Making Europe Count Everywhere Erasmus Project

Project Title

Making Europe Count Everywhere

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 : Strategic Partnerships for Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation

Project Summary

The Erasmus+ project “Making Europe Count Everywhere” focused on the aspects as well as the benefits of twinning and intercultural exchange on European level by establishing a strategic school partnership between three different schools from three European towns – namely Clevedon, Ettlingen and Middelkerke – which have been twinned with each other for decades. As a result, the collaboration between the three schools is the first project of such grand scale within the educational framework of the twinning history of the three towns.

The project consists of students and teachers of the Albertus-Magnus-Gymnasium in Germany, Clevedon School in the United Kingdom and the Royal Atheneum Centrum Ostend in Belgium. The main products which have been elaborated are a project website, a Twinspace and the issues of the magazine „TWINFO+“ – primarily in a digital version. A print version will be distributed after project completion. Over 70 students– aged between 13 and 18 years – have been involved in this innovative endeavour and worked together in the various areas during two years. The project was conducted by three coordinators at each school who were supported by 10 teachers and the school principals.

The main content of the magazine consists of the activities held during the learning, teaching and training sessions which took place in Belgium, Germany and the UK. In addition, a close cooperation took place with the three towns’ administrations as well as twinning associations. The working language of the project was English, however, the magazine has multilingual sections (Flemish and German).

The students met in weekly sessions in the Erasmus+ club or extra meeting sessions had to be arranged – depending on the school. The students took part in different workshops dealing with journalistic working for instance. Additionally, they learned how to work with essential ICT-based methodologies by preparing digital presentations.

The project has also focused on fostering EU awareness and democracy thanks to lessons on European institutions and history. Besides, two field trips took place: one to the European Parliament in Brussels and one to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Furthermore, the celebration of “Europe Day” on May 9th took place at each school in order to commemorate this special day.

The project has also featured several activities reflecting the variety of the project itself and all its participants. The students organised events for instance project exhibitions, conducted interviews and informed the general public about the project content and its outcomes. Furthermore, the project has definitely improved teachers’ professional skills and involved the school community which again fostered the corporate identity within the school.

The different stakeholders have benefited from the opportunity to work with teaching staff and students from diverse cultural and traditional backgrounds, to make their work and scope public thanks to the multitude of activities and the dissemination of the project results. In the future, students might be interested to start a professional career in one of the sectors explored during the project and have access to the world of work.

To conclude, our project’s aimed at increasing the European dimension of schools and to raise awareness about the importance and the benefits of twinning and exchange between Europeans by providing to our students a new and attractive educational approach and methods. In the long run and based on the positive feedback received within and outside the communities, the project “Making Europe Count Everywhere” has proved to have a greater potential as well as impact than expected and has fostered the twinning spirit among young people.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 64570 Eur

Project Coordinator

Albertus-Magnus-Gymnasium & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Clevedon School
• LPO STEPHANE HESSEL
• GO! Atheneum Oostende