International or intercultural experiences in the higher education sector in Belgium

“Crossing your boundaries by making the unknown familiar”: international or intercultural experiences in the higher education sector in Belgium.
By Dirk Van Waelderen, Mobility Coordinator, Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, www.hubrussel.be/english. Nowadays there are many ways for students to gain an international experience before they start their careers. The most common way in Europe is probably the Erasmus programme which offers study exchanges or traineeships. In this European programme students stay abroad for at least several months. The advantages of an international experience are manifold. According to many studies on the impact of a student exchange, the students improve their cultural and creative reflexes, their linguistic proficiency and their international skills. Complementing the educational gains are the advantages obtained when entering the labour market. It is vital in the training of students to broaden their familiar surroundings by crossing the traditional boundaries of their study or living environment. By learning to think outside the box, students are then able to achieve the foundations of an enhanced creativity and innovation. More...