Last September, our Tournai campus welcomed Anastasia, an Italian Erasmus student who chose the bachelor’s degree in Communication to boost her proficiency in French.

Opening up to Europe

Believing in the benefits of openness to Europe, the management and co-ordination team of the bachelor’s degree in Communication have always given a major place to European mobility, whether outgoing or incoming, whether for students or teachers.

Students from Vilnius (Lithuania), Viseu (Portugal), Lodz (Poland), Malaga (Spain), Macerata and Teramo (Italy), Le Havre (France) and so on have already chosen Tournai’s bachelor of Communication program. European teachers and lecturers also come regularly, each time with enthusiasm and in a win-win perspective. The desire to exchange ideas and share best practice is part of the department’s DNA.

Flexibility and willingness to integrate

Christel Delcoigne – the Erasmus coordinator for the bachelor’s programme – is delighted to be renewing contact with her Italian partners and says she is “delighted to welcome such a motivated young woman as Anastasia. This student from the Faculty of Political Science, Communication and International Relations at the University of Macerata quickly realized the benefits of coming to study French with us”.

An FFL (French as a Foreign Language) course, organized in Tournai, welcomes Erasmus students from all over the area, not just from HELHa.

This is an enriching experience for these young people, who benefit from real support to progress.

Genuine opportunities to acquire skills

An Erasmus experience remains an extraordinary life adventure, providing not only language skills and different knowledge, but also undeniable soft skills: flexibility, problem-solving, empathy, stress management, curiosity, broad-mindedness…

Anastasia shares her impressions from her stay in Tournai:

“I’m studying in the small and beautiful town of Tournai. The HELHa teachers and students have always been very welcoming, helping me with my difficulties and doubts. In fact, at first it was difficult to cope because there’s a big cultural gap between Italy and Belgium, but now I can say I’ve adapted well and I’m almost sorry to be leaving this country. Thanks to this experience, I’ve improved my French skills significantly and that’s why I’m glad I chose this Erasmus destination. The courses offered by HELHa were for the most part interesting and challenging. The ones I enjoyed most were practical, as in Italy the courses are mainly theoretical. This has certainly enriched my academic knowledge.”