Follow our journey as Beyond Borders unfolds. This space brings together the latest news, project highlights, and upcoming events across our partner institutions.

Kicking off Beyond Borders in Warsaw

From 26 to 28 November 2025, the Beyond Borders project officially began in Warsaw, where partners from across Europe came together for the first Transnational Project Meeting (TPM). Hosted by the University of Warsaw, the meeting marked an important starting point to build connections, align visions, and set the foundations for the work ahead.

The TPM opened with a warm welcome and an introduction to the University of Warsaw’s work on interculturality and inclusion. Through interactive activities and discussions, partners explored key concepts such as interculturality and diversity, developing a shared understanding that will guide the project moving forward.

A central part of the meeting focused on exchanging best practices. Each partner presented their own experiences and initiatives, ranging from institutional policies to student-led actions and research projects. This mapping exercise highlighted both common challenges and opportunities, while showcasing the richness of approaches across institutions.

One of the highlights was a study visit to the Warsaw Multicultural Centre, where participants gained first-hand insight into how intercultural inclusion is implemented at the local level. The Centre supports migrant communities through language courses, cultural activities, and practical services, offering a concrete example of inclusive practices in action.

The meeting also looked ahead, with partners working on the preparation of upcoming activities, including capacity building and the Beyond Borders Academy. A Theory of Change workshop helped connect the project’s activities to its long-term goals, ensuring a shared strategic direction.

Beyond the sessions, informal moments and exchanges helped build trust and strengthen collaboration across the consortium. As the meeting concluded, partners aligned on priorities and next steps, marking the beginning of a shared journey towards more inclusive and intercultural higher education.

Building a shared foundation for intercultural inclusion

On 20 February 2026, the Beyond Borders project held its Internal Capacity Building Session, bringing together 32 participants from partner universities for an interactive online training on intercultural inclusion in higher education.

As part of Activity 2.2 (WP2 – Preparation), the session aimed to equip university representatives with the knowledge, tools, and shared understanding needed to actively contribute to the next phases of the project, including the development of institutional strategies and the future Beyond Borders Academy.

The training combined conceptual input with collaborative reflection and group work, encouraging participants to explore interculturality, inclusion, and diversity not only as values, but as practical dimensions of institutional change. A strong emphasis was placed on participation and exchange, with breakout discussions playing a key role in fostering dialogue and shared learning.

The session was highly valued by participants, with 100% indicating they would recommend it to colleagues. Feedback highlighted the relevance of the content, the interactive format, and the opportunity to connect discussions directly to participants’ own institutional contexts.

Importantly, the session also translated learning into action: participants reported increased clarity on project objectives and were able to identify concrete steps they could take within their own institutions. This confirms that the session not only strengthened shared understanding, but also supported institutional readiness for the next stages of the project.

Beyond its immediate outcomes, the session provided valuable insights for future activities, including local replication sessions and the design of the Beyond Borders Academy. By building confidence, fostering collaboration, and encouraging practical application, this capacity-building milestone laid a strong foundation for the project’s continued development.

What’s next: from local engagement to European impact

As the Beyond Borders project moves forward, the focus shifts from preparation to implementation, with a series of activities designed to bring intercultural learning to life across partner universities and beyond.

A key milestone will be the Beyond Borders Weeks, a series of immersive, week-long events hosted at each partner university. These events will bring together students, faculty, and external stakeholders in dynamic spaces for dialogue, exchange, and collaborative learning.

Through workshops, debates, and interactive sessions, participants will explore themes related to diversity, inclusion, and intercultural understanding. The programme will also include creative and experiential elements—such as artistic performances and storytelling—encouraging participants to engage with interculturality in a more personal and meaningful way.

Beyond their immediate impact, the Beyond Borders Weeks will contribute to strengthening student engagement, fostering peer learning, and embedding inclusive practices within university life.

Looking further ahead, the project will culminate in the Global Citizens Conference, to be held in Greece in autumn 2027. This final event will bring together universities, students, and policymakers to share results, reflect on experiences, and explore the future of intercultural learning in higher education.

A central highlight of the conference will be the presentation of the Intercultural Toolbox, a practical resource developed throughout the project to support institutions in fostering inclusive and intercultural environments.

Together, these upcoming activities will not only showcase the project’s results, but also strengthen collaboration, encourage knowledge-sharing, and contribute to building a more inclusive and interconnected European higher education landscape.