How can higher education institutions help students get more out of their international mobility experiences? This question was at the heart of the PADMICA Final Conference and Workshop, held on 13-14 October 2026 in Brussels, as part of Higher Education Transformation Week.
Bringing together higher education professionals, it explored how intercultural learning can become an integral part of student mobility. While intercultural encounters are a natural part of studying abroad, meaningful learning does not happen automatically. Students benefit from structured preparation before departure and guided reflection after returning home, helping them better understand themselves, others and the experiences that shape them.
PADMICA’s key results were showcased: practical, low-resource intercultural preparation and reflection modules, alongside a train-the-trainer approach that equips higher education staff to facilitate intercultural learning. As the project’s final conference, the event presented the methods and the principles that shaped its outputs as well. Student feedback from the pilot activities was encouraging, with 99% of respondents recommending the preparation module and 91% recommending the reflection module.
Discussions also highlighted a key challenge: making intercultural learning a lasting part of mobility support requires institutional commitment, staff capacity and sustainable implementation. The closing interactive session invited participants to explore how the PADMICA modules could fit their own institutional contexts, from choosing suitable formats and encouraging student participation to identifying the resources and support needed for long-term integration.
On the following day, an interactive workshop gave participants the opportunity to experience the PADMICA modules from a student’s perspective. Following a guided walkthrough of the learning design, participants took part in short experiential exercises from both the intercultural preparation and reflection modules, exploring how these activities support learning before and after mobility. The programme also included a taster session introducing the Train-the-Trainer resources, the role of a PADMICA facilitator, and how institutions can use the available support materials to strengthen their internal training capacity.