Internationalisation at home

During the week of 26 to 30 January 2026, Katerina Krousaroti, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Department of Early Childhood Education and Care at the International Hellenic University, was a guest at the University College of Teacher Education Lower Austria as part of the Erasmus+ programme.

The international exchange covered teaching, research and educational practice. Prof. Krousaroti designed a course for students in the university programme Inclusive Early Childhood Education and led a workshop on Positive Behaviour Support in Early Childhood Education. Various theoretical models were presented as input and then transferred to educational practice through exercises. To this end, she drew on the results of several Erasmus+ projects: PBS-ECEC, ProW and Resilient Preschools. 

At the university lecturer level, networking discussions, exchanges, scientific presentations and discussions took place within the Department of Early Childhood Education and in cooperation with the Department of Diversity. These could be the starting point for joint research projects.

The academic discourse was complemented by two days of observation in kindergartens. Katerina Krousaroti visited the CCLA partner institution !Biku Villa Baden, an international preschool, and the Christine Nöstlinger Campus in Vienna, where the City of Vienna operates a kindergarten. The insights into the concrete pedagogical work were particularly valuable for her, as she herself worked as an early childhood educator with children aged 4 to 6 before her academic career.

She was particularly impressed by the pleasantly calm atmosphere at !Biku Villa Baden and the high value placed on sensorimotor play materials. In Vienna, she was also able to see how an educator implements the PERMA Teach concept in his U3 group, thereby specifically strengthening relationship quality, well-being and joy of learning in everyday educational practice. The exchange of experiences on the topics of transition and familiarisation was also valuable, as was the opportunity to learn about built pedagogy on campus.

The Department of Early Childhood Education is responsible for planning and supporting Prof. Krousaroti. She gives a positive assessment of the Internationalisation at Home concept: ‘In particular, welcoming international guest lecturers enables students to gain international and intercultural experience without physically going abroad, through encounters and discourse.’ The cooperation between PH NÖ and International Hellenic University is to be continued and actively maintained.

30. January 2026 | Weiterbildung | International | PH NÖ