True learning happens when we open our minds and hearts to others
WinNovan vuotuinen kv-miniseminaari pidettiin Porissa 12.11. 2025. Meillä oli ilo saada seminaariimme tervehdyksen tuoja espanjalaisesta kumppanioppilaitoksestamme ( IES Las Salinas). Saimme luvan puheen julkaisuun kv-blogissamme.
Good afternoon everyone,
It’s such a pleasure and an honor to be here today at WinNova, surrounded by colleagues who share the same passion for vocational education, innovation, and European cooperation. My name is Eva Luque, Vice Principal and Erasmus+ VET Coordinator at IES Las Salinas, a vocational school located in San Fernando, in the beautiful region of Cádiz, in the south of Spain. Thanks to the financing of the Spanish Ministry of Education, Vocational Education Training and Sports and by the European Social Fund, I have the privilege of spending some time here in Finland, learning from your excellent vocational system, exchanging experiences, and building bridges for future cooperation.
We live in a world that is more connected than ever before. Digital tools allow us to communicate instantly, to share knowledge, to collaborate across distances that once seemed impossible. And yet, in this digital world, real connection – personal connection- has never been more important. Behind every email, every video call, every online platform, there are human beings: teachers, trainers, and, most importantly, learners, who grow not only through information, but through relationships. Learning happens when people trust, when they feel seen and valued, when they exchange ideas face to fase, even if that “face to face” sometimes happens across borders.
Technology enables us, but connection transforms us. That´s is why being here, at WinNova, is such an enriching experience for me. Every conversation with a Finnish colleague, every classroom observation, every informal coffee chat teaches me something valuable, not only about your educational system, but also about your culture, your values, your way of approaching challenges. And I hope that, in return, I can share something from our experience in Spain, from the creativity, flexibility, and energy of our vocational students and teachers.
True learning happens when we open our minds and hearts to others. It’s a two-way street: we teach and we learn, we inspire and we are inspired. And this, of course, is the essence of Erasmus+: the belief that education is stronger when it crosses borders. Through Erasmus+ mobilities, our students discover new professional skills and perspectives on life. They gain confidence, independence, and resilience. They return home transformed, with strong language skills, improved technical abilities and a deeper sense of belonging to a wider European community.
And it’s not only the students who change. Teachers and staff, too, grow through mobilities. We learn new methodologies, we challenge our assumptions, and we bring back fresh ideas that enrich our institutions. Mobilities build bridges of understanding and cooperation that last far beyond the projects themselves.
When a young person from Cádiz carries out their internship in a Finnish company, whether in the field of business, social care for the elderly, welding, machining, or even guiding groups in nature, something powerful happens. They experience firsthand how professionalism, respect, and innovation are lived in another culture. They see that values such as cooperation, responsibility, and curiosity are truly universal. And they return with a broader vision of what it means to be both a skilled worker and a European citizen.
But the exchange works both ways. When a student from Pori or from Rauma, from WinNova, comes to Spain for an internship perhaps in a marketing office in Cádiz, in a social project, or even supporting tourism activities by the sea, they also discover a new way of working and living. They experience our Mediterranean rhythm, our sense of teamwork, our approach to customer service and hospitality. They practice their Spanish or their English, build their confidence, and bring back to Finland not only new professional skills, but also a deep appreciation for cultural diversity and adaptability. In the end, both our students from Andalusia and from Satakunta grow not just as professionals, but as Europeans, ready to contribute to a shared future.
Today, as we look to that future, I feel deeply motivated to continue building this cooperation between WinNova and IES Las Salinas. Together, we can create opportunities for our students to learn from each other, to experience new realities, and to prepare for a European labor market that demands adaptability, creativity, and intercultural competence. Collaboration between educational institutions go beyond mobilities. We can share good practices, develop joint projects, innovate in teaching and learning methods, and explore how digitalization can enhance, rather than replace, the human connection that lies at the heart of education.
In a world that often feels fast and impersonal, education remains the most human of all professions. Through Erasmus+, through dialogue, through collaboration, we remind our students (and ourselves!) that knowledge grows when it is shared, and that Europe becomes stronger when we learn from each other.
Thank you very much for your warm welcome, your openness, and your commitment to vocational excellence. I look forward to a fruitful and lasting partnership between WinNova and IES Las Salinas.
Kiitos paljon!
Eva María Luque de Diego, Teacher of Sales and Marketing, Vice Principal and Erasmus+ VET Coordinator at IES Las Salinas