Call for Proposals - EACEA/18/11: Jean Monnet programme - Key activity 1: Information and research activities for �Learning EU at school�

The general level of knowledge of the European Union, its policies and its institutions is less than optimal, with a large part of the population having little or no knowledge or information on the Union. This is particularly valid for young people and is reflected in the low turn-out rate at the European Parliament elections in 2009.

The ‘Learning EU at school’ initiative is the European Commission’s specific response to a request by the European Parliament, which stipulates that the lifelong learning programme ‘should include measures to promote civic education (teaching and learning) on European Democratic Citizenship including studies of Europe and the European Union in the European Member States’ secondary schools’.

The general objective of this call is to bring EU facts and knowledge about its institutions and its way of functioning to pupils and students.

The specific objective of this call for proposals is to support unilateral projects under the ‘Information and research activities’ of the Jean Monnet programme, in order to:
— raise the level of general knowledge of the European Union, its policies and its institutions, so as to reduce the growing gap between the population and the European institutions,
— develop content for EU teachers at the level of primary and secondary schools and within vocational education and training.

Priority will be given to projects involving higher education institutions, institutions and/or associations demonstrating evident experience in teaching, research and educational activities on European integration issues.

This call is open to applications from:
— higher education institutions;
— institutions and/or associations:
— of professors and researchers specialising in European integration studies,
— of teachers and pedagogues,
— ensuring the continuing education and training of teachers,
— of higher education institutions and/or schools.

Eligible activities must have one or more of the following objectives:
— developing and delivering appropriate pedagogical content and new/adapted didactic material for the teaching of European integration at the level of primary and secondary schools and in vocational education and training,
— implementing teacher training and continuing education for teachers by providing them with the appropriate knowledge and skills to teach European integration at the level of primary and secondary schools and in vocational education and training institutions,
— providing specifically designed seminars or workshops on European integration to pupils at the level of primary and secondary schools and in vocational education and training institutions. Such projects must be submitted by a higher education institution having evident experience in teaching and research on European integration issues. Projects must list the schools that have agreed to take part in the activities.

The projects activities must start between 1 December 2011 and 31 January 2012. The maximum duration of projects is 12 months.

Costs incurred before the start of the eligibility period will not be considered.
The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects is €2 million, with a maximum grant of €60,000. Grants will not exceed 75% of total project costs.

Grants will be awarded on the basis of a flat rate financing system calculated according to the number of participants in relation to the organisation of the educational event at the level of primary and secondary schools and within vocational education and training.

The deadline for applications is 15 September 2011.

Further details can be found on the EACEA website

Reference: 2011/C 174/06

(Added 2011-06-15)