12th April 2024.
The Institutos Politécnico (IP) of Portugal are a network of higher educational institutes which run professionally oriented first degree (Bachelors), higher degrees (Masters) and some offer Postgraduate doctoral studies. Each IP works closely with local industrial and business structures. 

How did you find out about the staff mobility programmes offered at UA?

I worked in the Applied Biology department at UA’s Institute of Technology (IUT) and this mobility was the most recent of a number of teaching mobilities I was lucky enough to undertake with our Erasmus partners IP Beja. Finding out about STA Erasmus teaching mobilities was always easy since all IUT teaching staff are informed of these opportunities early in the teaching year, around late October, and the procedure and deadlines are always clear.

Why did you choose to go on a mission abroad? And why did you choose this destination?

My choice of IP Beja was motivated by the possibility to see two of our 3^rd- year food science students who were on their final year placements at Beja, and also that two food science colleagues were keen to learn more about this partner: the biology department has worked with Beja for ten years, Beja is a reliable and reactive partner with interesting food research activities and has generously hosted placement students since the start of the partnership.

How did your mobility go?

Contact and organisation with host institution was easy and professional. The welcome we received was warm and generous. We team-taught to a mixed group of students who responded well to our input and outside the teaching we could learn about the structure and ongoing research programmes at the IP. We also enjoyed a programme of visits to the area, this included the institute’s experimental farm. Contact with all staff was extremely friendly and generous.

Did you encounter any professional or personal difficulties?

None.

What have you gained from this experience?

I think any mobility can only be an enriching experience at both a professional and personal level. Seeing how colleagues approach their work, elaborate teaching programmes, evaluate and motivate students is always relevant. Meeting colleagues, putting faces to names, always consolidates partnerships and leads to better and friendlier exchanges and collaboration: face to face contact is so important in any effective partnership and helps build working practices based on trust, professionalism and transparency.

In your opinion, how can your mobility benefit the University of Angers?

I think that any mobility can have direct and indirect benefits to the University of Angers in all its components. The direct benefits can be that the partnership is consolidated and often opened up to more opportunities, engaging other departments and colleagues in teaching and research for example. When you visit a partner you’re also a sort of informal envoy: you can present study, exchange opportunities in your component of course but you can also talk about other opportunities which you can follow-up on your return, point people in the right direction to get information about UA and of course talk about the study and urban environment of Angers itself. Many people don’t know where Angers is and know very little about the university or city – they’re always a bit surprised to find out about its student population and many opportunities.

What advice would you give to colleagues wishing to do an Erasmus+ STA/STT mobility?

Be prepared

My first advice would be to go! My other advice would be to go prepared. For the teaching aspect, find out as much as you can about the student public you’ll be teaching, their needs and level, and prepare your teaching accordingly. In my experience, students respond well to activities which they are engaged, groups activities, problem solving activities and it’s good to think how you can make your teaching as interactive and engaging as possible: this will help them remember you, the lesson (perhaps) and also indirectly reinforce a positive association with who we are as teachers in Angers.

Enjoy the teaching

It may be a good idea to adapt a lesson / lessons which you feel comfortable with: it’s not always easy teaching a group of students you don’t know in an unfamiliar environment and you may feel very apprehensive about the experience. So adapting material which you can control easily, which you feel confident learners will learn from and enjoy, will help. This will also mean that you’ll probably enjoy the experience a lot more yourself! 

Answer questions

Take some pictures, UA documentation to be able to talk about Angers University and the city, possibly some small UA items (freebies) to give to students. Be prepared to offer some follow-up to student questions, we’re generally not able to know all the answers but it’s important to assist partner colleagues and their students to get to the information they need. 

Return the invitation

From experience, colleagues in partner institutions will be interested in meeting you and will want to make your stay interesting, positive and enjoyable. If things work out well, and I think they usually do, encourage colleagues to come to Angers: partnerships work both ways and a friendly welcome is always appreciated.

Discover our "Meet ..." series of interviews:

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Meet Richard Palmer!

Meet Seren Davis!

Meet Lucie!

Meet Lynda!