Between 6-10 October 2025, UMCS in Lublin proudly welcomed delegates from partner universities in Botswana: Botho University (BU), BA ISAGO University (BIU), Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) and Eswatini: Southern Africa Nazarene University (SANU)i, University of Eswatini (UNESWA) as part of the UPSCALE Project “Upscaling Graduates’ Employability Tracking through the implementation of special Dual Career paths in Botswana and Eswatini”, co-funded by the European Union, (no. 101178037, Erasmus+).

It was a vibrant and very busy week packed with exchange of best practices in university-industry collaboration, dual learning models, and graduate employability systems, grounded in the cultural values of openness, respect and global connection promoted by Erasmus+.

Programme highlights included visits to:

• UMCS – Faculty of Economics, ECOTECH-Complex, AI & Computer Modelling Centre
• Lublin City Council & Strategy Department
• Provincial Labour Office in Lublin
• Lublin University of Technology
• University of Life Sciences in Lublin
• University of Economics and Innovation (WSEI)

Key topics discussed:

• Mapping and tracking graduates’ career pathways
• Strengthening dual-learning models for real-world impact
• Innovation and sustainability at the heart of higher education
• Digital transformation and artificial intelligence in academia

The UPSCALE project continues to build strong bridges between project partners, promoting skills development, employability, and sustainable collaborations with cultural respect.