BIP Conference explores researcher training in intercultural contexts

From 14 to 18 July 2025, Lusófona University – Lisbon University Centre hosted the International BIP Week: Learning and Becoming a Researcher in Intercultural Contexts, with the participation of partner universities Tallinn University (Estonia) and Universidad de Sevilla (Spain).

As part of the European Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), this meeting promoted a unique educational experience that combined practice, research, and reflection on the learning processes and identity building of researchers in intercultural contexts.

Based on a culturalist perspective of learning (Bruner, 1990), which understands culture as an essential tool in the construction of thought and knowledge, the programme explored the ways in which learning, thinking, and researching are deeply shaped by sociocultural contexts. The proposal was also aligned with the theory of integrative learning (Illeris, 2008), which values the interaction between internal and external factors in the development of critical and meaningful knowledge.

Throughout the week, participants (students, doctoral candidates, and lecturers) engaged in a variety of educational and collaborative activities, including:

Preparatory online sessions and intensive face-to-face classes;

• Practical workshops, guided readings, and moments of critical discussion;
• Interactions with colleagues and researchers from different European countries;
• Active participation in an international conference, with oral presentations.
• This initiative stood out for its innovative and participatory approach, providing a fertile space for:
• Deepening contemporary theories on learning and interculturality;
• Analysing emerging challenges in research practice;
• Sharing personal perspectives and creative proposals in intercultural dialogue.

The programme thus proved to be a transformative opportunity for the development of scientific, human, and pedagogical skills in future researchers, in an environment of international sharing and collective knowledge building.

Text
Moisés da Silva

Video (Coverage)
Catarina Castanheira and Moisés da Silva

Video (Editing)
Cristo Chikale and Catarina Castanheira