From April 13th to 17th, the Faculty of Pedagogy hosted the physical mobility week of the international Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) “Debating Education – Developing Future Teachers’ Voices”. The programme involved students from the Faculty of Pedagogy at VIKO (Vilnius Higher Education Institution), the University of Crete (Greece), and the Liepaja Academy of Riga Technical University (Latvia). It was five days filled with intensive learning, cultural exchange, and, most importantly, bold discussions about the future of education.
Future teachers practiced debating, improved their public speaking and argumentation skills, developed intercultural competence, and strengthened their understanding of the teacher’s role in creating an inclusive, civic-minded, and critical-thinking society. One of the most highlight experiences was the visit to the “Saulės gojus” school and meeting its pupils in the debate ring to discuss inclusive education and citizenship. We extend our gratitude to our social partner, the “Saulės gojus” school, for this opportunity and to their wonderful students for their courage in debating with future teachers. We also thank the “ Youth Debate” association for their masterful debate lessons!
Although the contact week has concluded, the learning journey for the programme participants will continue in the virtual space through sharing reflections and applying the competences gained during this week in their practical activities and studies.
