From October 12 to 16, 2026, the Carré International at the University of Caen Normandy hosted four faculty members from European partner universities for the fourth edition of Teach & Connect. This week of meetings and knowledge-sharing aimed to enrich teaching practices, foster peer exchanges, and strengthen ties between UNICAEN and its international partners.
A Week of Meetings and Knowledge-Sharing
Throughout the week, the four visiting faculty members had the opportunity to meet with teams from the Department of Modern Foreign Languages (LVE), the Department of Sciences, the Department of Law, and the Carré International. These meetings provided an opportunity to share different teaching approaches, explore the University of Caen Normandy’s practices, and gain a deeper understanding of its distinctive characteristics.
Beyond pedagogical exchanges, this time spent together also fostered discussions about academic programs, research activities, and opportunities for collaboration between institutions.
Science Education at the center of the Discussions
This fourth edition provided an opportunity for more in-depth discussions on chemistry education, thanks in particular to the participation of Rebeca Lopez Serna, a professor at the University of Valladolid in Spain.
Hosted by the Faculty of Sciences, she had the opportunity to observe classes, learn about the structure of the bachelor’s program in chemistry and two related master’s programs, and meet with faculty members at the university. A visit to the Catalysis and Spectrochemistry Laboratory (LCS) also gave her the opportunity to discuss research projects with its teams.
These meetings also provided an opportunity to compare teaching practices in Caen and Valladolid. Discussions focused in particular on teaching methods and the flipped classroom, opening up new avenues for reflection on chemistry instruction.
For Rebeca Lopez Serna, this week also provided an opportunity to explore concrete avenues for collaboration. As a result, UNICAEN and the University of Valladolid have begun working together to facilitate Erasmus mobility for students enrolled in the bachelor’s program in chemistry.
“All of the week’s objectives were met—and my expectations were even exceeded. I was able to attend classes, learn about how chemistry programs are organized, and meet researchers working in my field. These exchanges will be very useful for my teaching and coordination activities at the University of Valladolid. I would like to extend my warmest thanks to all the UNICAEN teams for their expertise, willingness to help, and hospitality.”
Beyond providing an opportunity to explore academic programs and research activities, Teach & Connect helped strengthen ties between the teams and opened up new avenues for collaboration.
Laetitia Oliviero, a professor in the Faculty of Sciences who hosted Rebeca Lopez Serna, highlights the value of these exchanges:
“It was a pleasure to welcome Rebeca. She had the opportunity to explore the analytical tools we use. We also discussed our teaching practices, particularly the flipped classroom approach. This has inspired me to try this format with master’s students. We also hope to make Erasmus exchanges possible for our students. Overall, it was a very positive experience!”
An international dynamic to build upon
Through this latest edition of Teach & Connect, the University of Caen Normandy reaffirms its commitment to international openness, knowledge-sharing, and the mutual enrichment of teaching practices. By creating opportunities for European colleagues to meet, the program helps foster new ideas and strengthen cooperation among partner institutions.
The next edition of Teach & Connect is scheduled for March 15–19, 2027. For more information, please contact the International Development Office at the Carré International at intl.projets@unicaen.fr .
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