From October 20–24, 2025, Palacký University Olomouc hosted the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) “Mothers in Multidisciplinary Perspective.” The week-long event brought together students, researchers, and professionals from across Europe to explore motherhood through the lenses of literature, sociology, health sciences, law, and social work. The programme exemplified the principles of multilateral cooperation, interdisciplinarity, and practice-oriented learning that fosters dialogue between theory and real-world experience.
Interdisciplinary Framework and Institutional Cooperation
The BIP was jointly organized by five faculties of Palacký University: the Faculty of Arts (Pavlína Flajšarová and Eva Klimentová), the Faculty of Health Sciences (Helena Kisvetrová and Daniela Javornická), the Faculty of Law (Martin Faix), the Faculty of Science (Nikola Medová), and the Faculty of Education (Jiří Flajšar). Each contributed its distinctive disciplinary insights. This institutional collaboration formed a key component of the programme’s concept, enabling participants to approach motherhood not as a phenomenon within a single field, but as a complex socio-cultural, medical, and legal construct. The demanding administrative coordination of the event was handled brilliantly by Mgr. Marie Sieberová from the Faculty of Arts.
Throughout the week, seminars focused on research methodology, literary and sociological perspectives, legal frameworks, and applied social work, demonstrating the power of interdisciplinary approaches to gender and family-related issues. Participants were encouraged to transcend disciplinary boundaries and to formulate integrative research questions linking the humanities, social sciences, and health studies.
International Expertise and Academic Exchange
The programme had a strong international dimension, with guest lecturers and experts from partner universities across Europe. Among them were Prof. Mary Steen (Curtin University, Perth), soon to be awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by King Charles III for her achievements in midwifery and maternal care; Prof. Alison Steven and Assoc. Prof. Jane Greaves (both from Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne); and Prof. Annamaria Bagnasco (University of Genoa). Their workshops on systematic and integrative review methodologies provided participants with a solid foundation for research design and reflected Erasmus+’s emphasis on transnational exchange of expertise and best practices.
Doctoral students from Italian, Irish, Australian, Slovak, and Czech universities presented their research on motherhood in various academic contexts and received feedback from both Czech and international scholars. This format created a rich environment for intergenerational and intercultural dialogue and strengthened research networks among emerging scholars. The virtual component further enhanced collaboration and mutual exchange.
Integrating Theory and Practice: Practical and Field-Based Learning
In keeping with the blended and practice-oriented character of the BIP, the programme balanced academic lectures with hands-on learning. Participants engaged in social work workshops such as “Foster Care in the Czech Republic” and “Therapeutic Parenting,” led by Dr. Eva Klimentová and Mgr. Petra Pitrová. These sessions connected theoretical frameworks with real-life case studies, demonstrating how research can inform social policy and intervention.
A highlight of the applied segment was an excursion to the University Hospital Olomouc, where participants visited the social care department to observe practices supporting mothers of at-risk children. This direct engagement with professionals offered insight into the ethical and social dimensions of caregiving and family support systems.
Expanding Perspectives: Law, Religion, and Culture
Additional lectures extended the exploration of motherhood into legal and cultural domains. JUDr. Lenka Westphalová’s lecture on surrogacy highlighted how legal systems shape and regulate maternal experience. Dr. Nikola Medová’s session on “Women and Islam” opened dialogue on religion, identity, and women’s rights, further enriching the programme’s global outlook. Her lecture included a demonstration of dress codes for Muslim women across different countries.
The Faculties of Arts and Education made significant contributions to the cultural and literary understanding of motherhood through sessions led by Assoc. Prof. Pavlína Flajšarová, Assoc. Prof. Marie Voždová, Assoc. Prof. Kristýna Solomon (all from the Faculty of Arts), and Dr. Jiří Flajšar (Faculty of Education). These discussions examined representations of mothers in French, British, American, and German literature. As part of the literary section, PhD student Paula Riese (University of Limerick) presented a comparative analysis of trauma and healing in Irish and German novels. These contributions underscored the role of the humanities in interpreting motherhood as an emotional, symbolic, and narrative construct.
A Model of Cooperation for Future Education
The “Mothers in Multidisciplinary Perspective” BIP demonstrated how Erasmus+ intensive programmes can function as laboratories for transnational and interdisciplinary learning. By combining research workshops, practical training, and cultural exchange, the event fostered sustainable partnerships between faculties and international collaborators.
When participants gathered on October 24 for a farewell lunch, it was clear that the BIP had succeeded in creating a community of practice grounded in empathy and academic curiosity. The cooperation among the five faculties of Palacký University, the integration of theory with practical experience, and the involvement of international experts made the programme a model of European collaboration in higher education addressing socially significant themes such as motherhood, care, and gender equality.
An additional highlight was the high-quality simultaneous interpreting provided by translation studies students of English and American Studies (Faculty of Arts, Palacký University), who stepped outside their usual humanities focus to interpret sessions in the health sciences. Under the supervision of Dr. Veronika Sejkorová (Department of English and American Studies), they gained real-world interpreting experience as part of their professional training.
The BIP was also presented at an international meeting of university alliances in Amsterdam, where it attracted considerable interest. The multidisciplinary approach proved highly fruitful and inspiring. Plans are already underway for future editions: October 2026 will focus on quality of life, and October 2027 on trauma, with potentially even broader participation (including the University of Iceland and Rovira i Virgili University), some of which are members of the Aurora European University Alliance.
Doc. Pavlína Flajšarová, UP Faculty of Arts, Department of English and American Studies