IBS students take part in blended intensive programmes for the first time
In the winter semester 2025/26, students on the International Business Studies (IBS) Bachelor's degree programme at Paderborn University took part in a so-called Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) for the first time. The Erasmus+ teaching format combines several months of virtual collaboration with a concluding international attendance phase. For the ten participating IBS students, this not only meant a new learning format, but also an intensive international experience.
They worked together with students from all over Europe in international teams over a period of three months. The research focussed on cultural differences and similarities between company founders in the participants' respective countries. The collaboration was conducted entirely in English and required not only specialist expertise but also intercultural sensitivity and digital teamwork across national borders.
The highlight was a week of attendance in February 2026 at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic. In addition to group work and presentations, the week primarily offered space for personal encounters and direct dialogue between the students. An accompanying cultural programme also provided insights into the city of Brno and Czech culture.
In addition to Paderborn University, Masaryk University (Czech Republic), Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences (Germany), Amiens University (France), Universitat Jaume I Castelló (Spain) and Comenius University Bratislava (Slovakia) took part in the BIP.
For the IBS students, taking part in the programme was a real highlight: in addition to gaining specialist knowledge, they were able to expand their intercultural skills and make international contacts. The programme also represents an important step towards deepening European cooperation for the participating universities. Due to the positive experiences, the partner universities are already planning to continue the programme next year.
At Paderborn University, the programme was co-organised and taught by IBS language coordinator Rachel Lindner. During the attendance phase in Brno, IBS English lecturer Amy Ziemniak accompanied the students on site.
