At the end of May, the city of Chania, on the island of Crete, hosted the 13th International Week of the Hellenic Mediterranean University. Between the 25th and 29th, academics and researchers from across Europe and beyond gathered to discuss higher education, exchange experiences, and in many cases reconnect with colleagues from projects years in the making.
Gordon Academic College was represented by Prof. Rhonda Sofer, Director of International Projects, and Dr. Stan Sofer, Head of Academic Quality Assurance. Their participation was anything but ceremonial: both arrived with work done and their own agenda.
Closing Three Years of IMPACT
The week coincided with the final consortium meetings of the IMPACT project, an Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education initiative now reaching the end of three years of joint work. The sessions were an opportunity to take stock: what was achieved, what still needs to be documented, what is worth highlighting in the final report. The focus was on Virtual Exchange, on COIL courses (Collaborative Online International Learning), and on how these tools have changed — or can change — the way institutions understand their own internationalization.
Prof. Rhonda Sofer presented "Strategies that Promote Internationalization in Higher Education Institutions," a talk centered on concrete approaches for building international collaborations that outlast any single project. Dr. Stan Sofer presented student feedback data from the COIL courses and joined as a panelist in the discussion "The Impact of Virtual Exchange and COIL on Institutional Development."
In his role as Quality Assurance lead for the project, Dr. Sofer also conducted direct student interviews and observed two of IMPACT's flagship activities: the International Student Debates and the Student AI Conference on Learning and Innovation. First-hand material to assess the real effect of virtual exchange on learning, engagement, and intercultural competence.
Beyond the closing of IMPACT, the week opened doors. Conversations took place around Erasmus+ mobility programs, student and staff exchanges, joint research projects, and international academic partnerships at various stages of development.
Prof. Sofer also initiated discussions on continuing the IMPACT network through future Capacity Building calls, with particular attention to institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa, a region where Gordon has accumulated experience in international educational cooperation.
The 13th International Week was coordinated by Prof. Konstantinos Petridis. Gordon returned home with stronger relationships, collected data, and more than a few ideas for what comes next.
