SMILE Project Completes First WP2 Practical Training Visit at Middle East Technical University in Ankara
Ankara, Türkiye – 4 September 2026
The Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education project SMILE – Supporting Mobility and Internationalization for Learning and Engagement in Somali HEIs has successfully completed its first practical training visit under Work Package 2 (WP2): Capacity Building through Training and Infrastructure Development.
The four-day training took place from 1 to 4 September 2026 at Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, bringing together representatives from the Somali partner higher education institutions with experts from METU and the European Association of Erasmus Coordinators (EAEC).
The activity formed part of Task 2.3 – Practical Training Visits to European Partner Institutions, which aims to strengthen the internationalization capacity of Somali higher education institutions through hands-on training, practical exchange, and exposure to international cooperation practices.
Across the four days, participants engaged in a comprehensive programme covering key areas of higher education internationalization. The sessions addressed international academic partnerships, research collaboration and networking, Erasmus+ cooperation opportunities, proposal development and consortium building, virtual mobility, staff mobility, financial and administrative aspects of mobility, intercultural communication, and global networking skills.
The training also explored emerging approaches to internationalization, including the role of artificial intelligence, MOOCs, micro-credentials, and virtual internationalization in expanding access to international learning and cooperation opportunities.
A key objective of the training was to ensure that knowledge acquired during the week could be translated into concrete institutional actions. On the final day, representatives of the Somali HEIs presented their Institutional Action Plans and commitments for the development of academic collaboration, staff mobility, and virtual mobility within their institutions.
The Ankara training represents an important step in the implementation of SMILE’s wider objective to enhance the internationalization of Somali higher education institutions. Through WP2, the project seeks to equip academic and administrative staff with the skills, knowledge, and practical tools required to engage more effectively in Erasmus+ mobility, international partnerships, virtual exchange, and other forms of academic cooperation.
The training was hosted by METU, the leader of WP2, with contributions from EAEC, and active participation from representatives of the Somali partner institutions.
The SMILE consortium thanks all trainers, speakers, organizers, and participants for their contribution to four days of intensive learning, exchange of experience, networking, and joint planning.
The project will continue its WP2 activities with further capacity-building and training actions aimed at supporting Somali HEIs in developing sustainable international cooperation and mobility structures.
About SMILE
SMILE – Supporting Mobility and Internationalization for Learning and Engagement in Somali HEIs – is an Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education project designed to strengthen the international dimension of Somali higher education institutions.
The project focuses on capacity building, academic mobility, international partnerships, virtual mobility, inclusion, and the development of sustainable institutional internationalization strategies.
The consortium brings together organizations and higher education institutions from Somalia, Türkiye, Greece, Belgium, and Cyprus.
Project website: https://smileheisproject.org/
Media contact:
SMILE Project Consortium
https://smileheisproject.org/
Co-funded by the European Union.
