Staff mobility: Miriam's BIP experience in Prague

In May 2025, our colleague Miriam Allisiardi, a member of the Quality Assurance and Sustainability Service team, took part in a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) entitled Sustainability as an integral part of international experience at Charles University in Prague.

As part of a BIP, staff members can travel to a university abroad to undertake continuing education with international colleagues, combined with online meetings before or after the physical stay to achieve common learning objectives. As of the 2024/25 academic year, BIPs can be funded under the Swiss-European Mobility Programme (SEMP) through the National Agency Movetia.

Miriam was the first USI staff member to participate in this type of mobility programme, so we asked her a few questions about her experience:

Miriam, what led you to decide to participate in the BIP Sustainability as an integral part of international experience?

Sustainability is the focus of my work here at USI. Being able to exchange ideas with colleagues from foreign universities and learn about best practices and initiatives in other academic settings were the main reasons that motivated me to participate in the BIP Sustainability as an integral part of international experience.

What were your expectations before leaving?

I didn't have any particular expectations before leaving. I preferred to focus on the exchange of good practices between us (BIP participants) rather than on expectations regarding the training.

What is the added value of interacting with colleagues from different backgrounds in the context of continuing education?

The personal and professional experiences of the BIP participants certainly influenced the training, which was divided into sessions on learning good practices applied by Charles University and presentations by the participants. An exchange of views between people from different backgrounds allowed me to compare other points of view and priorities with regard to sustainability. It was therefore very enriching.

Did you notice any advantages/disadvantages in combining online and face-to-face meetings?

The online component, if carried out before the face-to-face component, certainly has the advantage of allowing participants to get to know each other and “break the ice” before meeting in person. In fact, in our case, thanks to the online component, we all met for dinner on Sunday evening before starting the BIP.

What advice would you give to your colleagues who are considering the possibility of a training mobility period abroad?

I would tell them to take advantage of the opportunity.

Do you think it is important for administrative staff to devote time to their continuing education, particularly abroad? Why?

Absolutely, keeping up to date in your field and developing a network of contacts is essential. Having these experiences abroad also allows you to encounter cultural differences and gives you the opportunity to practice English (or another language) in a different context from your everyday life. 

In line with the theme of the BIP and your role at USI, you decided to travel to Prague by train (posting a beautiful video of the experience on USI's Instagram page). What advice would you give to someone who is undecided about undertaking similar long-distance journeys by train?

I would say that a trip funded by Movetia is the ideal opportunity to try sustainable travel. I really enjoyed the night train journey: it allowed me to travel without luggage restrictions and comfortably from the center of Zurich to the center of Prague. Sleeping on the train also meant that I arrived rested at 10 a.m. in the center of Prague and had the whole day to explore the city.

What was your favorite moment of the experience?

I don't have a single favorite moment. I particularly enjoyed the night train experience and the balance between educational moments and visiting the city of Prague. As far as the educational moments are concerned, the discussions between the participants and the visits to the various initiatives of Charles University were particularly enriching and therefore among my favorites. Prague is also a beautiful city, rich in history and architecture, which I loved.

More information about continuing education opportunities abroad for USI staff is available on the dedicated web page.