Anja Klocke in Bulgaria

Anja Klocke (Institute of Educational Sciences) took part in a Staff Week at the American University of Bulgaria.

Why Bulgaria?

I am a big fan of the EU and am very interested in how Europe is growing together. I find countries like Bulgaria, which are still “under the radar,” very exciting to visit, which is why I decided to attend Staff Week at the American University of Bulgaria.

What is a Staff Week?

Staff Week offers an opportunity to get to know university staff from other countries as well as the host university. Similar daily work routines and personal environments provide opportunities for networking and getting to know other cultures and mentalities.

During a Staff Week, the host university presents itself in detail: the faculties, institutes, library, various projects, the International Center, student life, etc., and the other participants also present their universities. Furthermore, there are always opportunities to exchange experiences with employees in similar positions. Cultural exchange also plays an important role. In Bulgaria, we spent a day together in a village in the mountains, where we cooked and ate together and learned about Bulgarian traditions.

The host university provided excellent support in planning your stay. Accommodation options were suggested in advance and detailed directions were provided for getting from the international airport to the university. The on-site support was very good and the contact persons were always available. During the week, there were always opportunities to go out for dinner with the other participants in the evenings. I also used the weekend to explore the capital Sofia and the country on my own.

Conclusion

For my daily work at EUF, I gained exciting insights and input into the work of colleagues, as well as information about interesting projects in the Balkan region on digitization and democratization. All in all, I gained great experiences and insights through the Erasmus+ program.