Student exchange with KED school Uppsala Erasmus Project

Project Title

Student exchange with KED school Uppsala

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: Energy and resources; Environment and climate change; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

The schools participating in this project are part of a global organization. We work in the same concept, Kunskapsskolan, which means a personalized learning. That we work within the same concept is important because we have a common ground and common values. Students from both schools already know the school culture and what is expected of you as a student in Kunskapsskolan. The project is a result of our intention to have a long-term relationship that already started two years ago. It is part of the curriculum in both countries to be aware of the world around us and also that we are not only citizens in our own countries bur EU citizens. We are all part of a bigger community. We wanted them to get to know each other and work together on issues that we are all involved in. We are struggling with problems which affect the quality of life of the new generation. By doing this project we prepare them for the challenges lying ahead of us.

The goal of the project is to discuss and learn about the global issue climate change.

By choosing climate change we wanted to achieve an urge within the students to work together to solve the climate change. They have learned from the solutions that are already found in our countries. The students have learned about the different landscape, climate and culture of the countries, they are able to contribute to the making of better solutions for the future. Without knowledge and understanding it is difficult to contribute and behave as global responsible citizens.

There were about 180 students participating from both schools. They were all in the age 14-15. Apart from the students there was a few staff involved in the project as well.

The project lasted a year, and it was introduced in the springtime 2019. A few months before the real start. We gathered the students and teachers at both schools on the same day and let them watch a film about climate change. The film introduced them to the project and showed some of the challenges that we will work with during the project. This has prepared them and got them motivated for the project before it started in September and this also gave the teachers the opportunity to start integrating the project in the school’s curriculum and to prepare the students for the choice they have made. Climate change is included in the curriculum of both schools.

Throughout the year the students worked in groups with students from both schools. Each group was given a challenge that they investigated and tried to find a creative and innovative solution to. During their visits in each other’s countries, they visited important places that helped them in their work with their challenges. These places showed them possible solutions for fighting the water. They have seen that it is a real big problem to keep the water out of your country while the water is rising because of the changes in the climate. The students realized that this cannot be done by one country but that solving this problem needs to be done by working together as global citizens. In the week they worked together it was more intense, but they also worked together using digital platforms when they were in their home countries. We facilitated the students’ work by setting dates throughout the year, special project days, when they have got in contact with each other and work together. The language we used to communicate in this project was always English. By using the English language all the involved people could communicate with each other. Many of them learned not to be shy to speak a foreign language and their skills has grown.

Due to Covid-19 we could not finish the project as was meant. The Dutch students could not travel to Sweden to continue working at the project. We could not have the conference and we had to end the project by finishing the websites. At least they all had a great week in the Netherlands in which they have learned a lot about the cultural differences, they improved their language skills, and they are more aware of the impact of climate change on a country like the Netherlands which is below sea-level for a big part.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 30211,75 Eur

Project Coordinator

Van Kinsbergen college & Country: NL

Project Partners

• Kunskapsskolan Uppsala