Water is life – Tourism region Styria meets Tourism region Toscany Erasmus Project

Project Title

Water is life – Tourism region Styria meets Tourism region Toscany

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Teaching and learning of foreign languages; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation

Project Summary

The project endet after 5 months which was ealier than planned. Through their work on Twinspace the students could improve their language skills. Other goals could not be reached because of the short duration of the project. The following description of the project is based on the original plan:

The Fürstenfeld Business College (BHAK Fürstenfeld) with its focus on internationalization, digitalization and entrepreneurship seeks to improve its students‘ linguistic, professional and intercultural competence by engaging in a partnership with an Italian school. Experience has taught us that by staying abroad students are able to enhance their language skills significantly, which is why we are very eager to establish a long-lasting partnership with an Italian counterpart. We, however, are convinced that the participating students on both sides would not only be able to improve their linguistic abilities but students and teachers would benefit on a personal level as well by establishing long-lasting relationships and engaging in an active exchange with their counterparts from another country. Additionally, staying abroad will help students to become more creative and self-sufficient and will give them the chance to improve their intercultural competences as well. Hopefully, this exchange will spark our students‘interest in foreign languages and cultures even after leaving school and help them to become responsible EU citizens in the future.

The exchange programme will follow the motto „Water is Life“, given that water plays a crucial role for all cities involved regarding tourism, agriculture, economy etc. By working on various issues throughout the exchange programme, the participating students will get the chance to deepen and strengthen their vocabulary and broaden their linguistic horizon in different fields. By focusing on the project topic „Water is Life“, we furthermore hope to raise our students‘ awareness regarding the diversity of Styria and Tuscany as well all the things the two regions have in common. This aspect will play an important role for another project partner, the Großsteinbach New Secondary School (NMS Großsteinbach) as well. The younger students of the NMS Großsteinbach will benefit from the knowledge and experience of the older students involved in the project on various levels.

The Fürstenfeld Business College (BHAK Fürstenfeld) aims to realize various goals for all students, teachers and organisations involved in the project. Students of the Fürstenfeld Business College as well as the Liceo Cecioni Livorno shall not only improve their foreign language skills in Italian and German but shall furthermore be able to increase their understanding of the importance of water for tourism (spas, seaside), the economy (geothermy, harbours etc.) as well as agriculture. Another important goal of the exchange programme is to help students grow on a personal level. The students of the NMS Großsteinbach will focus on improving their Italian skills in a playful ways as well as on engaging deeply with the motto „Water is Life“.

The following schools will participate in the exchange programme: The Fürstenfeld Business College (with its branch focusing on foreign languages and business), the Liceo Cecioni Livorno (with its branch focusing on foreign languages and natural sciences) as well as the NMS Großsteinbach (with itsbranch focusing on robotic).

The participating students are between 13 and 17 years of age and will be accompanied by two teachers on their journey. The programmes will include a school tour, sitting in on classes as well as a diverse cultural programme and joint activities revolving around the project theme „Water is Life“.

The project foresees short-time mobilities of participating students to Fürstenfeld as well as to Livorno respectively. The project first and foremost focuses on engaging in foreign languages, different cultures as well as the diverse use of water in the respective regions (Styria & Tuscany). We are convinced that the students will benefit significantly from the project as they will be able to stay in touch with the region, culture and language of the other country which will be a significant asset in their future lives.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 5000 Eur

Project Coordinator

BHAK Fürstenfeld & Country: AT

Project Partners

• NMS Großsteinbach
• LICEO CECIONI