The PADMICA project aims to foster intercultural competences among outgoing students to improve the quality of their mobility experience. To this end, the consortium develops intercultural preparation and debriefing modules as well as a train-the-trainer course.

Learning mobility offers students effective opportunities to increase their academic knowledge, employability skills, and foreign language proficiency. Yet simply staying and learning in another country does not automatically lead to the acquisition of intercultural competences. Without proper reflection and guidance, biases may persist, and valuable learning experiences can go unrecognised.

While Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) can play a key role in supporting this process, they often lack the time, resources, or expertise, and tend to focus on more immediate logistical concerns such as grants, health and safety, or accommodation.

PADMICA addresses this gap by developing intercultural preparation and debriefing modules for exchange students. Rooted in intercultural education theory, these modules aim to facilitate meaningful student engagement with new cultures, navigate challenges, and maximise the impact of their mobility experience.

What sets PADMICA apart is its practical, ready-to-use approach: the modules are easy to implement, scalable, and adaptable. HEIs receive a complete package but can tailor the content to suit their specific needs and context.

To ensure long-term impact, PADMICA also empowers Higher Education staff through a train-the-trainer module. This supports the integration of the intercultural modules, primarily delivered in person, into local institutional practices, strengthening sustainability and enabling staff to effectively guide students before, during, and after their mobility.