Massey Colleagues’ Erasmus+ Teaching Mobility to Tallinn University
From 16 to 25 September 2025, the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School of Tallinn University had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Diyako Rahmani and his doctoral student, Elham Bayzidi, from the School of Humanities Media and Creative Communication, Massey University, New Zealand, as part of the Erasmus+ teacher exchange program.
This collaboration in teaching intercultural communication was made possible through the Erasmus+ programme. It built on Professor Anastassia Zabrodskaja’s earlier Erasmus+ visit to Massey University, which was featured in this blog post.
During their visit, Dr. Rahmani and Ms. Bayzidi collaborated closely with Dr Anastassia Zabrodskaja, Professor of Intercultural Communication at Tallinn University, strengthening the academic partnership between Tallinn University and Massey University under the Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility framework.
Both visitors focused on intercultural communication and communication ethics. Dr Diyako Rahmani, an established scholar in intercultural communication, worked alongside Professor Zabrodskaja to deliver lectures and seminars on Basics of Intercultural Communication. His doctoral student, Elham Bayzidi, contributed teaching and research perspectives on intercultural communication, media, and global strategic communication, enriching the joint learning environment with comparative insights from Oceania and Europe.
The joint teaching of a supervisor and a doctoral student offered Master’s students in Communication Management at Tallinn University a unique experience, combining established expertise with fresh perspectives from emerging research. Students benefited from an integrated learning approach that connected theories of globalization, identity, and intercultural interaction with practical examples from both New Zealand and Estonia.
Beyond the classroom, the visit laid the groundwork for future joint research projects, academic collaborations, and discussions on updating the Communication Management curriculum. Dr Rahmani and Professor Zabrodskaja held planning sessions for a prospective special issue publication. With Ms. Bayzidi also engaged in these discussions, the collaboration supported the development of a new generation of intercultural communication scholars.
This Erasmus+ teaching mobility was especially significant as it marked Tallinn University’s MA programme in Communication Management first exchange with a university from New Zealand and the wider Pacific region. The shared activities highlighted the value of bringing together diverse academic traditions, enriching teaching methods, and expanding intercultural dialogue across continents.
Tallinn University Baltic Film, Media and Arts School was delighted to host Dr. Rahmani and Ms. Bayzidi, and looks forward to continuing to deepen collaboration with Massey University, fostering exchange of knowledge, experience, and perspectives for students and faculty alike.
Looking ahead, the partnership stands as a model of the Erasmus+ mission to connect Europe with Oceania, enriching higher education through cross-regional cooperation and shared knowledge.
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For additional information, please reach out to Dr. Anastassia Zabrodskaja, Professor of Intercultural Communication, Head of the MA program in Communication Management, and Executive Director of the European Masters in Intercultural Communication, at anastassia.zabrodskaja@tlu.ee.
