Relaciones Internacionales

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español.

The Vice Rector for International Relations at the Miguel Hernández University of Elche, Vicente Micol, and the rector of Gomel State Medical University of Belarus, Lyzikov Anatoly Nikolaevich, have signed a KA107 Erasmus+ program interinstitutional agreement to advance international mobility with partner countries. This program receives European funding and their agreement will enable mobility between students, staff, and faculty from the Belarusian university with students and faculty from the UMH undergraduate programs of both physiotherapy and occupational therapy. The signing ceremony took place during this week’s visit by a delegation from Gomel State Medical University to the UMH, during which they were welcomed by UMH rector, Juan José Ruiz.

During their stay, the Belarusian delegation met with Diego Echevarria, an associate professor from the Area of Anatomy and Human Biology, to visit the Sant Joan d´Alacant Campus of the UMH and tour the Institute of Neurosciences (IN), research and teaching facilities of the physiotherapy and occupational therapy programs, and Alicante University General Hospital.

Furthermore, the visitors were also able to see first-hand the university’s Scientific Park and some of the companies operating there, including Cares, Emxys, and Bioarray. The first, Cares, focuses its efforts on teaching child victims of harassment and their families to strengthen emotional resources and skills; Emxys specializes in designing, developing, and producing electronic systems imbedded in aerospace applications, while Bioarray is a technology-based firm specialized in genetic analysis via DNA microarrays.

This visit forms part of IN actions to meet the objectives of the Support for the Internationalization of Schools, Faculties, and Research Institutes (AIEFI) program granted to the institute. Among its established goals is the creation of a network of institutions, hospitals, and special education and rehabilitation schools, the development of teaching curricula with Gomel State Medical University, and the consolidation of agreements related to volunteerism, international cooperation, and humanitarian aid actions with institutions in Belarus.

The UMH began mobility actions with Gomel State Medical University during the 2018/2019 academic year, and 12 UMH undergraduate students of occupational therapy and physiotherapy have already taken part by completing practical internships at institutions and centers within the Gomel region of Belarus.

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Incoming students who participate in Erasmus mobility programs at the Miguel Hernández University of Elche have begun an intensive course of Spanish language and culture. This training forms part of the efforts to welcome these students, it is organized by the Vice Rectorate for International Relations, and it receives funding by the Erasmus+ program.

More than 70 students from Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Croatia, Brazil, and Turkey will receive, free of charge, 40 hours of training on the UMH campuses of Elche and Sant Joan d´Alacant. This course aims to instill practical expertise of Spanish language and culture, in order to assist them with their academic incorporation at the UMH and their integration into the surrounding area. Therefore, these classes have a practical focus, and stress spoken expressions, cultural knowledge, and aspects of interest to Elche and the Valencian Community.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español.

During the months of July, August, and September, a total of 19 Miguel Hernández University of Elche students, faculty members, and alumni traveled to Rwanda to participate in the ninth edition of the UMH International Cooperation Volunteerism Program there. During the approximately one month that each volunteer stays in the country, they carry out various development cooperation projects that are overseen by the Area of Development Cooperation and Volunteerism of the UMH Vice Rectorate for International Relations.

During their stays on the African continent, the participants undergo training sessions on several topics, including the history of Rwanda, development cooperation, humanitarian aid, volunteerism, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, among others. Such training efforts began last year with the aim of helping these participants to contextualize the realities of Africa and inform them about theoretical and practical aspects of the third sector. The response to this training has been very positive, as the recipients during the months of July and August indicated that not only did it immediately help them during their stays there, but that it will also help them in future cooperation projects. They have particularly enjoyed the specific knowledge gained on volunteerism and learning about the realities of Africa, and Rwanda, in particular.  

The program that trains international cooperation volunteers that has been rolled out by the UMH in Rwanda forms part of the 2018 University Development Cooperation Agreement signed by the Generalitat Valenciana, through its Consellería of Transparency, Social Responsibility, Participation and Cooperation and Democratic Quality, along with the UMH.

This agreement highlights the relevance of the social function of the university to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Its 17 goals aim to strengthen peace, end poverty, and guarantee human rights for all people.

The September group of volunteers recently left for Rwanda, to continue with directed training activities for students at the ESSA Ruhengeri public high school located in the city of Musanze, and to continue with ongoing efforts at the Nemba Hospital. These projects were born out of collaboration with Rwandan institutions with the objective of improving the quality of life and skills for that country’s population.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español.

Between July 17 – 29 of this year, the Miguel Hernández University of Elche welcomed 25 European students aged 18 – 30 on the occasion of the international Summer University, an event organized by AEGEE-Alicante.

Throughout this event, the participating students were housed in Elche Campus facilities and had UMH facilities available to them to carry out numerous activities. Assisting them in terms of organization and logistics was the UMH Vice Rectorate for International Relations.

Of the more than 30 activities that took place during the Summer University, the guided visits to various surrounding municipalities were enjoyed most. The participants toured the historical sections in the cities of Elche, Alicante, and Altea, they visited the Island of Tabarca, Fuentes de L’Algar nature area, and they were able to swim on beaches from around the province of Alicante. They even went rafting down the Segura River.

Doruntina Kasaj, 22, is a student of foreign cultures and languages in Turin, Italy, and participated in this event. She explains that she liked the landscapes of each municipality most. “I enjoyed seeing the sea, its beaches, palm trees, and the fact everything was so blue – it provided me with warm and friendly feelings. The university provided the opportunity, with assistance by its organizers, to visit such great locations with many supporting activities behind them,” she explains.

In addition to the visits to nearby locales, the Summer University event, organized under the artistic theme of cinema, held various workshops and talks in La Galia Building on the UMH Elche Campus. Some of the most prominent, and that served to bond the international group, was the script-reading workshop and that of scene interpretation from films that included Mean Girls, Pulp Fiction, and La La Land, among others.

Furthermore, there were also night-hour dynamics taking place during their stay, including European Night, which took place on the Elche Campus. It consisted in sharing a typical food product from each participant’s city of origin with the others, which was then eaten during the subsequent meal.

Taking advantage of a stay such as Summer University provided the participants, who traveled from countries such as Russia, Hungary, Greece, Holland, and Azerbaijan, with a new perspective about Spanish culture and those of many others. Doruntina Kasaj said she will surely repeat the experience.

“It was one of the best experiences of my life, it allowed me to move outside my comfort zone, which is something I do not usually do. It provided an opportunity to grow, become less shy and more sociable. We never felt alone, for the organizers and the rest of the others were always helping,” says Doruntina Kasaj.

Every summer, the AEGEE, or European Students’ Forum, organizes events like this throughout Europe. The Summer University is held in 50 cities from 19 countries all over the European Continent. This July’s event was the first held at and organized by the UMH.

Alicia Espigares, who is on the event’s organizing team, appreciates the support provided by the university. “The work done was well worth it, for it is a very positive experience. Being able to show off the locations where I pass my time was very satisfying. Finally, on an organizational level, the support provided by the UMH Vice Rectorate for International Relations in events of this kind is fully appreciated.”

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