2026 is a special year for Bárczi: this year, for the first time, we held three different Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programs in a single academic year. While we held two courses in June (Innovation and Diversity Laboratory/InDi Lab and Inclusive Communication Lab), from July 6–10, our faculty hosted the “Without Barriers: Inclusion for All in Sport” BIP for the third time.

The goal of the program is for participants to gain a basic understanding of adapted sports. This year, 22 participants—students and university staff, with the latter group representing the largest number to date—from Finland (Tampere University, University of Jyväskylä), Portugal (Universidade do Minho), Turkey (Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Akdeniz University), Estonia (Tallinn University), Poland (University of Wrocław), Germany (University of Europe for Applied Sciences), and Italy (Telematic University “Giustino Fortunato”).

In addition to theoretical knowledge, they had the opportunity to try out sitting volleyball, play blindfolded bell ball, play bocce, and—with the help of the Suhanj! Foundation—go tandem biking, among other activities. In addition to these activities, for the first time this year, our guests were even able to learn to salsa from two hearing-impaired instructors.

It is an honor that, as in previous years, Prof. Dr. Andrea Erdélyi (Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg) joined our faculty this year to introduce her audience to the basics of alternative and augmentative communication (AAC). During her presentation, the focus was on the use of AAC devices at sporting events and on brainstorming adaptation possibilities together.

Dr. Katalin Tóthné Kälbli and Dr. Judit Gombás, colleagues from the Institute for the Methodology of Special Needs Education and Rehabilitation (GYMRI), provided the participants with basic information on adapted sports.

This week would not have been possible without the work of Gréta Kövecses and Dóra Liska from the International Office. We would also like to thank all participating colleagues for their support in handling the logistical tasks that contributed to the program’s success. As always, our BIPs can only be realized through close teamwork!

Learn more about the Blended Intensive Programs: Blended Intensive Program