Teaching in Katowice and Paris: New Perspectives for the Classroom

Whether in Poland, France, or at another partner university within the university’s international network, teaching stays abroad open up new perspectives on teaching, research, and academic exchange. In addition to student mobility, staff mobility also plays an important role. Lukas Hartleif, MA, and Asc. Prof. (FH) Mag. Uta Fessler-Purkarthofer, MBA, demonstrate just how enriching these experiences can be, bringing fresh insights from their teaching activities abroad back with them.

Teaching Inspiration Between Katowice, AI, and Marketing

For Lukas Hartleif, the journey led to the University of Economics in Katowice, Poland, as part of an International Week. His motivation was clear: effective teaching thrives on exchange. Especially in the field of generative artificial intelligence - a rapidly evolving area - he wanted to learn how students and colleagues in other countries approach the opportunities and challenges presented by new technologies. He was also looking forward to collaborating with faculty members from different countries and engaging in both academic and personal exchange.

For his course in Katowice, Lukas Hartleif specifically adapted his materials and replaced Austria-specific examples with content that would be internationally accessible. At the same time, he prepared an interdisciplinary course together with a professor from Malta that combines NGO marketing and generative AI. This also highlighted a typical challenge of such formats: it is often difficult to assess students’ prior knowledge and expectations in advance. For him, it is precisely these different starting points that make teaching especially engaging, as they open up new perspectives on content and discussions.

Flexibility as a Key to Teaching

Professor Uta Fessler-Purkarthofer also used the Erasmus+ program as an opportunity to teach abroad, spending one week at INSEEC campuses in Bordeaux and Paris. For her, such stays are a valuable opportunity to experience new academic environments, build connections, and gain insight into different approaches to teaching and collaboration.

At the same time, these formats require a high degree of flexibility. Before courses begin, it is often not yet clear how large the groups will be or what level of prior knowledge participants will bring. This makes it all the more important to adapt content to the situation and respond to varying expectations.

Fessler-Purkarthofer particularly remembers the encounters with around 25 professors from around the world during her stay in France. In addition to the academic insights, the cultural experiences were especially enriching. Different ways of working, varying university structures, and new perspectives foster a better understanding of broader contexts while also providing valuable inspiration for one’s own teaching practice.

A Benefit for Everyone Involved

Both faculty members emphasize that teaching abroad goes far beyond the mere transfer of knowledge. They do not see linguistic and cultural differences as obstacles, but rather as enriching elements, as diverse perspectives and discussion cultures make teaching more dynamic.

At the same time, an international teaching stay requires careful preparation. Content must be adapted to new target groups, teaching formats need to remain flexible, and expectations often have to be reassessed at short notice. Yet this is precisely where the added value lies. Both professors would strongly recommend such an experience to their colleagues. Teaching in a different academic environment broadens one’s perspective, creates new connections, and brings fresh experiences back to campus - for the benefit of the entire university and its students.

Links: 

• Staff Mobility | Website
• International Partner Universities | Website