As part of the Erasmus+ programme, the Faculty of Arts, UPJŠ welcomed students and lecturers from Austria and Poland for a five-day exchange focusing on the role of minorities in the history of democracy and the multicultural identity of Central Europe. Following inspiring mobility programmes and intensive cooperation in Innsbruck and Warsaw, the BIP, which focuses on key European topics, is moving into its final phase at our university. From 20 to 24 October 2025, the faculty hosted a short-term mobility event as part of the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), entitled Minderheiten und Demokratie (Minorities and Democracy). This event was organised by the Department of Germanic Studies and led by Associate Professor Ingrid Puchalová and project coordinator Dr. Alexandra Popovičová.
Building on the previous mobilities hosted by partner institutions earlier this year – the University College of Teacher Education in Innsbruck and the University of Warsaw, the project explores themes such as democracy, the struggle for freedom and the role of national minorities in the history of Central Europe. These institutions will explore topics such as democracy, freedom and national minorities in Central European history. Eighteen students and two lecturers from Poland and Austria came to Košice to participate in the programme. Alongside Slovak students, they discussed democratic values, learnt about the region’s multicultural history and shared their views on young people’s involvement in shaping civil society.
The rich five-day programme included expert workshops, lectures, excursions and cultural events. Participants visited Spiš Castle, Spišské Podhradie and Levoča, learnt about the Košice’s Jewish cultural heritage, met former president Rudolf Schuster, visited the Sándor Márai memorial exhibition and took part in a creative workshop with visual artist Helmut Bistika.
The programme’s outcome includes short student video reports (vlogs), in which participants share their experiences of the mobility and reflect on themes such as minorities, democracy, and the shared Central European cultural space.
The BIP project Minorities and Democracy organised by the Department of Germanic Studies at the Faculty of Arts, UPJŠ, contributed to intercultural dialogue and deepened cooperation between universities. It also offered students the opportunity to learn about history and the present from multiple academic, cultural and personal perspectives.
Text and photo: Dr. Alexandra Popovičová
Department of Germanic Studies, Faculty of Arts, UPJŠ
Translation: Natália Rubeljová
