International Staff Week team 2025
UWC International Relations Coordinators Joins JYU International Staff Week 2025
International Staff Week 2025 at the University of Jyväskylä brought together experts from JYU’s partner universities as well as representatives of the FORTHEM Alliance universities, aiming to enhance the internationalisation of universities.
Cooperation across borders – Staff Week brought together international experts to share ideas and experiences.
International Staff Week 2025 at the University of Jyväskylä brought together experts from JYU’s partner universities as well as representatives of the FORTHEM Alliance universities, aiming to enhance the internationalisation of universities.
During the week, the participants shared their experiences, networked, and explored how physical and digital participation methods can be utilised in teaching, mobility, and international cooperation. The aim of the event was to promote the development of global cooperation and to provide the participants an opportunity to share good practices and develop new strategies to support international activities. The Staff Week was organised as part of the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme.
FORTHEM Alliance and cooperation between universities
Sami Zahibi found participation in Staff Week interesting, as his role includes responsibility for mobility issues and digital tools within the FORTHEM Alliance. He found the themes relevant since he works daily on those same issues. For this reason, Zahibi wanted to hear what other universities are doing around the same themes and to find ways to improve his own institution’s activities and increase cooperation with different partners.
Zahibi found it essential that participants had the chance to share their effective practices with one another, as mutually shared ideas and insights inspire further development.
Highlights and learning experiences of the week
Although the event was focused on academic and administrative issues, for Zahibi the highlight of the week was the atmosphere created by the snowfall. He said that the shared experience, along with the atmospheric snowy surroundings, made the team spirit even stronger.
Comparing daily practices and tools with colleagues from other universities was a valuable learning experience to Zahibi:
“We often tend to focus on our own working habits, but learning operational models from others helps us develop ourselves and our work.”
He said that during the week, he had learned new practices, especially related to digitalization tools and various systems used at other universities.
Feedback and future plans
When we asked Zahibi what else he had learned during the week, he said that he had identified areas for development within his own university’s operations. Over the course of the week, he gained a clearer view on what they should develop and how they could improve their operations – he received useful ideas for future developments.
Zahibi also felt strongly that Staff Week is an experience he would recommend to his colleagues. This was his second time attending the JYU Staff Week event. He states, that irrespective of the particular themes, there is always something new and interesting to learn.
Human and Chuene left Jyväskylä with new insights and warm memories
Representing the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town, South Africa, Lauren Human and Annah Chuene participated in the event for the first time and found it offered valuable insights for their work. They are responsible for student and staff mobility, and the key themes that were also covered during the JYU Staff Week, such as credit recognition and student housing, made the week particularly interesting for them.
Networking and well-being in focus
They also considered networking opportunities important, noting that JYU Staff Week stood out from other international events thanks to its particularly well-organised programme.
Well-being was also a widely discussed topic during the week. The women were impressed by the fact that well-being is part of JYU’s strategy – not just physical, but also mental well-being. The Staff Week programme was designed in a way that it did not feel overwhelming. They noted that these were important elements, which they would like to incorporate into their own work.
The management of student housing was a positive surprise
The management of student housing was a positive surprise, especially the governance model. In Jyväskylä, the local Student Union administers housing, which is completely different from the practices in Cape Town, Human’s and Chuene’s home city. This gave them new ideas for developing their own work.
The participants also experienced their first Finnish winter – the shimmering snowy landscape made a strong impression, although the slippery conditions came as a surprise. Ice swimming was one of the week’s highlights, and at the end of the event they wanted to thank the organisers especially for their warm hospitality and careful planning. Human and Chuene ended with a reciprocal invitation:
“The representatives of the University of Jyväskylä are warmly welcome to Cape Town!”
New perspectives on work and thinking
Agnese Lastovska and Sanita Baranova also participated in the event and are eager to share their experiences. Both come from the University of Latvia and found the week inspiring and rewarding.
Working practices and networking
Lastovska works as a researcher and lecturer in the studio innovation team at the University of Latvia. She has visited Jyväskylä several times before, and every time she returns to Finland, she feels at home. The beautiful winter landscape in Jyväskylä made a strong impression. During the week, Lastovska especially enjoyed the opportunity to meet her colleagues, including members of her own Latvian team. She notes that in their busy daily lives, people seldom have time to pause and share their thoughts. Therefore, this week provided a refreshing change. She also values the opportunity to network with colleagues from different countries.
Well-being and teaching facilities
Baranova works as associate professor and researcher in the Faculty of Education and Psychology at the University of Latvia. She was pleasantly surprised by the well-designed teaching facilities, which support the well-being of both teachers and students, making them a joy to use as learning environments. Like other participants, both Lastovska and Baranova were impressed by how the University of Jyväskylä has managed to integrate the concept of well-being into its teaching as well as its overall strategy.
Shared challenges and global perspectives
During the week, Lastovska and Baranova were reminded of a key insight: different universities face similar challenges, even if the solutions vary. This strengthened their sense of belonging by highlighting that we are part of the same global community and share common challenges. Baranova pointed out how important it is that teachers also have the opportunity to experience well-being, as it is directly reflected in the quality of teaching and students’ learning experiences. Teachers who feel well are better able to support their students and foster meaningful learning.
International experiences provide broader insights
Both women recommend the Staff Week event to their colleagues and students. They feel that this kind of international experiences help participants develop their own work and open up new perspectives on the practices and operations of other universities. Lastovska is eager to return to Jyväskylä, as she finds that events like this provide more energy and inspiration for her work. She appreciates how each visit teaches her something new, offers fresh perspectives, and provides new tools for working life:
“When you engage in interaction with others, you can see a reflection of your own work and yourself. This broadens your insights.”
Lastovska and Baranova are happy to share their experiences and what they have learned after returning home. They hope that more and more colleagues and students will find their way to events like this, as they can open up new perspectives and take their work to a new level.
original article: https://www.jyu.fi/en/news/jyu-international-staff-week-2025-networking-and-new-perspectives-on-internationalisation
