The course consists of 5 credits which are integrated into the master's degrees of the VID students. The teaching began with two digital introductory meetings before all the students met for a whole week/5 days in Helsinki at DIAK. DIAK is a partner institution with which VID has a lot of teaching and research collaboration. The students will meet again digitally on Friday this week for a final reflection on academic content about Inclusion and diversity; what destroys societies and what binds societies together.

Extended network

The VID students had the opportunity to get to know each other across programs and campuses. At the same time, they had a completely unique opportunity to get to know students from different national contexts, from Estonia, Finland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Malawi and South Africa.

Through lectures and intensive group work, both lecturers and students gained new knowledge, new experiences and a large extended network that spans borders and continents. Two weeks after the meeting in Finland, messages are still shared on the joint SoMe platform that has been established in connection with the meeting in Helsinki. Friendship and professional contacts across contexts have an inestimable value in a world that is increasingly characterized by polarization and nationalization.

Solidarity and commitment

Travel and accommodation are covered for lecturers and students through Erasmus+ funds which the International Office distributes each year. Participating in this collaboration gives VID a strengthened network across institutions, which makes the steps towards further teaching and research collaboration credible in the application processes for international funding.

Most of all, those of us who were there are left with a good after-warming after all the meetings with people. All the solidarity and commitment that was shared in this DISCO BIP provides inspiration for further work for people - locally and globally!