Explore Nine Countries from Your Desk – Join the COLOURS Virtual Journey Week!
November 12, 2024
About the event
From November 18 to 22, students and staff of COLOURS partner universities are invited to embark on an interactive, virtual journey through nine different countries. This exciting Virtual Journey Week will provide participants with unique digital experiences, including language cafés, taster courses, quizzes, and engaging video clips, showcasing the diversity of the Alliance’s universities, cultures, and languages.
In a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, attendees can participate in discussions in various languages, connect with students and colleagues from across Europe, and exchange insights on cultural and academic topics. Student representatives will be available to answer questions, and Erasmus students will share their personal experiences, offering a first-hand glimpse into the world of international study.
Whether you’re looking to expand your cultural knowledge, meet new friends, or simply enjoy a week of digital exploration, Virtual Journey Week is the perfect opportunity to engage with the COLOURS Alliance community—all from the comfort of your own desk! Don’t miss this chance to explore, connect, and be inspired.
| Morning | Afternoon | |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, November 18th | Opening Session, France – Le Mans Université | Germany – Paderborn University |
| Tuesday November 19th | Poland – Jan Dlugosz University | Croatia – Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku |
| Wednesday November 20th | Spain – Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha | Italy – Università degli Studi di Ferrara |
| Thursday November 21st | North Macedonia – Univerzitet "Sv. Kliment Ohridski" | Sweden – Kristianstad University |
| Friday November 22nd | Latvia Ventspils – University of Applied Sciences | Closing Session |
Whom?
Everyone is welcome!
Students, staff and teachers of the COLOURS universities are a given. But it doesn’t mean others can’t join, quite the opposite!
Where?
Everything will happen online!
You’ll be able to tour 9 countries from the comfort of your home, by following this link.
On the BloomHub platform, VUAS users can log in with their LAIS username and password.
Please note:
- If you have eduGAIN credentials, you’ll be able to access the platform right away.
- If you do not, please contact the following email address by Wednesday, November 13th to get some credentials.
Detailed Programme
Monday, November 18th
| Live events | Available until Monday 25th | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening session | 9-9:30am (CET) | Welcome event (Zoom, English A2~) | Recording of the event |
| France – Le Mans Université | 10-10:30am (CET) | French Crash Course / Découverte du français (Zoom, No requirement) | From 9:30am Videos, quizzes and more (various language requirements) |
| 11-11:30am (CET) | Café de langue en français (Zoom, French A2~) | From 9:30am Videos, quizzes and more (various language requirements) | |
| 12-12:30pm (CET) | ERASMUS Students Present Their Experience at LMU (Zoom, English A2~) | From 9:30am Videos, quizzes and more (various language requirements) | |
| 1-1:30pm (CET) | French Crash Course / Découverte du français (Zoom, No requirement) | From 9:30am Videos, quizzes and more (various language requirements) | |
| Germany – Paderborn University | 3-4pm (CET) | Student Life in Paderborn – local students answer your questions (Zoom, English B1~) | From 1pm Videos, quizzes and more (various language requirements) |
| 4-5pm (CET) | Sprachcafé Deutsch (Zoom, Deutsch B1~) | From 1pm Videos, quizzes and more (various language requirements) | |
| 4-5pm (CET) | A glimpse of German: a sample lesson for beginners (Zoom, No requirement) | From 1pm Videos, quizzes and more (various language requirements) | |
| 5-6pm (CET) | Erasmus in Paderborn – students share their experience (Zoom, English B1~) | From 1pm Videos, quizzes and more (various language requirements) |
Tuesday, November 19th
| Live events | Available until Monday 25th | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Poland – Jan Dlugosz University | 10am-12pm (CET) | Polish Basics: Beginner Crash Course (Zoom, No requirement) | From 9:30am Videos, quizzes and more (English B1~) |
| 10am-12pm (CET) | Cultural Exchange: Erasmus Student Reflections on Life in Poland and Studying at JDU (Zoom, English B1~) | From 9:30am Videos, quizzes and more (English B1~) | |
| Croatia – Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku | From 2pm Discover Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek (Croatian B1~ / English B1~) | ||
| Walking Osijek (English B1~) | |||
| The ABC of Croatian (English B1~) | |||
| Osijek - Essek und sein(e) Deutsch(en) (German B2~) | |||
| Mała lekcja polskiego w Osijeku / Mala lekcija poljskog jezika u Osijeku (Polish A1-A2 / Croatian A1-A2) | |||
| Experiences of Incoming Erasmus+ Students (English B1~) |
Wednesday, November 20th
| Live events | Available until Monday 25th | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain – Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha | 10-10:30am (CET) | Welcome to the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Teams, English B1~) | From 9:30am Videos, quizzes and more (no language requirements) |
| 10:45-11:30am (CET) | Forum: COLOURS Experiences, Opportunities and Challenges at the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Teams, English B1~) | From 9:30am Videos, quizzes and more (no language requirements) | |
| 11:45am-1:00pm (CET) | Iniciación a la lengua española (Teams, English B1~) | From 9:30am Videos, quizzes and more (no language requirements) | |
| Italy – Università degli Studi di Ferrara | 2-3:15pm (CET) | Piacere! This is UniFe, let’s get to know each other (Google Meet, Italian A2~ / English B1~) | |
| 3:30-5pm (CET) | I tesori di Ferrara. Discover the treasures of our Renaissance city as you learn some basic vocabulary (Google Meet, English B1~) |
Thursday, November 21st
| Live events | Available until Monday 25th | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| North Macedonia – Univerzitet "Sv. Kliment Ohridski" | 10am-12pm (CET) | Macedonian for foreigners (Google meet, No requirement) | From 9:30am Videos and more (various language requirements) |
| Sweden – Kristianstad University | From 1pm Discover Kristianstad (English A2~) | ||
| Swedish language and the languages of Sweden (English B2~) | |||
| Discover Swedish Sayings and Idioms! (English B1~) |
Friday, November 22nd
| Live events | Available until Monday 25th | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Latvia – Ventspils University of Applied Sciences | 9AM- 11AM (CET) | Latvian language and culture https://bbb.venta.lv/b/rut-yr7-dio-4rq | From 9:30am Videos, quizzes and more (various language requirements) |
| Closing Session | 11:15-11:45am (CET) | Thank you for attending! (Zoom, English A2~) | From 11am Survey (English A2~) |
Share on other platforms
Other news
How is the Baltic blue economy changing – and what kinds of technologies, skills and decisions are needed to support its sustainable future? MarTe has published a new collection of webinar and workshop recordings on YouTube. The videos bring together researchers, industry experts and public sector representatives from Estonia and Latvia to discuss the future of the Baltic blue economy from two perspectives: the bigger strategic picture and practical technology tools.
A team of solar physicists has discovered a new way to detect and measure entropy variations in the Sun’s atmosphere – a breakthrough that could help researchers better understand how energy moves through the solar corona and why the Sun’s outer atmosphere is millions of degrees hotter than its surface. Entropy is a concept that dates back to the 1860s, when German physicist Rudolf Clausius introduced it while studying the efficiency of heat engines and the famous Carnot cycle. Since then, entropy has become one of the most fundamental ideas in physics, helping scientists describe how energy is distributed and transformed in systems ranging from steam engines and black holes to stars and even the Universe itself. Despite its importance, entropy has remained notoriously difficult to measure directly in the Sun's atmosphere. In a new study currently in press in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, researchers from the University of Warwick, the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre (VIRAC, Ventspils University of Applied Sciences), and University College London have shown that entropy leaves observable fingerprints in waves that travel through the Sun's hot, magnetised atmosphere, known as the corona. "Entropy is one of the key quantities that tells us how energy is organised within a physical system," explains lead author Dmitrii Kolotkov, Stephen Hawking Fellow. "In a conceptual sense, we can think of solar active regions as natural heat engines, continuously converting and transporting energy through hot magnetised plasma. Their behaviour and efficiency are closely linked to entropy. The concept itself has deep roots in thermodynamics and even plays a central role in black hole physics, where entropy is associated with the fundamental limits of information and energy storage. When entropy remains unchanged, energy tends to stay more organised and localised. When entropy is perturbed, energy becomes redistributed and spreads through the surrounding plasma. If we can measure how entropy changes in solar active regions, we gain a new way of tracking how energy is transported, dissipated, and ultimately converted into heat."
On 18 May, the first EDI (Equality, Diversity, Inclusion) seminar, implemented within the COLOURS project, was successfully held at the café “Panorāma.” The aim of the seminar was to promote understanding of equality, diversity, and inclusion, as well as to strengthen cooperation between different groups of society. The seminar brought together 53 participants, including local students, international students, Erasmus+ students, administrative and academic staff, as well as members of the wider community. The event also attracted a broad range of participants: volunteers from the “Youth House,” city residents, secondary school students, participants of the Lifelong Learning Centre (MIC) alumni courses, and a guest lecturer from the University of Brittany in France. This diversity of participants ensured the practical implementation of the Quadruple helix principle, fostering collaboration between academia, industry, society, and the youth sector. The seminar was led by students Līva Slesare, Amanda Gintere, and Tillija Naumann, demonstrating the active involvement and leadership of young people in building an inclusive education and society. All seminar participants received a COLOURS virtual badge, serving as proof of the knowledge and skills acquired, and can be used for personal and professional development, including on LinkedIn profiles. It is planned that starting from autumn 2026, this training seminar will also be offered in an online format in both Latvian and English. This will make it accessible to a wider audience. Everyone – students, staff, and city residents alike – will have the opportunity to participate, gain knowledge about EDI, and receive the COLOURS badge. This initiative is seen both as an opportunity and a responsibility –to jointly build a more inclusive, open, and understanding society.
Ventspils University of Applied Sciences has officially adopted the COLOURS Alliance EDI Policy – a shared framework for equality, diversity and inclusion. The policy will now be adapted and implemented within the university’s operations. The aim is to strengthen inclusion across education, research, and everyday practices. The policy can therefore be seen as both a pedagogical and strategic implementation tool to prevent discrimination, increase understanding of differences, and equip students and staff to perform at their best in diverse teams. EDI stands for equality, diversity and inclusion. The training in EDI is designed to strengthen interpersonal relationships, raise awareness of the value of diversity in innovation, creativity and knowledge development, and encourage reflection on one’s own position and approach to others. The implementation of the policy contributes to the development of generic competences and critical thinking among both students and staff. This EDI policy is part of a much larger context, as we are one of nine higher education institutions in Europe adopting the same framework. EDI as a driver for an inclusive society The policy also emphasizes the importance of collaboration through the Quadruple Helix model, where universities, industry, the public sector, and civil society work together. The goal is not only to develop knowledge within EDI, but also to disseminate it and create societal impact. The policy marks the starting point for new initiatives and serves as a bridge to society. EDI strengthens the quality of education and research and is an important tool for both current operations and future needs. Signed policy is available HERE
On Tuesday, May 19th, second year students of the bachelor’s study programme “Translation and Language Technologies” participated in a lecture lead by guest lecturer Aurélie Le Melinaidre from the Southern Brittany University in France. She tested the students’ knowledge of various English idioms, encouraged creativity by asking them to rewrite a text fragment as differently as they could, and was pleasantly surprised by the students’ excellent knowledge of English. Students also learned about the guest lecturer’s experience teaching English in different countries. Guest lectures held on May 20th and 21st were led by guest lecturer Karolina Siwek from Jan Dlugosz University in Poland. The guest lecturer, met through the COLOURS network, gave four interconnected lectures about different translation aspects for the second- and third-year students of the bachelor’s study programme “Translation and Language Technologies”. Karolina Siwek firstly introduced the students to the history of translation, compared what the profession of a translator was like in the 19th and 20th centuries and what it is like today, highlighting the aspects that have remained the same and those that have changed. During Wednesday’s lecture, students had the opportunity to engage in a discussion and compare the nature of the profession, not only from a historical perspective, but also in terms of the current state of the translation industry in Poland and Latvia. During the lecture about the differences between literary and specialised translators, the guest lecturer compared the translator’s visibility in their work, various potential risks during translation, and the necessary skills, as well as discussed about the prestige and income of the profession. Particular attention was paid to hybrid competencies, which play a significant role in the modern translation profession. Meanwhile, on Thursday, a series of related lectures took place about ISO standards and their impact on the daily work of translators, covering both the positive and negative aspects. The guest lecturer also discussed possible emotions of a translator, their causes, and how to manage them, emphasizing, above all, that emotional regulation is a core professional skill for translators. The guest lecturer shared several stories about her experiences, describing how she handled specific situations and what she learned from them, giving the students a realistic insight into the profession of translation and offering useful advice. Prepared by Sanija Zundovska and Sindija Plotniece from the study programme “Translation and Language Technologies”
Three students from Ventspils University of Applied Sciences participated in the student networking event “Meet the Nordics: Insights, career opportunities and networking”, organized by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia in Riga. The event was organized in cooperation with the embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden the event brought together students from different universities to explore diplomacy, Nordic-Baltic cooperation, and international career opportunities. Throughout the event, students gained valuable insight into the daily work of diplomats, the challenges of working in international environments, and the skills needed to succeed in diplomacy. The speakers shared not only professional experience, but also personal stories about communication, adaptability, and building a meaningful career in an ever-changing global environment. Second-year student of the bachelor’s study programme “Intercultural Communication”, Luīze Anna Spriņģe , highlighted the networking session as the most memorable part of the event: “This part was the most valuable because we could learn more directly from the professionals and their experience. It was valuable to speak with diplomats in a more open environment where we felt comfortable asking different questions.” She also admitted that it was especially interesting to hear the advice of Norwegian Ambassador Ine Måreng, Finnish Deputy Head of Mission Eero Vento, and Danish Deputy Head of Mission Alexander Lemche on how to stand out professionally and build a career in diplomacy. Additionally, second-year student of the bachelor’s study programme “Intercultural Communication”, Evija Saldaka , emphasized the practical value of the experience: “It was interesting to hear about different career paths and practical examples from the diplomats’ daily work. The networking conversations felt especially useful.” Meanwhile, first-year student of the bachelor’s study programme “Translation and Language Technologies”, Janita Kate Asare , shared that the event gave her a deeper understanding of the responsibility and complexity of diplomatic work. She especially appreciated the discussions about diplomacy, work-life balance, and maintaining professionalism in international environments. The students agreed that international events like this provide much more than new knowledge. They create opportunities to develop communication skills, build meaningful professional connections, and inspire students to think more boldly about their future careers. The event also highlighted that diplomacy is not only about politics or international agreements, but equally about building understanding, trust, and dialogue between people and cultures. Written by: Elizabete Apiņa-Fleisa (BSP “Intercultural Communication”, 1st year)
