South West College Erne Campus Hosts Tri-National Seminar with International Students

South West College Erne Campus was delighted to host students from four colleges across three different countries for the Tri-National Seminar recently. This annual event, which rotates between partner countries, was led by South West College this year.

Participating colleges included Madison College and Waukesha County Technical College from Wisconsin, USA, Käthe-Kollwitz-Schule from Marburg, Germany, and SWC Travel and Tourism students.

The theme of this year's seminar, 'Embracing Humanity – Making a Living by doing Good', set the stage for an inspiring talk from former SWC student, Louise McCann from Fintona. Louise shared her journey of starting the successful active wear business Moody Activewear, which prioritizes supporting women's mental health.

After engaging in exciting icebreaker activities, students enjoyed a tour of the Erne campus building and teamed up for visits to various local businesses. One of the highlights was a morning spent with the Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Thomas O’Reilly, where they gained insights into the council's initiatives in biodiversity, climate change, and the upcoming sustainable leisure centre. Additionally, they explored Enniskillen town and visited The National Trust – Castle Coole, The Lough Erne Resort, Balcas Sawmill, and Tesco Supermarket.

Following the site visits, students created and presented PowerPoint presentations based on the locations visited, focusing on the theme of ‘Embracing Humanity by doing good.’

Simon Wiggins, Tourism and Hospitality Development Officer and Tri-National Seminar Coordinator at SWC said: “It was a pleasure to once again welcome the tri-national seminar, our guests from Germany and America to South West College. The students and staff had a wonderful time getting to know each other, working on their projects, and exploring Enniskillen.

Having taken part in the Tri-National Seminar when I was a student at the College, I know first-hand how beneficial it can be for a student’s education, their confidence, and the lasting impact engagement like this can have on a participant. Lifelong learning, friendships, business connections have been and will continue to be created through this Seminar. We look forward to participating in next year’s Tri National Seminar in Wisconsin, USA.”