Migration Analysis Project Erasmus Project

Project Title

Migration Analysis Project

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: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; Romas and/or other minorities

Project Summary

The project MAP (Migration Analysis Project) was based on the interest in migration shared by the partner countries. The six partner countries – France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania and Spain – have very different historical and geographical backgrounds, and all involved were aware that
• migration greatly affects our societies (culturally, politically, economically)
• it touches our students’ lives in many ways and
• migrants often face extraordinary challenges in their host countries – even when they immigrated many years ago.

Our aim was to analyze the current situation of migration and migrants in Europe; to investigate its causes and consequences in the pursuit of deeper awareness; to spark debate and encourage students’ self-esteem; to fight against prejudices and promote mutual enrichment through international partnerships; and to give voice to relevant experiences, bringing forth and recognizing real human dramas. The students’ experiences, including relevant stories and even pertinent quotes, have been collected and edited for an exhibition at our last meeting and a MapBook highlighting main experiences and insights we gained in our project.

The staff of MAP was composed of 12 dedicated teachers (some of whom have a personal migration history) and approximately 90 students; many of them also have a migration background. Therefore, MAP had bearing on the individual lives of quite a large number of our students and their families. It promoted understanding and helped improve young people’s social integration.

Our acronym MAP (Migration Analysis Project) refers to time as well as to place, and we also used family maps to reveal connections to individual family origins and assist in the development of personal identity. However, maps also showed us routes which lead us to different places and the different paths taken by migrants we got to know during our project. Maps were therefore perfect “visualization tools” for our project to help us to understand both migrants’ individual migration histories and the way our countries are affected by migration as a whole.

Our approach always started with personal experience, but also covered relevant background information to deepen our students knowledge and help them to develop criteria to assess the complex issue of migration. Due to its demanding subject matter, MAP greatly improved our students’ oral and written expertise in English. In addition, their IT skills improved through the application of various software tools used throughout the project (blogs, presentation software, survey analysis software, etc.). At various stages we involved experts from “outside” (politics, government and cultural life). We also contacted and interviewed refugees in camps and documented personal histories. We analyzed how the topic of migration is being dealt with in printed and online media. On top of that we initiated creative processes by having our students prepare role plays about refugee situations and stage plays and a movie based on the insights they have gained during the project.

The project has both intangible results (knowledge by the participants, improved learning in some areas, new skills acquisition) and tangible results (material products). Maps, personal accounts, pictures, reports and presentations are documented in a MapBook which was made and printed in Germany and presented at the final exhibition. The partnership had a positive impact on the participating institutions by building a community of teachers and students who have a strong commitment to and sense of ownership in the project, and by creating and carrying out several creative dissemination techniques and activities. It also enabled a broader community (parents, school authorities, local authorities, associations) to benefit from our partnership in the long term.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 133065 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gymnasium Marienthal & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Taurage Versme Gymnasium
• Lycée Auguste Renoir
• LICEO STATALE ETTORE MAJORANA
• 10 GENIKO LYKEIO PEIRAIA
• COLEGIO MILAGROSA-LAS NIEVES