15.10.2025

Internationalisation at Home – Welcoming German Teacher Trainees to Samiedu

This autumn has been exceptionally international at Samiedu Vocational College. We have hosted more visiting groups than ever before, thanks to the new Erasmus+ Group Mobility action, which enables more flexible and reciprocal exchanges between vocational schools.

During the Erasmus Days, Samiedu welcomed a group of German teacher trainees for a two-week job shadowing period with our teachers across different fields. The group also spent a few days visiting the local Art High School, learning about Finnish education and teaching practices. In addition, we were delighted to continue our long-standing collaboration with our Hungarian student group, who every autumn complete part of their training in our teaching restaurant Paviljonki.

These visits are part of Samiedu’s strong commitment to internationalisation at home, one of the key goals highlighted in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide (2025). According to the guide, internationalisation at home means “purposeful integration of international and intercultural dimensions into the formal and informal curriculum for all students within domestic learning environments” (Beelen & Jones, 2015). In other words, it brings global learning to our classrooms and workplaces — without the need to travel abroad.

For us, these exchanges are truly two-way learning experiences. We get to practice English in real situations, explain our work to others, and reflect on our methods and everyday routines. At the same time, our students gain a taste of internationality through interaction with the visiting teacher trainees and students.

We are proud to share Finnish vocational education with our European partners — and equally proud to learn from them. Together we build understanding, friendship, and professional growth across borders.