Würzburg, Cádiz and Hradec Králové: The PSE launches a new seminar for international collaboration in teacher education

What does education look like from a different cultural perspective? How do different educational systems respond to diversity and individual needs? And how can future teachers learn from approaches beyond their own national context?

The newly formed seminar “New perspectives through exchange on education – comparison of how differentiation is handled” offers students the opportunity to explore these questions together with peers from three European universities. Designed as an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), the seminar combines virtual international collaboration with an onsite learning experience during the PSE’s winter school in Würzburg, creating an intercultural learning environment. The participating institutions include the University of Würzburg, the University of Cádiz and the University of Hradec Králové.

Learning about education across borders

The seminar focuses on cultural diversity in education and its connection to students’ individual educational experiences and biographies as well as to the educational systems in which they have grown up. A particular focus lies on the ways in which differentiation is understood and addressed in different educational contexts.

Working in international and interdisciplinary groups, students will compare similarities and differences between the three education systems and critically examine educational inequalities. At the same time, the international setting provides an opportunity to reflect on how one's own cultural background can shape perspectives on teaching, learning and educational opportunities.

Moreover, the students will engage with teaching and learning processes from a transcultural perspective and develop their ability to communicate, collaborate and coordinate tasks in an international academic environment. Intercultural competence is therefore a central learning objective of the course.

From virtual exchange to meeting in Würzburg

A particular feature of the seminar is its combination of virtual interaction and physical mobility. During the 2026/27 winter semester, the students from Czech Republic, Germany and Spain will first meet in two virtual settings (in November and in December 2026) before the seminar then culminates in a face-to-face session at the University of Würzburg. From 22 to 26 February 2027, the participating students will join the 6^th GoTEd+ Week, the PSE’s international winter school. There, the students will meet their international peers in person and present the results of their joint project.

This combination of digital and physical exchange makes the seminar a particularly engaging opportunity to experience internationalisation in teacher education first-hand: students do not only learn about different educational perspectives but work together with fellow student teachers whose educational experiences may differ from their own.

An opportunity for future teachers

The seminar is open to teacher training students from all teacher education programmes at the three partner universities. It is taught entirely in English and awards a minimum of 3 ECTS at the respective university (e.g. 5 ECTS for teacher training students at JMU).

For students interested in international perspectives on education, the seminar provides an opportunity to broaden their understanding of teaching and learning, engage critically with different educational contexts and develop valuable experience in international collaboration.

For more details about the course and to register (only for students at JMU) click here:

A cinematic retrospective of the 5^th GoTEd+ Week 2026 can be watched here!