BIP Engage, Co-create, Communicate: Empowering Ulysseus Educators for Intercultural Collaboration

Coordinated by the University of Seville, with the universities of Münster and Haaga-Helia as co-organisers, this BIP offers a dynamic and interactive platform for Ulysseus teachers and postdocs to explore how intercultural competencies influence collaboration within Ulysseus.

The physical component of the programme takes place in Seville and combines intercultural learning with co-creation processes to design an Intercultural Code of Conduct. This guide will serve as a foundation for future physical and virtual collaborations, aiming to build an inclusive, empathetic, and effective community for joint work.

Please be aware that your home university may set a different application deadline depending on their internal selection process.

Registration dates 01 August 2025 05 October 2025

Course dates 17 November 2025 21 November 2025

Registration is now closed

Course Content

European University Alliances are ambitious constructs, aiming to unify the European educational landscape, promote global citizenship, and strengthen democratic values. Achieving these goals hinges on effective, respectful, and integrity-driven collaboration—one that celebrates intercultural differences while appreciating common ground.

Yet, the influence of diverse cultural values, practices, and perceptions on operational collaboration is often overlooked. Recognizing and addressing these differences is crucial for fostering understanding and cohesion. With the BIP on Intercultural Competencies and Co-Creation, we aim to create an engaging and interactive platform to explore how intercultural dynamics shape our collaboration within Ulysseus. Together, we will enhance our mutual perspectives and develop a shared vision for meaningful cooperation.

This programme integrates intercultural learning with co-creation processes to design an Intercultural Code of Conduct for Ulysseus. This guide will serve as a foundation for both physical and virtual collaborations, ensuring our partnerships are inclusive, empathetic, and impactful.

Intercultural Competencies
Intercultural Collaboration
Co-Creation
Active listening and empathy
Competence Development

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the BIP, participants should be able to:

1. Understand the Impact of Cultural Diversity on Co-Creation

Explore how cultural values, practices and perceptions influence actions and decisions within collaborative settings.
Recognize and address unconscious biases and their impact on operational collaboration in an intercultural context.

2. Develop Intercultural Competencies for Effective Collaboration

Enhance skills in active listening, empathy, and communication across cultural
boundaries.
Foster an understanding of intercultural differences and similarities to build
stronger and more respectful partnerships.

3. Co-Create an Intercultural Code of Conduct

Collaboratively design a practical and inclusive guideline for physical and virtual collaborations in Ulysseus.
Integrate intercultural learning and co-creation methods to ensure the code reflects diverse perspectives and shared values.

Requirements

The programme is aimed at the entire research community within Ulysseus, including early career and experienced researchers, Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellows, postdoctoral researchers involved in excellence-driven projects, and Ulysseus teachers & educators with a B2 level of English.

Its main goal is to foster the development of intercultural communication skills that are essential for successful international collaboration. By exploring intercultural dynamics and engaging in co-creation processes, participants will contribute diverse perspectives and experiences to strengthen both current and future research projects across the alliance.

Agenda

Day 1

Goal of the day: Team-Building Participants understand how culture influences their communication styles.

09:00 – 10:30 Opening: Introduction to the week
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 12:30 Ice Breaker: Communication Styles (physical and virtual collaboration)
12:30 – 14:30 Lunch
14:30 – 16:00 Feedback (co-creation)

Day 2

Goal of the day: Participants are able to reflect their own cultural experiences and understand their role in collaborative situations.

09:00 – 10:30 Critical Incident I
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 12:30 Culture Transfer I (on-site Collaboration/CoCreation)
12:30 – 14:30 Lunch
14:30 – 16:00 Feedback (co-creation)
16:00 Main evening

Day 3

Goal of the day: Participants are able to transfer their intercultural knowledge to their work environment and understand the differences of intercultural co-creation in virtual and on-site collaboration.

09:00 – 10:30 Culture Transfer II (Virtual Collaboration/Co-Creation)
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 12:30 Build guidelines
12:30 – 14:30 Lunch
14:30 – 16:00 Build guidelines

Day 4

Goal of the day: Participants are able to reflect on the main values for successful intercultural co-creation.

09:00 – 10:30 Value workshop 1
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 12:30 Value workshop 2
12:30 – 14:30 Lunch
14:30 – 16:00 Tour

Day 5

Goal of the day: Participants are able to effectively present and communicate their intercultural co-creation guidelines.

09:00 – 10:30 Ulysseus intercultural guidelines
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 12:30 Feedback workshop

Virtual Component

Participants will engage in a series of interactive activities, including ice-breakers, group discussions on the meaning of culture, and reflections on how cultural backgrounds influence our daily (working) practices, norms, and values. As a preparation task, each participant is asked to reflect on and bring a critical incident related to intercultural interaction, which will serve as a basis for group discussion and learning.

Day 1

[Before On-Site]

Goal of the day: Team-Building: Participants learn about the program and get to know the group. Participants learn about their intercultural competence and how to develop it further.

14:00 – 16:00 Welcome & Introduction to the Program & Participants | Intercultural Competence Assessment

Day 2

[Before On-Site]

Goal of the day: Participants critically reflect the several definitions of culture. Participants understand how culture influences our all-daily behaviors.

14:00 – 16:00 Introduction to the Concept of Culture and its Influence on our Behaviors | Interactive online activity

Day 3

[After the Programme]

Goal of the day: Participants critically reflect the program, and their experiences. Participants understand how they could transfer the developed guidelines to their daily Ulysseus activities and intercultural co-creation processes.

14:00 – 16:00 Reflective Session: What worked well? What aspects need improvements? What have I learned? | Transfer of Ulysseus Intercultural Co-Creation Guidelines: How have you transferred the developed guidelines to your Ulysseus activities?

Application Process

The deadline for the reception of applications is approximately one month before the start of the mobility. Later applications can be accepted only with the approval of the BIP organisers. Please consider the dates of your home institution in case you need a mobility agreement.

20 Erasmus+ BIP participants plus lecturers, expert guests, local participants, etc. (2-3 slots per Ulysseus university). Numbers may vary depending on the possibility of each university to send participants. Collaborating universities may send up to 3 participants. The total between the two types of participation is estimated to be 25.

Please, we highly appreciate the diversity of attendees: one (under)graduate scholars; one early/ experienced stage researchers and one educator. For any kind of enquiries or the management of the mobility agreements you can contact mobilityulysseus@us.es, for enquiries about the programme you can contact Pof. Dr. Jesús Sabariego (jsabariego@us.es).