School Exchange France – Norway Erasmus Project

Project Title

School Exchange France – Norway

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; Early School Leaving / combating failure in education

Project Summary

Context/background of project:

Our three schools have a common motivation to apply for an Erasmus + funding (School exchange).
Internationalization and cultural understanding: The past, present and the future are international. All our students should have first-hand experience from international travels and stays organized through an Erasmus project. All the partners agree that students and will stay at host families when visiting each other. This will result in a more intensive immersion in the national and regional culture. General studies: The two Norwegian schools both have Erasmus + projects for students attending a vocational study program through VET-projects. However, a considerable part of the student body of both schools attend general study courses and are not eligible for the VET programmes. Skjetlein and Melhus Upper Secondary Schools were approached by the French partner and had an immediate interest in starting a cooperation.

Ferdinand Buisson created a European section of engineering science course in 2017. And a new one in history and geography in 2019.
International trips were already organized but we wanted a deeper exchange. In May 2019, we created a profile on e-twinning and contacted the French embassy in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark, because of the historical links between Normandy and these countries and the quality of their English. The contact with the two schools lead to a first meeting in France in January 2020 during four days. The meeting confirmed our first positive impression so we decided to apply for KA229. Ferdinand Buisson opened an European section in September 2019 and mobility is compulsory. The European section welcomes students from different social backgrounds and this project must contribute to the equality of opportunities by offering the possibility to young people.This full integration will add value to the school experience and will encourage students to pursue studies in foreign countries and more.

Objectives of the project

The objectives of the project are diverse, but a main goal is social and educational value. The students will have hands on experiences across culture and heritage. The students will get an insight in a different culture and way of living, as they will not only visit schools in a different country, but they will also live with a host family. This could be a personal achievement for some, and also a “lesson” they will remember for life, a lesson you’ll never be able to give in a class room. The students will have to adjust to their new “family” and get a better understanding of difficulties related to integration and language barriers.

The students will get to teach and learn a foreign language, or some phrases of a foreign language. Students from both countries will be foreigners at some point of the project, in that way they will experience both being an expert and being a novise. The main language for communication in this project will however be English. One of the objects of this project will accordingly be to use English as a communication tool in a non-English speaking country. International collaboration is very important in the 21st century. The students will increase their knowledge when communicating English with their foreign colleagues during the project. It will hopefully lead to a deeper understanding of what links Europeans together.

During the exchange the students will participate in the everyday life at their host school. They will get an insight in how their hosts work in class, how the school is organized and how the local school culture is. As the schools in both countries have a focus on sustainability, the students will get to see how this important issue is integrated in the curriculum, both theoretical and in activities.

Both countries participating in this project have experienced early school leaving. We believe that this project will be a positive motivation for our students. They will get to share experiences and use what they’ve learned in school, both language skills and general knowledge of their cultural heritage. The students will discover differences and similarities, leading to interesting discussions, conversations and hopefully humour. They will have the opportunity to be experts of their own school, language and heritage! This will be of great motivation for many students and for some this could even lead to start studying or working abroad.

Long term benefits:

For Norwegian schools: The French language as a subject in school is about to disappear. This school exchange might increase the interest in the French language.
For all partners: the project will help improving our school reputation, diversifying our programs.

Number and profile of participants
3 Schools, 60 students, up to 12 staff members

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 98465 Eur

Project Coordinator

Skjetlein vgs. & Country: NO

Project Partners

• Melhus videregående skole
• LYCEE FERDINAND BUISSON