The fourth transnational meeting of the Erasmus+ project titled “Digitalisation of multilingual programs in the EHEA” (DIMPE) was held at Cork University College in Ireland 16-17 October 2023. DIMPE is a transnational project led by Professor Fernando Rubio Alcalá, Director of Language Policy at the University of Huelva, Spain. The project involves a total of seven partners, including five higher education institutions and two companies from different European countries, including Spain, Poland, Norway, Finland, Cyprus and Ireland.
The main objective of DIMPE (Feb. 2022 – Jan. 2025) is to contribute to the digitalization of higher education institutions in Europe through the planning and implementation of multilingual programs. Specific actions are aimed at fostering digital transformation and establishing interconnected systems of higher education, where knowledge exchange among organizations and the adoption of new technologies drive the development and promotion of innovative educational practices and approaches.
Specifically, the goals of DIMPE are as follows
Provide resources to multilingual program coordinators and stakeholders involved in the design, development, and evaluation of such programs.
Support teachers and students in improving their intercultural, linguistic, and digital competencies.
Provide incoming exchange students with enriching learning experiences from a linguistic and cultural perspective through the implementation of specific internationalization strategies and policies.
In addition, the project includes collecting and disseminating recommendations on multilingual programs to engage educational policy makers and other stakeholders in this process.
This transnational meeting was pertinent in order to review the basic aspects of the project, such as the budget, quality plan, and dissemination plan. These clarifications were useful in ensuring the smooth progress of the project at all times.
Next, we had the contact session for IO1, led by UHU and Learnmera partners, where they presented the first results of the pilot test of the app. This section was highly productive as we outlined the clear and satisfactory next steps for all partners.
Following that, we had the contact session for IO2, led by UCY and UHU partners, where we discussed various aspects such as scenarios and AR glasses suitable for carrying out the “Augmented Reality Training App for Lecturers and Students”. Additionally, there was an open discussion on different augmented reality scenarios and content development, and a demonstration workshop to learn to implement the scenarios with the glasses. On the next day, we resumed the IO2 topic that we left off with on the first day, focusing on how to implement and create a strategy for testing in the different pilots.
The third intellectual output was introduced (IO3). It consists in creating a digital flipbook containing ideas, initiatives and actions for universities to welcome exchange students and promote native language and culture. The working methodology was devised.
Later, we had the planning of the multiplier events and the training activity in Huelva. Next, we had the evaluation of this fourth transnational meeting, and the dissemination strategy we have been implementing, showcasing the website, social media presence, and various strategies such as attending conferences or external activities. Finally, the meeting concluded by agreeing on various points for the fifth transnational meeting of the project, which will take place in Warsaw, Poland, in May 2024.
