Off to Barcelona with ERASMUS+ to Study Conflict Strategies

“Conflict management, emotional intelligence and bullying prevention” – the working title of the training course in May 2026 already indicated that we would be tackling some challenging and complex topics.

Teachers and psychologists from Hungary, Portugal, Ireland, Romania, Germany, and Belgium all fully immersed themselves in the experience. Time and again, the focus turned to ourselves: What triggers affect us personally? How do we react during conflicts? What stereotypes do we hold, or have we encountered? How do we recognize bullying? How do we handle conflicts at our own school? Is there an environment that promotes learning in our school? These are excellent questions to guide further development and teamwork at our school!

With a light and expert touch, Marta Mandolini guided us through conflict resolution models, peer mediation, and communication approaches designed to foster a resilient mindset.

What can we do when we or our students start to panic? “Worry-coping” cards, body scans, and the 4-7-8 breathing technique were just a few of the practical exercises we explored for dealing with emotions and conflict. Another wonderful element was a question we can ask ourselves in moments of panic: “Do you think the universe cares?”

Why not give mindfulness a try yourself? When you wake up in the morning, try completing the following sentence: “Today is going to be a great day, because…”

Alongside many inspiring exchanges with fellow participants—such as Flora from Hungary and Paula from Portugal—the city itself naturally made it easy to clear our minds. Whether it was the Arc de Triomf, Parc Güell, a morning cortado, evening croquetas, or simply the sea, Barcelona provided the perfect backdrop.

A fantastic opportunity to learn!