HOSTER project was created to offer an alternative accommodation solution to learners who travel to foreign European countries to study or to do internships in local companies, within the framework of Erasmus+ as well as other funded programs.

Usually, Erasmus learners are hosted in hostels or student residences. These accommodation solutions enable them to meet locals and foreigners, but are not always a significant way to get in touch with local culture and traditions.

In order to overcome this barrier, to deepen ties between schools, students and families, and to promote internationalisation at home, Uniser launched the HOSTER project in 2019 and piloted it in the Emilia-Romagna region.

During the pandemic years, HOSTER project became a fundamental part of a KA2 Erasmus+ funded project: PRODIGE – PROmote DIGitalisation for Education & training. This project was born out of the necessity to improve the mobility conditions of VET centres after COVID-19 pandemic, allowing them to respond to new needs.

More specifically, PRODIGE project aims to strengthen the European dimension of VET centers and schools by innovating their internationalization strategies thanks to the use of digital tools and to the development of teachers’ digital competences.

The results are threefold and foresee the realization of an online toolkit for managing digital learning mobility, the implementation of an e-learning course for teachers on Internationalization at Home and, finally, the development of an e-platform for a tailor made mobility in hosting families: HOSTER.