For Ronja Teschendorf, PhD candidate in foreign language didactics at Kiel University, 2025 has been a year of growth and self-discovery. Building communities with like-minded people has led to new ventures including her organising a second SEA-EU BIP on “Narratives for Action – translating climate goals into personal commitment” taking place in Kiel this year, and a local exchange-hub for Inner Development Goals. A journey shaped by connection and shared enthusiasm.
Back in 2024 Ronja presented her experience of organising Blended Intensive Programs at a SEA EU event in Cadiz, Spain. It was here she first met Marit Solstad from Bodø in Norway and Censu Caruana, director of the sustainable education center in Malta. “I thought their research was interesting and we found we had things in common,” remembers Ronja. Later the three of them, plus another colleague from Bodø, started making plans for a course focussing on the discourse of climate change and sustainability. “We all got on really well and were keen to continue our collaboration”.
Their BIP entitled “More (green) energy to combat (natural) disasters?” took place in Kiel in summer 2025. The event brought together students and academics from Nord University, the University of Malta, as well as from other collaborating institutes in Cyprus, France, Croatia, Finland, Romania and USA. “It was a really enjoyable collaborative project” she says. “It was a great course, but admittedly we tried to fit too much in during those few days,” she says. “We organised a very full, varied and intense program which covered many concepts and ideas, and catering for a range of experience levels. I’m glad we now have the chance to learn from that experience as we plan the next course.”
The next edition of the BIP, entitled “Narratives for Action – translating climate goals into personal commitment”, will take place again in Kiel in April 2026. The plan is that future editions of the course will be hosted in Norway and Malta. “This year we will focus on storytelling around the topic of sustainable development goals.” By the end of the course the participants will produce a film around their own personal message on the topic.
Ronja herself is curious what the students gain from attending the course. “I believe that through these BIPS, the students learn skills such as intercultural competences, problem solving skills and critical thinking. I’m interested in understanding how taking part in a project such as creating a video, instead of discussing theories, contributes to us playing a more active role in addressing issues such as climate change.“ She intends to use the event to collect data of her own research.
In Norway towards the end of 2025, Ronja joined the Staff Week at Nord University, Norway, on Inner Development Goals (IDG), a framework of skills such as self-awareness and courage geared towards executed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “This was such an inspirational event” she says. “I realised how closely inner growth and education are connected, fostering self-reflection and empathy.” In Bodø she met up again with her collaborators from Nord and Malta, as well as new colleagues from Kiel. She immediately struck up a mutual understanding with both Frauke Godat from the CAU Department of Teaching Development, and Rebekka Mewis from the university’s Green Office. Back in Kiel, the three of them met to talk about establishing a local IDG Hub. “One of the main outcomes from the IDG staff week was to establish a series of online exchange meetings for the entire alliance around the topic of Inner Development Goals” Ronja explains. “That can never replace personal exchange though I think. We want to build a network here in Kiel for those interested in integrating the IDGs into teaching.” The first network meeting is planned for early 2026.
Throughout this year Ronja has recognised the power of connection. “I’ve come to realise that the ones you best collaborate with are not always those from your own research area or discipline” she says. “If you have the same values and interests there is a lot you can achieve together.”
