Erasmus+ Preparatory Visit in Malta: Preparing Students for Their Mobility

An Erasmus+ mobility does not begin when students arrive at the airport.

A successful mobility starts weeks or even months earlier, with planning, communication and preparation between the sending organisation, the host organisation and the companies welcoming students for their work placements.

This is the purpose of an Erasmus+ Preparatory Visit: to create the right conditions for a meaningful and well-organised mobility experience.

Recently, Lexema welcomed two teachers from Italy to Malta for a Preparatory Visit ahead of their students' arrival in October. The visit was an opportunity to meet the people involved in the students' upcoming experience, visit key locations and establish direct communication with the organisations and professionals who will support them during their mobility.

At the Lexema office: meeting the team and preparing for the students’ arrival in Malta.

At Inlingua: getting to know another key part of the students’ upcoming mobility experience.

What is an Erasmus+ Preparatory Visit?

An Erasmus+ Preparatory Visit is a visit carried out before a mobility project begins, allowing representatives of the sending organisation to meet the host organisation and, where relevant, the companies or institutions involved in the placement.

It is particularly valuable for mobility projects involving VET students, work placements and professional learning experiences abroad.

Rather than relying entirely on communication at a distance, a Preparatory Visit allows everyone involved to meet in person, discuss expectations and better understand how the mobility will work in practice.

For students, this preparation can make their arrival in a new country smoother.

For schools and organisations, it provides an opportunity to check that the planned activities, accommodation, support and placements are aligned with the project.

For host companies, it creates a direct relationship with the sending organisation before welcoming the students.

Why Preparation Matters Before an Erasmus+ Mobility

Going abroad for an internship or work placement is a major learning experience.

Students are not simply travelling to another country. They are entering a new professional environment, adapting to different routines, communicating in another language and developing new skills.

That is why preparation matters.

A well-prepared mobility can help establish:

• clearer expectations for students and host companies

• stronger communication between all partners

• better understanding of the students' learning objectives

• smoother coordination before and during the placement

• greater confidence for teachers and project coordinators

• a stronger connection between the sending organisation and the host companies

  
  

The experience starts before the first day of the internship.

Meeting the People Behind the Students' Work Placements

During the recent Preparatory Visit, the two teachers had the opportunity to meet the people who will be involved in their students' mobility once they arrive in Malta.

Together with the Lexema team, they visited different locations connected to the students' upcoming experience.

The day included visits to the Lexema office, the apartments where the students will be staying, Inlingua, and the workplaces where the young people will be carrying out their placements.

Each visit had a specific purpose: to put faces to names, understand the environments in which the students will spend their time and create direct communication between the different people involved in the project.

Meeting placement supervisors before the students' arrival is particularly important, because

during a Preparatory Visit, teachers can gain a clearer understanding of what their students will encounter once they arrive.

They can see where students will stay, meet the people supporting them and better understand the professional environments in which they will complete their placements.

This creates a stronger connection between the educational objectives of the sending organisation and the practical experience provided by the host environment.

The Role of Lexema in Erasmus+ Mobility Preparation

As a host organisation in Malta, Lexema works behind the scenes to coordinate the different elements that contribute to an Erasmus+ mobility.

This includes communication with sending organisations, coordination with host companies, placement organisation, accommodation, student support and the practical aspects of welcoming international groups to Malta.

Preparatory Visits are an important part of this process.

They allow us to work directly with teachers and project coordinators before the students arrive, understand their expectations and make sure that the different elements of the mobility are aligned.

For us, this is part of building a reliable relationship with our partners.

Good Erasmus+ projects are built through communication, coordination and trust.

Preparing for the Students' Arrival in Malta

The two teachers' visit took place ahead of their students' arrival in October.

By meeting the people involved and visiting the different locations beforehand, they were able to return home with a clearer picture of what their students will experience during their mobility.

When the students arrive, they will already be part of a process that has been carefully prepared.

Their accommodation will be ready.

Their work placements will have been coordinated.

Their host companies will know who they are.

And the people supporting their mobility will already have established communication with their teachers and sending organisation.

This is what preparation looks like in practice.

Planning an Erasmus+ Mobility in Malta?

Lexema supports schools and organisations with Erasmus+ mobility projects in Malta, including work placements, accommodation, transfers, student support and coordination with host companies.

Your Erasmus project, our mission.

Contact us: info@lexema.net