European footprints towards future – local responsibilities Erasmus Project

Project Title

European footprints towards future – local responsibilities

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: International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; Creativity and culture; Environment and climate change

Project Summary

„European Footprints towards future – local responsibilities“ is an environmental and educational project based in three secondary schools in Italy, France and Germany. The main issues of “Europe 2020”, the 10-year-strategy for reviving the European economy and the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020) provide the basis for this current project. Continually changing challenges as far as new technologies and the use of natural recources which are concerned are met by commited students who will be able to deal with these challenges. If a sense of responsibility towards society is being implemented in students and, therefore prospective responsible citizens, during school life, only then can intelligent, sustainable and integrative economic growth be achieved in the European Union as stipulated in the strategy “Europe 2020” and only then can the motto of the EU “United in diversity” be achieved and lived by its people.
The project is relevant for all participants involved because of its environmental approach. Basic and transversal skills are encouraged and enhanced by means of innovative (eTwinnig, blog, skype) and creative methods on an ecological, cultural and linguistic level.
The three participating schools met five times during the last two years. Three transnational meetings were with students (each school sent 10 to 15 students), two meetings were with teachers only in order to coordinate the project. At these meetings the members worked on different internal schoolprojects which were concerned with reducing greenhouse gas emission and the ecological footprint. Each school realized its own individual ideas which were appropriate for its own environmental surroundings.
These were:
– Visualization of production chains for consumer goods on a world map
– Development and implementation of a recycling and disposal system
– A “Palaver Tree” made out of cans
– Notepads made out of scrap paper
– A new “bin system” and the implementation of a school composting plant
– Implementation of a “no emission day” or a “buy-nothing-day”
– Dramas
– Computergames (online)
– Creation and publishing of a self-made student’s magazine (Mein Himbeergrün)

In addition to an exhibition which showed several presentations of the various creative projects of the participating countries, the ecological ideas of the project result in several short computergames. These games comprise the possibilities of reducing greenhouse gas emission, caring about resources and recycling rubbish. The linguistic and cultural impact was enhanced by the transnational cooperations. The project participants improved their language skills, they learned to tolerate and accept cultural differences, fought prejudices as well as they were enabled to deal with difficulties concerning their actions.
The added value of the project “European footprints towards future – local responsibilities” based on the development of the computergame mainly in the change of perspective as far as the participants of the project are concerned. Not only students but also the public which were directly or indirectly involved gained an insight view into the behavior, mentality and the dealing with ecological issues eg. the reduction of CO2 emission of their fellow European citizen. They recognized their mutual European responsibility towards a mutual European future.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 65190 Eur

Project Coordinator

Integrierte Gesamtschule Osnabrück & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Istituto Istruzione Superiore Virgilio
• LYCEE JACQUES PREVERT