Today marks the beginning of the Erasmus Days – a six-day international celebration of the Erasmus+ programme. This EU initiative supports education, training, youth and sport, with a strong focus on social inclusion, green and digital transitions and encouraging young people to take an active role in democratic life. It’s also a key element that contributes to making IMC Krems such an international place to study and work.
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Erasmus+ in action: How BIPs open doors to international learning
Erasmus+ is best known for supporting semester-long exchanges and long mobilities, but it also offers flexible opportunities through so-called Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs). These short-term mobilities last between 5 and 30 days and are followed by a virtual component. They give students and staff with family, work or study commitments the chance to experience international exchange without having to spend a full semester abroad.
BIPs encourage innovative teaching and learning methods and make use of the opportunities offered by digital collaboration. Working in international and interdisciplinary teams, participants tackle current global challenges – often linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
We asked students at IMC Krems who recently joined such programmes to share their experiences:
Aleksandar Nikolov
“Among all four of my Erasmus+ experiences, the Blended Intensive Program (BIP) ‘Green Business in Europe’ stands out as the one with the most impact on my thinking. In literal terms we worked on real life sustainability challenges. Conducting research, testing ideas and pitching a presentation at the end with a solution to the problem we found. Just as important and amazing was the intercultural experience which taught me how to listen, lead and compromise.”
Tanja Bauer
“The programme immediately appealed to me because I find the topic of sustainability both personally and professionally very interesting and I really wanted to learn more about it. What I found particularly attractive was that a BIP offers an intensive international experience without having to spend an entire semester abroad. In just one week, I was able to gain new perspectives and international experience at the same time.”
Vanessa Kogelbauer
“I decided to join the Blended Intensive Programme ‘Green Business in Europe’ because I believe that sustainability is essential for the future of business and leadership. What I enjoyed most was the opportunity to exchange ideas with international students and learn about innovative approaches to sustainability in different countries. My tip for anyone considering a BIP is: be open-minded and use the chance to build connections across cultures – it’s both personally and professionally rewarding.”
Thomas Kienböck
“Thanks to the Erasmus-supported Blended Intensive Programme, I had the opportunity to take part in the EMBS Summer School on Green Business in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, organised by Université Savoie Mont Blanc. Highlights included presenting the results of a prepared interview, working in an international team on a sustainability-oriented marketing concept, and experiencing the impressive Mont Blanc region – a powerful reminder of why sustainability matters.”