Different Approaches – One European Union Erasmus Project

Project Title

Different Approaches – One European Union

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: Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; Creativity and culture; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy

Project Summary

The refugee crisis divided not only Germany but all of Europe. People are increasingly insecure, their political commitment split. European unity is cracking, Europeans feel increasingly alienated from the unified Europe.
And that is why political education and enlightenment in schools is increasingly important in our times. The young generation must regain confidence in the Europe of the future. With their participation in this project our students should broaden their horizons, get to know foreign cultures, feel the cohesion and set their first political footprint towards Europe.

The project “Different Approaches – One European Union” picks up on this topic and enables our students to deal with it from different perspectives (music, dance, culture and art). The main objectives are to make the students aware of the problem, to keep them interested and to raise political awareness in their families and communities.

The project also aims at improving the students’ language skills, computer skills and digital skills (write an eBook and use a padlet). The participants are going to learn how to use an online platform for cooperation (eTwinning), present results, make video clips, develop an awareness rising activity and run it successfully. In order to enable the students to improve their language abilities, the teachers are going to cooperate in preparing CLIL language sheets and activities which will be used throughout the project.

As national aspirations prevail in many European countries, the three very different countries are a good choice. The schools from Cyprus, Germany and Lithuania also vary in architecture, geography and traditions. The cooperation with these different cultures and regions will challenge but also encourage the students. On the teachers’ side, the exchange between experienced and inexperienced parties means greater freedom of action and a broader exchange.

Altogether there will be about 120 students and 15 teachers directly involved in mobilities. The project is planned for three years, because it offers 18 students the opportunity to participate in long term mobilities. Since these activities need a longer preparation and follow-up in order to be successful, the project plan has been created for 36 months. Moreover, there is so much interest among students in all three countries to take advantage of this opportunity that it takes time and preparation to manage such a large number of interested parties. The students who participate in the long-term activities will familiarize themselves with individual topics relevant to the project and support the individual schools in establishing the European idea.

The project is organized in 6 semesters, each focusing on one topic: (C2) “On the Trail of Common Ground” will be the introduction to the project dealing with the first key elements of each partner country: customs, habits and idiomatic epressions. The second and third semester deals with music, art and physical activities, pupils are introduced to European cohesion through the musical and artistic part. Their creativity and curiosity should be increased by working together on various projects. In the fifth semester (C5) “Europe and Identity” the students finish their projects, perform them at a gala night and and have to deal with their own and with the European identity.

There are several outcomes which can be measured: The results and products will be presented on the homepage and in the eBook. The video clips will be uploaded on the home page and on eTwinning, so later on they can be used in other lessons.
The schools involved want to apply for the European Scool certificate and to implement a profile course with the European topics (at cultural, political and civic level), so the initiative from the project will be integrated in the schools’ profiles and curricula. Furthermore, new CLIL ideas will have an impact on language teaching at the partner schools.

The outcomes which cannot be measured will for sure have greater impact on our students’ lives: The intercultural experience will broaden their horizons, speaking a common language will bring them closer, the application of new skills improve their competences, the debate on the European idea of cohesion will hopefully produce a clear position. The feeling of being able to get active will empower them as political thinkers and citizens of a future Europe.

This project requires transnational partners because there can only be a change of consciousness when you come into contact with other countries and their cultures. We need to promote and strengthen the awareness of Europe and its partners among pupils. We want our students to get to know our European partners better and at the same time we would like to show these young adults ways to appreciate the diversity of each culture. With this project we want to eliminate prejudices of otherness and highlight the commonalities of cultures.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 145787 Eur

Project Coordinator

Kooperative Gesamtschule Gronau (Leine) & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Vilkaviskio r. Graziskiu gimnazija
• Lykeio Kykkou A