More than sixty students gathered to discuss international mobility, explore opportunities and reflect on the challenges of Erasmus.
IPLUSO held a session dedicated to the Erasmus programme, bringing together over sixty students from various schools within the institution for a time of reflection, sharing experiences and direct interaction with the audience.
The initiative was organised and led by lecturers from ESEL - Lusophone Higher School of Education, Dulce Franco and Rute Coelho. Following the official opening, a presentation on Erasmus mobility was given by Professor Andreia Rosatella, Director of the Research Centre and the Office for Internationalisation and Erasmus Mobility at IPLUSO.
During her presentation, she highlighted the opportunities and challenges associated with participating in the programme, as well as its impact on students’ academic and personal development.
One of the most dynamic moments of the session was the ‘Erasmus Icebreaker’ activity, led by lecturers Dulce Franco and Rute Coelho. Using the metaphor of an iceberg, participants were challenged to reflect on what is visible and invisible in an Erasmus experience.
In the first phase, the students identified what they consider to be the most obvious aspect of international mobility. The responses revealed a strong association with opportunities and personal growth — the word ‘opportunities’ was the most frequently mentioned —, with concepts such as learning, adventure, knowledge and contact with different cultures and lifestyles also emerging.
In a second phase, they were asked to explore the invisible dimension of the ‘Erasmus Iceberg’. In this deeper, more subjective space, feelings such as regret and fear emerged, along with financial barriers, difficulties in recognising academic equivalences, and FOMO (fear of missing out) — the perception that one misses out on unique experiences by not participating in international mobility.
The session continued with teachers Dulce Franco, Rute Coelho and Maria Neves sharing their experiences of participating in Erasmus programmes, offering first-hand accounts of their academic and cultural experiences abroad.
The event concluded with an open discussion, marked by the active participation of those present, during which questions were raised and different perspectives on international mobility were discussed — reinforcing the importance of initiatives of this nature in promoting enriching academic and intercultural experiences.
