Abstract:
Faculty-led programs to Asia can draw valuable insights from Aschaffenburg UAS’ “Total Immersion Week,” an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Program (BIP) that integrates intercultural, academic, and project-based learning. The program’s success lies in its blended structure – combining virtual pre-departure preparation with a dynamic, in-country immersion. For Asia-focused programs, this model suggests pairing online modules on Asian languages, regional etiquette, and geopolitical context with intensive in-person experiences that include company visits, traditional workshops, and urban-rural contrasts.

Collaborative projects are central to the BIP’s impact. In Asia, this could translate into student teams tackling regionspecific issues – like urban sustainability, digital innovation, or heritage preservation – often in partnership with local universities or businesses. Embedding language tasters (e.g., Mandarin, Korean) and cultural challenges promotes active engagement and prepares students for meaningful cross-cultural interactions.

Faculty also benefit through collaborative teaching, shared curriculum design, and sustainable academic partnerships.

Asian destinations can further enrich programs through strong hospitality traditions, innovation ecosystems, and diverse cultural histories.

To maximize learning outcomes, programs should offer flexible formats and opportunities for reflection. Ultimately, the BIP model stresses the importance of experiential learning, intercultural fluency, and regional relevance – principles essential for impactful faculty-led programs also to Asia.

Learning objectives:
– Use online pre-departure content to prepare students culturally and academically before immersion.
– Integrate Asian language tasters, cultural etiquette, and regional communication styles.
– Collaborate with local partners to solve real-world, Asia-specific challenges.
– Build relationships with Asian universities, NGOs, or companies for deeper engagement and contextual learning.
– Design itineraries that contrast urban innovation with rural traditions or heritage sites.
– Co-teach or co-design modules with Asian counterparts for mutual learning.
– Include structured opportunities for students to process and apply their experiences.
– Design repeatable programs with adaptable content across Asian destinations.
– Use these programs to develop adaptability, cross-cultural empathy, and global problem-solving skills.

Target audience:
Those leading or designing faculty-led programs, international office staff, global mobility coordinators, and educators
interested in experiential learning, Asia partnerships, intercultural skills, or embedding the SDGs into short-term programs
will benefit most from this session