Culinaric and cultural discovery Erasmus Project

Project Title

Culinaric and cultural discovery

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 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Teaching and learning of foreign languages; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning

Project Summary

The project “Culinaric and cultural surprises” comprises short-term exchanges of students between the Austrian school HLW Marienberg and the Paralimni Technical School in Cyprus. Both schools focus their curriculum on kichen and restaurant management. The students are supposed to gain an insight into the culture of the host country and its cuisine in particular. The title of the project refers to the fact that the students do not only get to know another culture but also the cuisine of the other country.
The common language of communication between both partners is English, which makes it possible for the students on both sides to further practice and improve their language skills. The project is also supposed to generate interest and curiosity among the students to travel to other European countries after their graduation. It also fosters incultural learning and the awareness for common European values.
For communication and planning the students use the eTwinning platform and they use other modern media for communication as well. Thus the project also contributes to the students’ media competence. With regard to the culinaric arts of each country the students draft a comprehensive programme for the visitors in order to show them the culinaric culture and eating habits of the host country in an authentic way and to create understanding for a foreign culture.
The project comprises the visits of an Austrian group of students in Cyprus in the years 2019 and 2020, respectively, as well as the visit of a Cypriotic group of students in Austria in those two years. The students of the HLW Marienberg are in their fourth grade and they are about to finish their education in the field of kitchen and restaurant management. Thus, they are able to enrich their education in this field with participating in this project. When taking part in the project the Austrian students are 18 or 19 years old and they are accompanied by two teachers who are involved in the drafting of the project. Besides a workshop at the host school (Paralimni Technical School) the Austrian students also gain an insight into Cypriotic culture as the programmme in Cyprus includes sightseeing and excursions to Cypriotic firms.
The Austrian students are also responsible for the planning of the programme of the Cypriotic students in Austria. A major part of the planning process is embedded in the subject
entreperneurship and service management.
Likewise the project comprises a visit of a Cypriotic group of students in Austria in the years 2019 and 2020, respectively. The programme for the Cypriotic students in Austria is quite similar and and includes a workshop for the students at school and sightseeing. The Cypriotic students taking part belong to the school’s branch of tourism and catering and they are in their second grade (16/17 years old). The Cypriotic students are responsible for the programme in Cyprus.
One main benefits for all the participants is practice and improvement in language skills as English is the common langauge of communication between the partners. Furthermore, the students also benefit by getting to know another European culture and tradition and thereby enlarge their cultural horizon. As the students are responsible for the programme for the visitors they can also practice their project management skills and the idea of a one European identity can be fostered.
One major aim of the project is to establish a long-term partnership between the two schools and a regular exchange of group of students. Apart from this cooperation between the schools the project is also likely to lead to cooperations between the schools and companies in the other country, respectively.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 65616 Eur

Project Coordinator

Höhere Lehranstalt und Fachschulen für wirtschaftliche Berufe Marienberg & Country: AT

Project Partners

• Technical and Vocational School of Education and Training Paralimni