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ROMANIA, Alba Iulia: Global Citizenship in Multicultural Academic Settings

Location:

Alba Iulia, Universiteit 1 Decembrie 1918

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
In our interconnected world, academic success increasingly depends on the ability to collaborate across cultures, navigate diverse perspectives, and contribute meaningfully to global communities. This Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) prepares students to become culturally agile global citizens who can thrive in international academic and professional environments.
Through a combination of virtual preparatory activities and intensive in-person experiences, participants will develop critical competencies in intercultural communication, global awareness, inclusive leadership, and collaborative problemsolving. The programme emphasizes experiential learning, peer-to-peer exchange, and practical application of knowledge in real-world scenarios.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this programme, participants will be able to:

Knowledge Competencies

  • Articulate key theories of intercultural communication and cultural intelligence (CQ)
  • Analyze how cultural contexts shape educational systems, learning preferences, and academic expectations globally
  • Identify unconscious biases, stereotypes, and privilege dynamics in multicultural settings
  • Explain the relationship between globalization, internationalization, and higher education transformation
  • Recognize diverse communication styles, conflict resolution approaches, and decision-making processes across cultures

Skills Competencies

  • Communicate effectively across cultural boundaries using active listening, empathy, and adaptive language strategies
  • Navigate and resolve conflicts arising from cultural misunderstandings with diplomacy and cultural sensitivity
  • Collaborate productively in diverse teams, leveraging different perspectives to achieve common goals
  • Facilitate inclusive discussions that ensure all voices are heard and respected
  • Apply design thinking and participatory approaches to address global challenges
  • Utilize digital tools for cross-cultural collaboration and knowledge sharing

Personal Development Competencies

  • Demonstrate openness, curiosity, and respect toward cultural differences
  • Practice self-reflection and continuous learning about one's own cultural identity and biases
  • Exhibit adaptability and resilience when facing cultural ambiguity or discomfort
  • Champion inclusivity, equity, and social justice in academic and professional contexts
  • Embrace global citizenship as a lifelong commitment to intercultural understanding
This international project is a Blended Intensive Programme of Erasmus+ Erasums+ Logo
Start date: May 11, 2026
End date: May 15, 2026
NOTE: Priority for participation in this project for students Strategic Information & Data Architectures Registration form

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PHASE 1: VIRTUAL PREPARATORY ACTIVITIES (March - April 2026)
Module 1: Understanding Cultural Identity and Awarness (Week 1-2, March)
Activities:
Cultural Lens Exercise: Complete a personal mapping of your cultural values, communication style, and everyday norms using an interactive reflection tool.
Asynchronous Learning: Watch short expert videos on how culture shapes perception, time orientation, relationships, and learning styles.
Peer Dialogue Circles: Join small online groups (6–8 students) to exchange stories about how culture influences your studies, teamwork, and daily choices.
Reflective Journal: Begin your weekly entries focusing on moments when you recognised or challenged your own assumptions.
Learning Outcomes:
Understand your own cultural identity and how it shapes your worldview
Understand how cultural awareness builds empathy and improves intercultural interactions.
Build initial connections with peers from diverse backgrounds
Module 2: Global Perspective on Education and Learning (Week 3-4, March)
Activities:
Comparative Learning Project: In international pairs, explore how education systems differ in values, methods, and expectations. Present your findings in a short digital poster.
Guest Speaker Sessions: Join live talks from educators across regions (Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas) on how local context shapes teaching and learning.
Case Study Workshop: Analyse real examples of cultural misunderstanding in classrooms and propose inclusive solutions.
Discussion Forum: Contribute to debates such as “What does equality in education mean across cultures?” or “How do we decolonise knowledge?”

PHASE 2: PHYSICAL INTENSIVE WEEK IN ALBA IULIA (11-15 May 2026)
Sunday, 10 May 2026
08:00 - 09:30 | Breakfast
09:30 - 18:00 | Exploring Alba Iulia’s Multicultural Heritage
Activities:
Guided tour of the Alba Iulia Fortress highlighting Roman, Hungarian, and Romanian influences
Visit to the Union Museum and discussion on multiculturalism in Transylvania’s history
Traditional lunch featuring Romanian, Hungarian, and Romani cuisine
Free time to explore and engage with the local community
18:30 - 21:00 | Welcome Dinner with Cultural Exchange
Participants share artifacts or stories from their home cultures.
Monday, 11 May 2026
08:00 - 09:00 | Breakfast
09:00 - 10:00 | Registration and Welcome Coffee
Location: "1 Decembrie 1918" University, Doctoral School Building
10:00 - 11:00 | Official Opening Ceremony
Speakers: Invited guests
11:00 - 11:30 | Coffee Break & Networking
11:30 - 13:00 | Workshop – From Virtual to Physical: Building Trust Across Cultures
Activities:
Reconnecting after virtual phase through interactive team-building exercises “Cultural Iceberg” exploration of visible and invisible cultural layers
Setting group norms for inclusive collaboration 
Introduction to the week’s collaborative project
13:00 - 14:00 | Lunch
14:00 - 16:30 | Interactive Seminar: Cultural Intelligence in Practice
Participants rotate through four practical stations:
PHASE 2: PHYSICAL INTENSIVE WEEK IN ALBA IULIA (11-15 May 2026)
Content:
Bias Recognition Lab
Cultural Adaptation Scenarios
Microaggression Theatre
Privilege Walk
16:30 - 17:00 | Coffee Break
17:00 - 18:30 | Group Work: Global Challenge Project Launch
Task: Teams choose a challenge (education access, climate justice, digital equity,
intercultural conflict) and begin developing solutions.
Deliverable: Final presentation on Friday
19:00 - 21:00 | Dinner at Traditional Restaurant
Optional evening: Cultural performances or informal socializing
Tuesday, 12 May 2026
08:00 - 09:30 | Breakfast
09:30 - 11:30 | Workshop: Deconstructing Educational Power Dynamics
Activities:
Critical pedagogy dialogue inspired by Paulo Freire
Fishbowl discussion on hierarchy and student agency across systems
Addressing colonial legacies in curricula
11:30 - 12:00 | Coffee Break
12:00 - 13:30 | Interactive Session: Inclusive Classroom Design
Content:
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles
Designing psychologically safe learning environments
Group task: redesign a syllabus for cultural inclusivity
13:30 - 14:30 | Lunch
14:30 - 16:30 | Workshop: Cross-Cultural Communication Mastery
Activities:
Verbal and non-verbal communication across cultures
Practice sessions on active listening, cultural questioning, and code-switching
Active listening across language barriers
Asking culturally sensitive questions
Reading and responding to non-verbal cues
Navigating language hierarchies and code-switching
PHASE 2: PHYSICAL INTENSIVE WEEK IN ALBA IULIA (11-15 May 2026)
Simulation of complex multicultural interactions
16:30 - 17:00 | Coffee Break
17:00 - 18:30 | Group Work Session + Individual Coaching
19:00 - 21:30 | Dinner followed by International Night
Participants organize performances, presentations, or activities from their cultures
Wednesday, 13 May 2026
08:00 - 09:00 | Breakfast
09:00 - 10:30 | Workshop: Conflict Transformation in Multicultural Teams
Content:
Understanding cultural conflict styles
Mediation strategies and applied role-play exercises
10:30 - 11:00 | Coffee Break
11:00 - 13:00 | Design Thinking Lab: Collaborative Problem-Solving
Activities:
Introduction to design thinking methods
Team Challenge: Apply empathy mapping, ideation, and prototyping to global challenge projects
Incorporating diverse perspectives into solution design
Rapid prototyping and peer feedback sessions
13:00 - 14:00 | Lunch
14:00 - 17:30 | Field Experience: Community Engagement
Options:
Visit to a local NGO (refugee, Roma, or migrant communities)
Interactive session with Romanian high school students
Visit to a social enterprise promoting intercultural dialogue
Activities include:
Facilitated dialogue with community members
Collaborative activities with local students/community
Reflection on privilege, responsibility, and solidarity
17:30 - 18:30 | Return and Free Time
19:00 - 21:00 | Dinner
Evening: Cultural activities in Alba Iulia
PHASE 2: PHYSICAL INTENSIVE WEEK IN ALBA IULIA (11-15 May 2026)
Thursday, 14 May 2026
08:00 - 09:30 | Breakfast
09:30 - 11:30 | Seminar: Internationalization and Global Higher Education
Content:
Trends: virtual exchange, research collaboration, student mobility
Critical issues: brain drain, equity, and sustainable partnerships
Panel: international students and faculty share experiences
11:30 - 12:00 | Coffee Break
12:00 - 13:30 | Workshop: Global Citizenship and Social Responsibility
Content:
Ethical dimensions of international work
Creating personal action plans for global engagement
13:30 - 14:30 | Lunch
14:30 – 17:00 | Collaborative Lab: Global Citizenship in Action
Content & Activities:
• Teams connect global citizenship principles to their chosen global challenge projects
• Apply ethical frameworks and sustainability perspectives to refine project impact
• Mentored working groups: Develop actionable strategies for real-world implementation
• Output: Integrate “social responsibility component” into final project presentations
17:00 – 17:30 | Coffee Break
17:30 – 18:30 | Reflection Circle: Learning Across Borders
Activities:
• Guided reflection using storytelling prompts (“My turning point”, “What I unlearned”)
• Peer feedback on intercultural growth
• Journaling exercise: From awareness to responsibility
• Preparation for Friday’s final presentations
19:00 – 21:00 | Dinner & Informal Networking Evening
Theme: “Bringing the World Home” – informal sharing of stories, art, or photos from
participants’ countries
PHASE 2: PHYSICAL INTENSIVE WEEK IN ALBA IULIA (11-15 May 2026)
Friday, 15 May 2026
08:00 – 09:00 | Breakfast
09:00 – 11:30 | Final Project Presentations – Session 1
Format:
• Each team presents their global challenge solution (15 min + 10 min Q&A)
• Presentations should demonstrate intercultural competencies learned
• Peer evaluation using structured rubrics
• Faculty panel provides feedback
11:30 – 12:00 | Coffee Break
12:00 – 13:30 | Final Project Presentations – Session 2 & Jury Feedback
Format:
• Continuation of team presentations
• Panel summary and commendations for creativity, feasibility. and intercultural
collaboration
13:30 – 14:30 | Lunch
14:30 - 17:00 | Final Project Presentations
Format:
Each team presents their global challenge solution (15 minutes + 10 minutes Q&A)
Presentations should demonstrate intercultural competencies learned
17:00 - 17:30 | Coffee Break
17:30 - 18:30 | Closing Session: Reflections and Next Steps
Activities:
Group reflection and key insights
Feedback session
Launch of alumni network and closing ritual
19:00 - 22:00 | Farewell Gala Dinner
Celebration with music, dancing, and shared memories