The Kolping HEI Representatives’ Visit to Portugal

On 19–23 May 2025, the Kolping HEI teachers Prof. Dr. Daiva Beržinskienė–Juozainienė and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Regina Navickienė demonstrated the institution’s leadership by participating in the International Week Portalegre 2025 at Portalegre Polytechnic Institute (Portugal). The event aimed to promote the exchange of knowledge, professional experience and educational practices between higher education institutions in different countries, with a particular focus on strengthening international cooperation, improving the quality of education and understanding global challenges.

During the visit, the representatives of Kolping HEI were not mere spectators but actively engaged in academic lectures, thematic seminars, workshops, and roundtable discussions. These sessions covered topical issues such as the challenges of contemporary higher education, the application of pedagogical innovations, the strategic directions of European universities, and the role of intercultural education in the context of globalisation. The event programme also included practical sessions where participants could gain knowledge on inclusion, sustainable development, student empowerment and the use of digital tools in the learning process. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Regina Navickienė also delivered a lecture on “Dark Tourism”, which presented a non-traditional aspect of tourism, examining historically or culturally sensitive places and their significance in the modern tourism context.

The purpose of the visit was not only to participate in the event but to actively seek and establish new international contacts, develop academic partnerships, and strengthen institutional networks. This ambitious goal is a testament to Kolping HEI’s vision of contributing to the development of internationalisation, quality, and inclusion in higher education. Participation in this event provided an opportunity to present Lithuanian higher education to the international community, to exchange best practices, and to initiate possible future exchanges of teachers and students, as well as scientific cooperation and joint projects.