Europe’s Eyes – Inspiration – Innovation – Integration Erasmus Project

Project Title

Europe’s Eyes – Inspiration – Innovation – Integration

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: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Environment and climate change

Project Summary

Since the end of the Second World War the cooperation within Europe has been a key factor in the preservation of peace between the member states. Its peoples have unanimously supported the European project with its legislation, democracy, social justice and prosperity and many countries who were not member announced their willingness to join. However, things have changed since the British voted in June 2016 to exit the EU. Besides this, separatist movements are increasing all over Europe, which may mark the beginning of a disintegration of the European Union. Hence, it is all the more important to awaken the students’ feeling of being European citizens and to help them to gain an understanding of the importance of a common shared European cultural heritage and to give them the idea of belonging together. There is still a lot of ignorance, prejudice and misconceptions about other cultures. What do German, French, Polish and Spanish People have in common? What aspects of our life do we all share without even knowing it? What can the participants gain from jumping onboard the Erasmus+ train?

During our previous Erasmus+ project we had noticed that our students were always very impressed by the differences they noticed between their and their partners’ lives. Some adapted very quickly and tried to understand these differences while others reacted very strongly and found faults with everything they saw or were supposed to do. This shows that they only see the visible part of what the cultures’ icebergs are and are likely to become prejudiced; that’s why we intend that the students overcome these prejudices. We wish them to understand that despite differences they all belong to the same European community and should see their differences as an asset rather than an obstacle. This is why we called the project “EUROPE’S EYES – INSPIRATION – INNOVATION – INTEGRATION”.

The objectives we want to reach in particular are improving the foreign language skills, enhancing the ability to use ICT tools and deepening the cultural competences.

Furthermore, the students investigate the following topics:
– Europe past and present – What does Europe mean to you? – Europe in our everyday lives
– Our shared European cultural heritage (through poetry / art / dance / music / architecture / customs / food)
– IT and social networks in students’ lives, Internet safety, how to become a responsible and competent user of digital media
– Protection of the environment in Europe – renewable energies, sustainability (i. e. use of plastics), fighting climate change

The students who are involved in the project are aged between 15 and 18. They all belong to special Europe classes that are focused on Europe-related topics and foreign languages. So we can be sure that all students who take part in the project have a certain motivation and are interested in meeting and working with people from other countries, what guarantees a successful outcome. In total approximately 250 students benefit from this project directly. Furthermore, about 100 students are also part of the project, either by designing the project’s website or by hosting guest students during the exchange weeks. Approximately 25 teachers are involved directly, in addition 20 teachers take part in the project by offering sport activities, accompanying students to sights and companies etc. Last but not least the families that are hosting benefit from this exchange as well.

In total, there are four short-term exchanges with students, during which one country hosts the other three partners at the same time. Each country takes eight students and two teachers on each travel and travels to each country once. Each short-term exchange is organised identically and lasts for five days plus two additional days for travelling. All students and teachers are hosted in guest-families.

During the exchange week students work in international teams on the different topics in order to find out about the differences and similarities accordingly. They attend classes and get an insight into the school life of the hosting country. Furthermore, they visit local companies which provide a practice-oriented perspective on the respective topics. Each exchange includes the visit of either a regional cultural sight or any other cultural event, what gives them an insight into the cultural heritage of the visited country.

The products that will have been created during the exchange weeks within the international teams will be either posters, PowerPoint or prezi presentations, flyers, videos or games which are presented on the project’s own website and the twinspace.

All in all, this project definitely widens all participants’ horizon and promotes the European idea in all our minds. Students gain more self-confidence and improve their language skills in the long term and are prepared to withstand the increasing challenges of the European labour market and contribute to keep the European Union alive.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 126114 Eur

Project Coordinator

Ludwig-Erhard-Berufskolleg Paderborn & Country: DE

Project Partners

• II Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace im.C.K.Norwida w Ostrolece
• LEGT Anatole de Monzie, Bazas
• BERRIO-OTXOA IKASTETXEA