• Part of a COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) project between the CEU Cardenal Herrera University in Valencia and Universidad Santo Tomás in Bucaramanga (Colombia)
• Students from both universities  have formed mixed teams to undertake and present studies on the prevalence of malignant and pre-malignant oral diseases

Students from both the Spanish and English streams of the Bachelor’s Degree in Dentistry programme at the CEU Cardenal Herrera University in Valencia (Spain) and the Universidad Santo Tomás in Bucaramanga (Colombia) have taken part in an international project, coming together to study the incidence, prevalence, aetiology, diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the oral mucosa in both countries.

This educational experience formed part of a COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) project undertaken by both universities – the first of its type for the Bachelor’s Degree in Dentistry programme.

The project has enabled the students to improve their knowledge of oral medicine,while also giving them a first taste of international research teams.It has been a true opportunity for development and learning, using digital tools to connect online in real time, and taking advantage of new approaches to collaborative learning.

Experience of international scientific collaboration

Pathologies of the oral cavity include diseases affecting the mouth, the oral mucosa, the jawbones and related structures, such as the saliva glands, the temporomandibular joints, facial muscles and the perioral skin (the skin around the mouth).

Over the course of three months, 2^nd and 3^rd year Dentistry students from CEU UCH and Universidad Santo Tomás studied the prevalence of malignant and pre-malignant oral diseases (oral lichen planus, actinic cheilitis,  leucoplakia, and erythroplasia) and detection and treatment procedures in Colombia and Spain.

Despite the time differences, the students and lecturers from both universities were able to follow joint lectures and online sessions for group work. The students were distributed into mixed groups of four or five students, who then undertook a study together which they had to present in English in the form of a poster.

This experience enabled the students both to apply the knowledge they had learnt about oral medicine and to improve their communication skills, as they shared information and ideas and discussed problems and solutions.  

Brice Bouchet and Aroa Bote, Dentistry students at CEU UCH, both feel they benefited from the project.

The activity has enabled them “to share knowledge and expertise with students from other countries and other cultures«

FOR VALENTINA SERRANO, A STUDENT FROM UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMÁS, IT HAS BEEN A “VERY REWARDING EXPERIENCE”

The Dentistry student also highlighted the value of this educational activity, as it enables students “to consolidate what we know and experience other cultures at the same time”.  

Future international alliances

This COIL project has been coordinated by María Lloria and Celia Haya, lecturers at CEU UCH, and Sandra Juliana Rueda and Patricio Javier Jarpa, from the Universidad Santo Tomás in Bucaramanga.

This activity enriches the students’ education and enables them to both gain intercultural skills and learn how to work in multicultural international teams

The CEU UCH lecturer María Lloria remarked that this project “has enabled students to gain their first experience of the research process, working autonomously with students from other countries”.

María Lloria and Celia Haya agreed that the students’ generosity with their time stood out – they all volunteered for this educational project – together with their commitment to the dentistry profession that they showed over the course of the project.

“I think it truly has been a collaborative international learning experience, and it could be replicated with a greater number of students and learning contents in the future,” said Celia Haya.

The lecturers from the Universidad Santo Tomás in Bucaramanga also highlighted the determination to promote closer links between the two institutions and carry out further joint projects.

• Paola and Sofía are both from Latin America – from Venezuela and Uruguay, respectively – and share a passion for everything related to Business Management and Marketing

Paola Domínguez and Sofía Cetrulo arrived in Spain at the same time from Venezuela and Uruguay. They both began the Dual Degree in Business Management and Marketing in 2018, but it was not until a year later that they became friends, soon becoming inseparable. They attribute the initial bond down to their common Latin American roots, despite being from quite different countries, and then the fact that they have come to Europe to study has created such a strong friendship that “it’s as if we’ve known each other all our lives”. They both think that they are very similar in many ways – “and yet so different in others! We complement each other, we know what the other person is thinking with just a look, but the best thing is that we trust each other absolutely.”

Their journey to CEU in Elche was similar too. After trawling the internet for the right university and finding it in CEU UCH, they both decided that a dual degree was the right fit for them. Sofía was attracted by “the practical approach, focused on what really happens in professional activity”. For Paola, the key was getting recommendations from friends, as “one of their children studied here”. Three years later, they are delighted with the international experience they have chosen.

Paola thinks that the reason for this is the University’s character, “where we are encouraged to give everything and where we always have the support of our lecturers”. In fact, Paola is impressed both by the lecturers’ experience and professionalism and also by the talks given by professionals from different industries. “All that helps us not only to educate and train ourselves by drawing on the best expertise, but it also gives us the chance to get a better idea of what is waiting for us when we graduate,” she says.

As you might expect, Sofía feels much the same way. “Most of our lecturers are professionals with great experience in the area they teach in. That means that our lecturers always have a practical focus, enabling us to see the links between the theory and real professional activity. That adds real value to our lectures and gives us more opportunities for professional growth and networking,” Sofía says.

Practical and comprehensive training

So, it is no surprise that they both see great advantages to doing a dual degree. “Above all, it gives you a chance to create a connection between the company and the customer,” Paola says. “The projects we can take part in also give us an opportunity to find a practical application for the things we learn. I’ve no doubt that all these things that CEU brings together make our studies so much more rewarding and boost our chances of a great career.”

And for Sofía – showing all the curiosity which has been noted by her lecturers – the advantages do not stop there. “The dual degree programme gives me a wide range of knowledge of the business world. It makes it possible for to specialize in different areas and also to fulfil different roles within a company,” she tells us.

Nevertheless, there was a bit of a difference between the two students in terms of the initial experience of moving to a new country and adapting to a new culture and a different educational system. Paola had had some initial fears, but found so many things familiar and “that made the settling-in process much easier,” but it was more difficult for Sofía. “In the first year, I had to deal with a lot of situations that made me mature and grow quickly, because I had to be responsible for things that my parents had taken care of before,” she says.

An international experience

Even so, they are both very happy to have made the choice to come to Elche. “I’ve met some incredible people and I’m glad to have had the chance to experience a different culture and gain experiences which have made me see things from another perspective,” Paola says. Sofía also appreciates the opportunity for personal and professional growth that this international experience has given her. “It’s enabled me to reflect on and understand many issues from two points of view at the same time, from the European perspective and the Latin American one. And that has given me a more rounded education and I feel better prepared to adapt to change.”

With the initial steps now behind them, they are now in their third year and they know the direction they want to take in their careers. Sofía is attracted by the more holistic view of business and the taking of strategic decisions. “In terms of which industry I see myself in, I find Fintech really appealing right now. I’d put it down to the fact that it combines a very traditional industry, finance, with new technology and it’s something that is undeniably having a greater and greater impact on our lives,” Sofía says. Paola, on the other hand, is feeling more and more captivated by digital marketing: “I’d like to do a master’s degree to learn more about it and then work in this sector. And I’m also thinking about working in other cities and countries so that I can keep on learning and gaining new experiences.”

• Launch of the Internationalisation at Home project, enabling the transformation of the University services
• “We want to transform the internal mentality and enable CEU UCH to become a truly internationalised institution,” says Merche Gimeno, Head of the International Relations Office

Raising awareness among the service and administration staff of the CEU Cardenal Herrera University’s internationalisation process and encouraging the development of intercultural projects at the different student services: these are the aims of the training sessions provided by the International Relations Office.

Merche Gimeno, who leads the International Relations Office, and Pia Mahmoudi are both qualified trainers in Systemic University Change Towards Internationalisation (SUCTI, a European project). They have now begun internationalisation training for the administrative staff who work at the different student services and faculties.

The aim is for each University service to launch its own Internationalisation at Home project in 2021-2022

“The service and administrative staff are the backbone of any university, and if they are persuaded of the importance of internationalisation and the added value it can provide, then they can become real change agents,” Merche Gimeno said. “This is the way that they can make a crucial contribution to the overall aim, which is to transform the internal mentality and enable CEU UCH to become a truly internationalised institution, improving student satisfaction with the University’s services.”

The “Our University and Internationalization: the reality and intercultural projects” course is providing the service and administrative staff with the knowledge and skills needed for the internationalization process. It is a training opportunity which has the potential to make a major impact, as it enables the staff to learn about what Internationalization at Home is and what the University is doing with regard to internationalization, intercultural communication, culture shock and cultural stereotypes. All this forms part of the project to internationalize the University’s student services.