The joint seminars of the project offered various opportunities and unique experiences of joint teaching and learning. Project partners developed an empathic understanding of the shared and varying perspectives on Euro-Mediterranean relations, and, therefore, used an approach where students and lecturers work together in teams and thereby introduce participatory teaching methods and research techniques.

By so doing, project partners deepened their knowledge of existing differences while at the same time committed themselves to developing new ideas for co-operation and interaction between concerned actors in the Euro-Mediterranean region. Particular attention was given to student feedback demonstrating partner institutions’ belief that students’ perceptions of advancements and obstacles in mutual learning is crucial for the development of meaningful teaching didactics. Subsequent discussions and analysis of student feedback provided lecturers with useful tools to improve their teaching abilities.

Moreover, extra-curricular cultural programmes prepared by the students helped students and professors alike to delve deeper in the everyday life of host universities and countries. This fostered even more lively discussions and intensive group work, and enhanced participants’ understanding of nonconventional teaching methods.

German - Egyptian Exchange Seminar, Berlin November 2012 and Cairo January 2013 International Summer School at Cairo University, September 2014