BRIDGES BETWEEN BORDERS Erasmus Project

Project Title

BRIDGES BETWEEN BORDERS

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 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Romas and/or other minorities; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

With our project “BRIDGES BETWEEN BORDERS” we want to convey the uniqueness of the various European regions to all participants and also point out the similarities, collective origins and general requirements. Especially Europe’s growing-up youth still disapproves of unfamiliar and foreign matters just out of fear, ignorance and lack of knowledge. Young people often try to strengthen their own identity without questioning their own roots. By comparing and filtering of common features despite different geographical and cultural conditions, an enhanced comprehension for a cooperation in Europe without conflicts shall be established.

All the students in the partner schools are the main target group of our project. They are aged between 10 and 16 years and will benefit from the transnational activities in an effective way. Only by getting acquainted with customs and traditions, linguistic similarities and cultural characteristics it is possible to develop mutual transnational values and impart awareness of European citizenship. Comparison, research and experience of this collaboration across national boundaries will highlight shared roots and values and in thus help educating our students to European-minded citizens who are not afraid to act as bridge builders for a better future in Europe.

The project “BRIDGES BETWEEN BORDERS” consists of four partitions:

– customs (Austria)

– music/art/culture (Estonia)

– traditions (Czech Republic)

– language (Italy)

Each of these parts will be dealt with in each term of the two years by activities at every school, by presentations and virtual mobilities via Skype-conferences and by experiencing the different key aspects during the four transnational meetings.

The impact of “BRIDGES BETWEEN BORDERS” for all participants and target groups will be manifold and sustainable. The most important ones are as follows:

– getting to know language and culture of different European regions

– deepening of identity by comparison with partner schools

– recognition of universal roots and values which will lead to an enhanced awareness of European citizenship

– improvement of linguistic competences by communication with students from the partner schools

– increase of self-confidence and personal responsibility by staying with host families

– insight into European school systems and teaching methods

– exchange about paedagogical concepts and educational varieties

All the partners have already worked on international projects and experienced the unrivalled possibilities of encounter and exchange with other schools in Europe. The positive and sustainable effects of those collaborations shall be extended and deepened by this new project. The cooperation with new schools will lead to new insights into school systems, curricula and teaching methods. The project coordinators and all the staff at the four participating schools can build on their experience gained in previous projects and collaborations and enlarge their spectrum of teaching and learning techniques. The use of the latest technological facilities (Skype, Hangouts) will enable virtual student mobilities with a larger number of participants in addition to active student mobilities during the transnational project meetings. The participating students will not only broaden their horizon, improve their social and linguistic skills and their IT-competences, but also overcome national boundaries and build bridges between borders instead.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 84452 Eur

Project Coordinator

Neue Mittelschule Haiming & Country: AT

Project Partners

• Zakladni skola, Praha 2, Jana Masaryka 21
• Ridala Põhikool
• Istituto Comprensivo Folgaria Lavarone Luserna