For many years, our partner university, the University of Thessaly in Greece, has hosted a winter school in sport and exercise psychology, where international experts spend a week sharing research and practical topics. This year was extra special because the Sport and Exercise Psychology Intensive Course received funding through a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP). From 27 to 31 January, twelve international researchers, some of them world-renowned, taught more than 50 students from across Europe. Topics included emotions in sport, self-talk regulation, physical activity for adults with anxiety and depression, stress management, and exercise addiction. The schedule was very demanding, sometimes with up to four teaching sessions per day.
A week not only about academic exchange
Group activities made the experience truly unforgettable. A trip to Meteora, a film night and the eagerly anticipated Greek evening – with great food, live music, singing and traditional Greek dancing – all helped to bring the country’s culture to life. All the students and teachers gathered here for dinner, accompanied by lively traditional music, which was extremely loud even for big music fans. Dancing and singing went on late into the night, and local colleagues taught the guests classic dances such as the Kalamatianós and Syrtos, the national dances of Greece. The unbeatable hospitality of the Greek colleagues made this evening very special.
The real value for both students and teachers was in meeting people from many different countries and enjoying a rich cultural exchange. The intensive hours spent together provided space for subject-specific discussions and personal conversations. The week also gave teachers a chance to hold many meetings about research projects, publications and academic programmes – meetings that usually only happen online or by email. Bringing together international colleagues has already led to new research ideas and joint projects that have also sparked the interest of students. The tradition of the intensive course will continue: the first student networking meeting is already planned for 2026.
I highly recommend this type of intensive course, supported by programmes like BIP, for international students and teachers. It offers huge benefits both academically and personally. We – eleven students and I – especially appreciated the help from the International Centre in preparing the documents for Erasmus funding for both the students and me. Their support made all the preparations much easier. Thank you for that.
