Cybersecurity and European Mobility: A Growing Partnership for Blois Institute of Technology (IUT)

Expanding international mobility opportunities for students has been a long-standing ambition of the Blois Institute of Technology (IUT de Blois), represented here by two members of its teaching staff, Fiona Calonne and Christine Farmer.

Thanks to their commitment and the opportunities offered by the NEOLAiA European University Alliance, the Blois Institute of Technology has progressively embraced the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) scheme, supported by the University's International Relations Office. Combining online learning with a short period of physical mobility, this format is opening up new opportunities for students enrolled in programmes where international mobility can sometimes be difficult to implement.

This journey began in February 2025, when five students from the Bachelor of Technology (BUT) in Networks and Telecommunications took part in a first cybersecurity-focused Blended Intensive Programme at Örebro University, Sweden. This innovative course enabled them to work alongside students and lecturers from several European universities on real-world information security challenges.

One year later, the partnership continued at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus, which hosted the second edition of the Introduction to Information Security Requirements BIP. Fiona Calonne represented the Blois Institute of Technology at the event, helping to strengthen the collaborations established with European partners. The programme brought together 24 students and focused on topics such as security requirements engineering, risk analysis, and collaborative work in an international environment.

These exchanges are already producing tangible results. In September 2026, five students from the Blois Institute of Technology will take part in a new BIP organised by Örebro University: Security-Aware Software Architecture. They will work on the design of secure software architectures in a fully English-speaking and international learning environment.

And the story does not end there. Building on the partnerships developed over the years with their European colleagues, Fiona Calonne and Christine Farmer are now preparing to host a BIP in Blois in 2027. Dedicated to the Internet of Things (IoT) and pollution monitoring, this project will bring together students and lecturers from several NEOLAiA partner universities to explore the challenges of ecological transition and connected technologies.

From sending a handful of students to a first programme in Sweden to preparing the organisation of a European programme in Blois, this journey illustrates how European University Alliances create new opportunities for both students and staff. It also highlights the crucial role played by teaching teams who, year after year, build and nurture the partnerships that make such initiatives possible.

The picture of Fiona Calonne accompanying this article was taken during the mobility week hosted by the University of Nicosia, Cyprus, in June 2026.