Hungary Staff Mobility Opens New Collaboration Opportunities for Wittenborg

23.10.2026

Vajihe Shojaei and George Bosire Share Insights From Erasmus+ Mobility Trip

For Vajihe Shojaei and George Bosire, a recent Erasmus+ staff mobility programme in Hungary offered an opportunity to step outside their usual academic environment and see how institutions across Europe are approaching teaching, research and internationalisation.

The two Wittenborg staff members visited John von Neumann University in Kecskemét, Hungary, joining lecturers, researchers and project partners from different countries for a week of presentations, discussions and cultural exchange.

Speaking during Wittenborg's Erasmus Days staff mobility briefing on 12 October, both described an experience that was as much about building relationships as it was about learning from different educational approaches.

Shojaei said the process of arranging the mobility was straightforward, thanks to support from Wittenborg's Research Centre.

The programme began with participants introducing their institutions and sharing information about their activities, research interests and potential areas for cooperation. Throughout the week, they attended presentations, networking events and meetings designed to encourage dialogue between participating institutions.

Beyond the formal programme, the visit provided an opportunity to explore Kecskemét, a city Shojaei later described as "a lovely surprise".

"The sightseeing, the visit to the Town Hall, and the Leskowsky Musical Instrument Museum were very enjoyable," Shojaei said. "I also appreciated experiencing the local atmosphere, as it made the mobility more memorable and gave me a better sense of the city and its culture."

The setting left an impression, but it was the conversations that proved most valuable.

After returning to the Netherlands, Shojaei found her inbox filling up.

"I received lots of emails and messages from lecturers or other project owners. They would love to collaborate with us."

Among the ideas now being explored are Erasmus+ projects, research partnerships and mobility opportunities involving both staff and students. She is also developing an Erasmus+ research proposal and hopes to involve some of the academics she met during the visit.

John von Neumann University has already expressed interest in expanding cooperation with Wittenborg, including staff exchanges, student mobility and joint initiatives.

Seeing education through a different lens

For Bosire, one of the most valuable aspects of the programme was hearing how institutions in different countries approach common challenges.

"It was quite a good opportunity to meet educators from different backgrounds, different institutions."

Discussions covered topics ranging from internationalisation and educational quality to teaching methods and student engagement.

Bosire said the exchange highlighted practical ideas that could be adapted or explored further, including guest lectures, collaborative online learning, international case studies, research exchanges and seminars.

"I saw opportunities for collaboration, especially in terms of guest teaching," he said. "Joint learning, for example, coming up with an international case study, a collaborative online project, a research exchange and seminars."

He was particularly interested in the emphasis many institutions place on bringing international perspectives into teaching, regardless of their size.

Are you next?

Wittenborg staff members interested in joining the Erasmus+ outgoing staff mobility programme are encouraged to contact the Research Centre. Recent staff mobility destinations have included Hungary, Romania, Ireland and Türkiye, with opportunities available through Wittenborg's growing international network.