My stay in Lille, the “small big city” in northern France
As part of the Erasmus+ teaching mobility program, I offered classes on the topics of Europe and artificial intelligence, Europe and European identification, and tourism.
It was especially enriching to observe how teaching is organised in France and how students participate in class. In particular, I found it valuable to engage with students on the meaning of Europe, and to highlight how my presence in Lille and our classroom discussions reflect the very idea of a Europe built through mutual exchange.
The historic and venerable building housing the Université Catholique was also impressive. And Lille itself, the “small big city” in northern France not far from Belgium, was well worth the visit and the exchange.
Since my local colleagues work in areas such as Hispanic Studies and the courses were held in French, the lived multilingualism that defines the European spirit was a continuous part of my Erasmus+ stay. The visit brought many positive outcomes, and I would like to express my hope and confidence that my colleagues in Lille might now feel inspired to visit Flensburg, further continuing this exchange.