ICT, social media and English as universal means to promote intercultural knowledge, European culture and citizenship. Erasmus Project

Project Title

ICT, social media and English as universal means to promote intercultural knowledge, European culture and citizenship.

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 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning

Project Summary

The idea for this Erasmus+ exchange came to us after ten years of exchanges with the high school Jan Tinbergen College in Roosendaal, The Netherlands, which were subsidized by the Region Centre Val de Loire. After a joint training EFIL AFS Vivre Sans Frontière about cross-cultural communication, it became evident that we should explore another European country. After having visited numerous neighbouring countries and carrying out many language projects, our Slovenian colleagues quickly shared with us their desire to bring about a project with a French high school.

The current situation in the European Union, with its growing nationalism, reinforces our view (both in Slovenia and in France) that by being confronted with differences, our students will be better informed about and better prepared for the idea that democracy is fragile and constantly called into question. In this way, they will continue to develop critical thinking skills and a sense of European citizenship that will perhaps lead them to build a life outside of their home country.

This advantageous partnership between our two high schools and our 50 sixteen-year-old students (25 Slovenian and 25 French) who come from different social backgrounds will also enable their discovery of the history, traditions, and culture of a new or little-known country. And we can’t forget that it will offer to them the possibility to improve their English thanks to various activities using new information and communication technologies in a perspective that is more global and altruistic than their everyday life.

This immersion experience of two weeks in the same school year is, at this time and within our school systems, one of the best ways for our students to immerse themselves in another culture and improve their language skills. We hope that our schools coming together will result in a bond, which, in the short term, will be beneficial for group work and one-on-one communication. In the long term, it will enrich the understanding these 50 students have of the European Union.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 38076 Eur

Project Coordinator

Lycée Silvia Monfort Luisant & Country: FR

Project Partners

• Prva gimnazija Maribor