Photo: Mina Abrahamsen/OsloMet
Exchange visit from Lyon
When Héléna Phommarath from Ocellia in Lyon was choosing a partner institution through Erasmus+, she chose to spend a week at OsloMet with the Section for Marketing and Communication.
Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. Through the Erasmus+ program, employees can receive a grant to visit at a partner institution or other institutions in Europe. The aim of the grant is to strengthen international cooperation, develop skills relevant to your work, and promote abilities that support Erasmus+'s main priorities: inclusion and diversity, sustainability, and digitalization.
Competence exchange
Héléna is a communications advisor at Ocellia, a school of social and health professions in Lyon. Ocellia is a educational institution with approximately 200 employees and 5000 students distributed across three campuses in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. As one of three communications advisors in Lyon, Héléna specializes in social media.
– I enjoy being in contact with our students, and social media allows us to strengthen our connections with them. Being connected with our target audience is an important part of Ocellia’s strategy, which is why I love my job.
At OsloMet, Héléna wants to observe the best social media strategies in an international context, exchange ideas with other professionals, and understand the cultural and social factors that influence social media communication in Norway.
– I have learned a lot that I can bring back to Ocellia. Among other things, I have gained insight into how to communicate on various social platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
International collaboration provides new strategies
Héléna believes that international collaborations contributes to providing us with diverse perspectives and encouraging innovative thinking. It provides the opportunity to share good strategies with each other and to better understand different cultures.
– I believe it can lead to personal growth and better cooperation on a global level.
First time in a Nordic country
Before Héléna began the exchange process, OsloMet was unfamiliar to her. She had never been to a Nordic country, and she knew she wanted to visit one, so she decided that she wanted to visit the capital of Norway and OsloMet.
– I've heard that Norwegians are kind and open-minded. Also, I wanted to experience a colder climate.
If there's one thing Héléna must point out as the best part of her time in Oslo, aside from all the pleasant colleagues she has met, of course, it's dining at Fiskeriet at Youngstorget.
– I'm a big fan of seafood, and it was important for me to try some typical Norwegian cuisine.
You can find more information about the Erasmus+ programme here.
