A sequence of increasingly spaced clicks is heard until the prize roulette comes to a complete standstill. This time, the student who entered the game won a pen and a notepad. Students who attended the 2nd Mobility Open Day on 5th and 6th December had the chance to win these and other prizes. All they had to do was collect at least three collectible stamps from one of the exhibition stands at the event, where the mobility programmes were presented and the participants’ questions were answered. The stamps were then put together on a postcard, mapping the participants’ ‘journey’ through the event.
The activity took place at Taguspark and Alameda campi and provided students with opportunities to learn more about mobility programmes in the 1st semester or the whole of the 2024/25 academic year. In the case of Taguspark campus, the 6th of December also included the Mobility Talks, during which several students who have taken part in mobility programmes had the opportunity to share their experiences.
Some members of the Students’ Union at Instituto Superior Técnico (AEIST) help run the event as a result of a partnership established between the Mobility and International Cooperation Office (NMCI), of Técnico’s International Affairs Division, and the AEIST. Margarida Bernardes is a case in point – the final year student of Molecular Science and Engineering master’s programme is in charge of distributing the prizes drawn on the giveaway prize roulette. “We have different types of people in this event” she says, referring to the students who attend the event. “There are some students who are just passing by and end up receiving some interesting information and think about it, but there are also other people who come here looking to find out more”, she adds.
One of those people is Rafael Rodrigues, who is now completing the third year of Electrical and Computer Engineering degree. He is interested in doing a double degree programme at a higher education institution in northern Europe and believes that at the start of his career, “a double degree can be a great help when looking for a job in a foreign country”. According to Rafael, at these events, some of the other students’ questions also become his own, which are useful for “clear up doubts – required documents, application processes, accommodation…”.
Still on 5th November, during the activity held at Taguspark campus, Cristina Sousa, a member of the NMCI team, commented “this type of experience broadens the cultural and intellectual horizons of students”. “Mobility programmes develop students’ maturity, as they will be on their own without the support of their parents, dealing with adverse situations”, she added. Paula Lopes, also a member of the NMCI team, shares that the experience “is very important on an academic level, as it provides students with challenges that don’t exist here, which is highly valued by employers”.
Mobility programmes highlighted in the Mobility Open Day:
- Outside Europe Mobility;
- SMILE Programme;
- International Ambassadors;
- Joint Programmes – Erasmus Mundus, InnoEnergy, Katamaran;
- Short Courses – ATHENS, BIPs;
- International Traineeships;
- Erasmus+ Programme for Studies;
- Study Programmes in Europe;
- Almeida Garrett Programme;
- Mobility of Teaching Staff (STA) and Staff Training Mobility (STT).
