Call for applications – ACE²-EU Cultural Training for Staff 2027 in Villach: Interculturality in practice

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On 23-25 February 2027, CUAS will host the second edition of the ACE²-EU Culture Traineeship Programme for Staff at its Campus Villach, exactly one year after the first edition in Madrid, Spain. A minimum of four staff members from each ACE university are intended to take part in this activity.

Call for applications for the second edition
The second edition of the Culture Traineeship for Staff will take place on CUAS Campus Villach 23-25 Feb 2027 (Tuesday-Thursday), with a total of 20 onsite hours and 7 hours preparation and follow-up work, including online meetings. Interested staff members can apply via this link until Tuesday, 1st December 2026.

As the host university, more colleagues can be accommodated than the minimum of four required by the Alliance – the exact number of available places will depend on logistical matters. Please note that all participants are expected to attend all three days of the programme.

More information on the programme and its first edition, including testimonials from previous CUAS participants, can be found below. The official call for applications is available on the ACE²-EU website.

The Culture Traineeship Programme for Staff
Organised by the ACE²-EU Alliance, this programme is part of the Culture Hub, an operational unit of its Societal Partnerships and Cultural Engagement (SPACE) Centre. The training concept is co-developed by Alessia Tressoldi (UFV), Ieva Zemīte (LAC) and Gerlinde Koppitsch (CUAS), based on the SUCTI (Systemic University Change Towards Internationalisation) model, an Erasmus+ initiative that ran between 2016 and 2019.
The aim of the Culture Traineeship Programme is to strengthen intercultural competence for academic, administrative and support staff working in an international and intercultural environment. It will be delivered once a year (2026-2028) and aspires to train more than 100 staff members within the ACE community.

Summary and insights from the first edition
On 23-26 February 2026, the first edition of the Culture Traineeship Programme for Staff took place at the University Francisco de Vitoria, in Madrid, Spain. Five CUAS staff members participated in this first event, which they spoke highly of (see below).

In these three days, approximately 40 participants from all ACE universities experienced interculturality through various activities, such as the “Wheel of Interculturality”, an “anecdote game” and role-playing through theatre. They learned about the importance of safe spaces and how to create them, especially in such intercultural settings as our universities. In addition, they received theoretical input on culture and internationalisation in general, as well as insights into the activities of the SPACE Centre, its Culture Hub and Social Impactors. Finally, participants enjoyed a cultural visit to the renowned Prado Museum, where a guide walked them through cultural narratives in art, offering a different perspective on what they worked on during the training.

CUAS sent a delegation of five staff members to this first edition, including one of the programme’s co-creators and co-facilitators. They all came back enthusiastic, and some colleagues were already able to put what they learned into practice with their students the following week! All five CUAS participants agreed to share their testimonials, which can be found below, to encourage more colleagues to take advantage of this opportunity and participate in the second edition.

First edition: testimonials from CUAS delegation:
Gerlinde Koppitsch, Faculty of Engineering & IT – Culture Traineeship Programme co-creator & co-facilitator & part of CUAS’ SPACE Centre team:

“I genuinely enjoyed co-organizing the ACE²-EU Culture Traineeship Programme for Staff together with my wonderful colleagues from Spain and Latvia. It took place on the amazing campus of Universidad Francisco de Vitoria and brought together highly motivated and engaged participants from all our partner universities who were attentive and eager to contribute throughout all workshops. Their enthusiasm and openness made the experience truly rewarding and reinforced the value of cross-institutional cooperation within ACE²-EU. I’m very much looking forward to the next CTP at CUAS in February 2027!”

Oana Mitrea, Faculty of Health Sciences & Social Work – programme participant:

“I am deeply grateful for the real feeling of togetherness that characterized our productive training in Madrid! It was amazing how the ACE colleagues I got to know turned into friends within just a few hours, and I hope that we will stay in touch and cooperate further! The workshops greatly enhanced my understanding and practice of interculturality. I've been deeply engaged by the very good reflection exercises and group discussions. They motivate me to practice listening with full presence while encountering people from other cultures in my lectures and to value authenticity.”

Janet Brown, Faculty of Management – programme participant & part of CUAS’ APP Factory team:

“CONNECT. LEARN. GROW. These guiding principles of our ACE²-EU Alliance were truly brought to life through the Culture Traineeship Programme. The experience strengthened my belief that meaningful international collaboration in higher education can bring about conscious positive change in our behaviours and mindset to further more effective intercultural interactions and learning. I return home inspired to share the story, stay connected and continue learning and growing.  Thank you, ACE²-EU!”

Carolina Müller, Faculty of Health Sciences and Social Work – programme participant & part of CUAS’ SPACE Centre team:

“An aha-learning: how quickly we formed a group, interacted, and built a sense of belonging across countries, nationalities, and institutions – thanks to thoughtfully designed activities and reflective practice in a safe space. The intercultural reflections and the drama workshop led to unexpected outcomes for me, outcomes and tools that I’m eager to share with our students and staff. I’m grateful for this opportunity and growth.”

Stefan Breuer, Faculty of Civil Engineering & Architecture – programme participant:

“Europe is more than the sum of its cultures. Carried by a mindful setting, the Intercultural Traineeship Programme opened up a safe space for true encounter. A deep mutual understanding was provoked to emerge. This experience left an authentic inspiring impact on me and motivated me to apply what I learned immediately. Awareness and respect are just two of the many keys from the keyring of skills we experienced. Using them eases intercultural communication and lures out the richness of diversity we share, no matter where we come from. A big smile and thank you to ACE²-EU.”

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