The first Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) organised at USAMV Cluj-Napoca

Between 4 and 12 June, the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (USAMV) Cluj-Napoca organised, as part of the Erasmus+ programme, the first Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), entitled ‘Flavours of Transylvania’, dedicated to promoting Transylvanian gastronomic heritage and the exchange of experiences in an international setting.

The programme brought together 19 students and academic staff from the University of Agriculture in Kraków, the University of Porto, the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Mendel University in Brno and Gál Ferenc University, offering them the opportunity to discover the culture, traditions and gastronomy of Transylvania through practical and interactive activities.

The online component of the programme, which took place on 4–5 June, was followed by five days, from 8 to 12 June, of activities organised in Cluj-Napoca and the surrounding area, designed to complement the learning experience and international collaboration.

Participants began their activities on the university campus with ice-breaking sessions and opportunities to get to know one another, followed by a tour of the campus, tastings of products made and sold by the university, a visit to the historic centre of Cluj-Napoca and, of course, a dinner featuring traditional dishes.

Throughout the week, they took part in:

– practical workshops at the pilot facilities of the Faculty of Food Science and Technology;

– workshops on sustainable gastronomy, during which they made chocolate and crackers;

– sessions on food analysis and the certification of regional products;

– tastings and sensory analyses of European craft beer;

– study visits to local producers and farms in Cluj County;

– cooking demonstrations led by specialists and renowned chefs;

– cultural and networking activities.

One of the most appreciated highlights of the programme was the visit to Bunătăți Uscate, a family-run business specialising in natural dehydrated products, as well as the gastronomic experience offered by the Transylvanian Gastronomic Club, where Chef Horia Șimon introduced participants to traditional Transylvanian dishes and the stories behind them.

The day dedicated to the cookery workshop saw participants in the kitchen alongside Chef Horia Șimon and Chef Alin Jașcău, who led the preparation of a full menu: lion’s mane mushroom cream soup with croutons, asparagus with poached egg and hollandaise sauce, followed by peach dumplings. The workshop concluded with a tasting and socialising session, in an atmosphere brimming with enthusiasm.

The programme concluded with presentations by the international teams, based on the observations and experiences gained throughout the week, focusing on traditional Transylvanian foods and ways of promoting the region’s gastronomic heritage.

By organising this first Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), USAMV Cluj-Napoca has consolidated its role as an active partner in the process of internationalisation of higher education, offering participants a comprehensive academic and cultural experience that combined educational activities with the promotion of local values and traditions.

We would like to thank all the lecturers, partners, volunteers and participants who contributed to the success of this Erasmus+ project. We are convinced that the experiences gained, the knowledge acquired and the friendships formed will form the basis for future international collaborations and will leave us with fond memories of the ‘Flavours of Transylvania’ story.