The Department of English Language and Culture at the Faculty of Education, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, proudly participated in an international Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) entitled Local to Global Citizenship: Education for a Connected World, organised in cooperation with the School of Education, Polytechnic Institute of Porto in Portugal.
The project brought together 30 students and 9 lecturers from four European universities: Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (Slovakia), Polytechnic Institute of Porto (Portugal), University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), and University of Bergen (Norway). This international collaboration created a dynamic intercultural learning environment in which students explored what it means to be active and responsible citizens in an increasingly interconnected world.
The BIP format combined two virtual online meetings with an intensive face-to-face week held from 23–27 February 2026. This blended structure allowed participants to establish initial academic connections online and subsequently deepen their cooperation through in-person discussions, workshops, and collaborative tasks.
Throughout the programme, students attended a series of expert-led sessions addressing key global challenges and educational perspectives. Topics included Global Interdependencies and Sustainability (environmental, social, and cultural dimensions), Deconstructing Difference: From Multiculturalism to Critical Intercultural Competence, The Intercultural Toolkit: Local Action, Ethical Communication, and Global Citizenship, Media Literacy in an Interdependent World, and AI Literacy as an Extension of Critical Literacy.
The interdisciplinary character of the programme encouraged students to critically reflect on global issues while simultaneously developing practical competencies in intercultural communication, ethical reasoning, and digital literacy. The cooperation also strengthened institutional partnerships and opened new opportunities for future academic mobility and joint projects.
Participation in the BIP project represents an important step in the internationalisation strategy of the Department of English Language and Culture and confirms its commitment to preparing future educators and language professionals for the complex realities of an interconnected world.
The significance of participating in this project is also reflected in the opinions of the participating students from our department:
Alexandra Strečková (3rd year, B.A.): “I would definitely love to experience this again. It allowed me to visit and get to know a new country, as well as gain a lot of new information from our joint meetings. Through conversations with foreign students, I also realized how much different countries have in common, and that, in reality, we are not as different as we might sometimes think.”
Bc. Daniela Zemková (1st year, M.A.): “We worked on projects together, which allowed us to discuss important social issues and see perspectives from people of different cultures.”
Bc. Alžbeta Čierna (1st year, M.A.): “The BIP project allowed me to meet new people and learn about the customs of other countries – not only cultural traditions, but especially different ways of thinking, communicating, and teaching. I learned to better understand different perspectives and to work more effectively in an international environment.”
Text: Mgr. Beáta Ďuračková, PhD., Department of English Language and Culture, Faculty of Education
Photo: Mgr. Lenka Michelčíková, PhD., Department of English Language and Culture, Faculty of Education