Over 20 international students gathered at the University of Mons (Belgium) to complete this Blended Intensive Course
As part of the EUNICE alliance, the University of Mons hostesd and coordinated the summer school Crossing Borders: Colonial Echoes in Language, Space, and Culture, held from June 30 to July 11 at Mons (Belgium).
This initiative, organized in collaboration with the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu (Portugal), Karlstad University (Sweden), the University of Cantabria (Spain), and the University of the Peloponnese (Greece), brought together 21 students around a theme that is both ambitious and highly relevant: the lasting impact of colonial legacies on contemporary societies.
With the support of the Language and Internationalisation Unit (Faculty of Translation and Interpreting), the International Relations Office, and the EUNICE Office at UMONS, the summer school took place in two phases: an online segment from June 30 to July 4, followed by an in-person week in Mons from July 7 to 11.
The week in Mons began with an inaugural session on June 30, featuring welcoming remarks from Philippe Dubois, Rector of UMONS, and Christine Michaux, Dean of the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting. Both highlighted the importance of such initiatives within the current European context.
Throughout the week, students attended thematic seminars, took part in guided group works, and interacted with an international teaching team. Sessions were led by Julie Walaszczyk (University of Mons), Margarita Elena Garcia Casado (University of Cantabria), Staffan Löfving (Karlstad University), Ana Isabel Silva (Polytechnic Institute of Viseu), and Areti Vogopoulou (University of the Peloponnese).
The topics explored during the week allowed for in-depth discussion of how linguistic, spatial, cultural, and gender identities are shaped by echoes of the colonial past. A highlight of the programme was the cultural day in Brussels, which gave participants the chance to discover the multicultural heritage of the European capital and expand their perspectives on the themes addressed during the summer school.
Sujan Reddy Jayarama Sai, student at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, explains:
“I’m so glad that I came across this course, which talks a lot about crossing borders and culture, colonization, and a lot of different topics which are really close to me because I come from India, a country that was colonized a few years ago and that has a a huge variety of cultures.“
The week concluded on Friday, July 11 with a session of final group presentations, during which students shared their reflections and creative outputs in a spirit of collaboration. As Margarita Elena Garcia Casado, professor at the University of Cantabria, noted:
“What struck me most was the students’ curiosity and their genuine desire to ask questions and understand. They truly embraced the joy of discovery. Learning happened as a team, in a dynamic where every voice mattered.”
This experience gave participants the opportunity to nurture their curiosity, open themselves to different realities, and work together on issues that resonate with them and spark reflection.
