MOBI-US e-Workshop, 7-8 September, online

On 7-8 September the MOBI-US project completed an important step: the Matchmaking Workshop. This event had the purpose of making the networking partners and MSc program leaders to meet (online) and discuss potential partnerships that will result in mobility pathways between these institutions after MOBI-US is concluded in July 2021. This event had to be split in two parts due to the COVID situation: the first was held in June 2020, while the second and last one was completed early this week.

LPRC had two representatives – Luís Lopes and Márcio Tameirão – who were responsible for the development of the “Matchmaking Workshop Guide”, the document that compiles the agenda, online platform, materials, preparatory activities, homework for the partners, as well as the partner finding exercises that were performed in the event. Despite the challenge of adapting the partner finding exercises to an online mode, the activities allowed the MSc program leaders to understand each other’s weaknesses and strengths, and find potential partners to further discuss the feasibility and logistics to set up the mobility pathways, which was the main goal of the workshop.

During the event, LPRC, as a Mentoring partner, provided input on the discussions whenever needed, and helped the program leaders to perform the exercises smoothly by answering questions and monitoring the dynamic of the activities. This support will continue in the upcoming months of MOBI-US, since the potential networking partners will continue to work on the details to establish the mobilities.

LPRC is the leader of the Communication and Dissemination work package in MOBI-US. For the team the next steps include raising awareness about the next event – Industry Workshop – and mentoring the networking partners during the above-mentioned “homework”.