The Faculty of Education and Psychology at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (FEP-UCP) is still celebrating its time in Madrid. Before the summer holidays, a group of eighteen students from FEP-UCP, from all three study cycles, took part in another Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), a short-term European initiative that challenges students to immerse themselves in intense and challenging academic and intercultural experiences.
This edition, held at the Universidad CEU San Pablo in Madrid, in collaboration with the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at Babeș-Bolyai University in Romania and with FEP-UCP, focused on the timely topic of "Digital Addiction in Minors: A Deep Overview." For five days, students and teachers from various nationalities discussed the impact of digital addiction on minors, combining insights from psychology, neuroscience, education, and medicine.
Representing the Human Neurobehavioral Laboratory (The HNL), Patrícia Oliveira-Silva, the FEP-UCP's Vice-Director for Global Positioning, participated in the panel "Tech, Teens, Trouble? An International and Neuropsychological Perspective," where she spoke about the neuropsychological impacts of digital addiction.
Three lifelong lessons
From their experience in Madrid, FEP-UCP students gained lessons that went beyond the classroom. For many, this was their first opportunity to understand digital addiction from a truly interdisciplinary perspective, where different fields of knowledge came together to discuss one of the great contemporary challenges.
They also highlighted the development of intercultural skills, a result of collaborating with peers from different countries and academic backgrounds, learning the value of diversity in practice.
The practical dimension was also emphasised: workshops, debates, and collaborative exercises placed students in real-world scenarios, prompting them to reflect on the actual effects of excessive technology use on the lives of children and adolescents.
The closing ceremony as a defining moment
One of the most special moments of the BIP was the closing ceremony in the Main Hall. Here, each student presented their work to teachers and colleagues from various nationalities. For many, it was their first time speaking in public in English, a challenge that quickly turned into a personal achievement and proof of their own potential.
"This moment clearly showed the true value of these international experiences. It's not just about accumulating knowledge, but about shaping more empathetic, more confident, and more secure individuals, capable of going further when they put themselves out there in the world," emphasises Patrícia Oliveira-Silva.
Internationalisation in practice
Participation in international intensive courses like the BIPs is at the heart of FEP-UCP's internationalisation strategy. "We aren't just interested in sending students abroad. We want them to have experiences that challenge them, broaden their academic and intercultural skills, and make them feel part of a community that transcends borders. That's the only way internationalisation becomes real and ceases to be an abstract concept," adds the Vice-Director for Global Positioning.
The concentrated format of the BIPs is a challenge in itself. For one week, there's no time for distraction; everything happens at a fast pace, demanding total commitment. It is precisely this intensity that makes students return more confident, more prepared, and more aware of their role as global citizens.
A Network That Makes a Difference
Projects of this nature are only possible through collaboration. In Madrid, the hospitality of Professors Esther Rincón and Amable Muñoz of CEU San Pablo made the FEP-UCP delegation feel at home from the very beginning. From Romania came not only a group of students but also the enthusiasm and openness of Daniel Andronache, a long-standing partner, who strengthened the connection between the institutions.
"It was this network of complicity and shared energy that brought the BIP to life and turned it into an unforgettable experience for all our students," concludes Patrícia Oliveira-Silva.
Later this year, FEP-UCP will once again participate in new international editions of the BIP, with dates to be announced soon. Until then, the energy of the Madrid meeting remains, along with the certainty that internationalisation is made of experiences that leave a lasting mark on personal and academic journeys.
