Visit from Madrid: Erasmus+ Exchange on Sustainable Mobility
As part of an Erasmus+ project, our school had the pleasure of welcoming visitors from Spain last week: ten students, one teacher, and the school principal, Cristina Sanz, from our partner school EOI de Coslada (Madrid), spent five days in Hamburg. The exchange is part of a joint project titled “Sustainable Mobility in Major Cities – A Comparison between Hamburg and Madrid.”
During their stay in Hamburg, the Spanish guests gained insights into the city’s mobility concepts and compared their impressions with experiences from Madrid. The collaboration will continue in April with a return visit to Madrid. The project was initiated and organized by the teachers Teresa Winter and Franziska Rießelmann, who coordinate the exchange within the European Erasmus+ programme and are carrying out the project for the second time. The aim is to provide students with international perspectives on current societal issues while also fostering intercultural encounters.
In addition to the project work, the guests gained diverse insights into everyday school life. Particularly enriching were the classroom observations in language lessons, where the Spanish students participated alongside German learners. These encounters enabled direct exchange on learning methods, languages, and education systems. A shared cultural programme was also an integral part of the stay: the Spanish guests explored key landmarks of Hamburg, including the Elbphilharmonie, the Landungsbrücken, and the historic Speicherstadt. This allowed them to gain not only an impression of the city itself but also of its history and culture.
A special highlight of the week was the ceremonial presentation of a certificate officially recognizing the Erasmus+ partnership between the two schools. On this occasion, our school principal, Kai Tiburtius, presented the certificate to Cristina Sanz, the principal of EOI de Coslada. Special thanks also go to the Spanish teachers Ms Teke, Ms Delgado, Ms Stork, and Mr Torino, who provided dedicated support throughout the week and contributed significantly to the success of the programme. From 20 to 29 April, Ms Winter and Ms Rießelmann will travel to Madrid together with 18 students from the vocational upper secondary school for the return visit. There, the project on sustainable mobility will continue and the German-Spanish collaboration will be further strengthened.
This exchange clearly demonstrates how European education projects can promote international cooperation, intercultural learning, and the development of shared solutions to current challenges.
