Project Management: How to Make Your School International

Preparation:

The course organisers will send to the participants a list of materials related to the course topic that they can read in order to prepare for the course (such as Erasmus + Guide for 2017). The organisers will assist the participants if they need information related to the accommodation, plane tickets or other necessary details.

Course description

The course focuses on preparation of Erasmus+ projects. It is aimed to help teachers who want to apply and participate in EU-funded projects – KA1, KA2 and KA3. Trainees will improve their theoretical knowledge and expertise in the area of project preparation. They will also have a chance to practice how to write the project, how to set up a partnership in Erasmus+ and how to apply successfully for an Erasmus+ grant. They will also see how to develop the intercultural competences of the teachers taking part in international projects. They will discuss how to complete different tasks regarding the project. Trainees will see how to develop the European and international dimension in the curriculum. The course will help participants to draft a project, therefore the participants can start writing their own application at the return in their institution.

 Methodology:

• Team – Building Sessions;
• Essay – Writing Exerises;
• Ice – Breaking and Warm – Up Sessions;
• Energisers
• Group Discussions;
• Debates;
• Problem – Solving Activities;
• Project – Solving Activities
• Questioning;
• Goal – Setting Sessions;
• Decision – Making Sessions;
• Action – Based Strategies;
• Brainstorming;
• Planning an Structuring;
• Self – Motivation Sessions;
• Questionnaires

Objectives

• Learning the importance of participating in the projects
• Provide advice and guidance on how to design a proposal for education and plan a successful project so as to exploit available EU funding opportunities
• Understanding the importance of participating in the projects;
• Provide advice and guidance on how to design a proposal for education and plan a project so as to exploit available EU funding opportunities
• Improving communication skills
• Developing managerial skills
• Learning how to work in a group – how to make a project to be the result of a team work
• Provide teachers with practical ideas about using technology to fill the application
• Getting teachers familiar with current Internet trends and how they can be applied in completing the project 
• Getting to know the benefits of participating in the mobilities 
• Familiarizing participants with good practices of dissemination/promotion and exploitation principles of European projects.
• Provide teachers with the skills and knowledge necessary for putting ideas into practice

Learning Outcomes

• Familiarizing with writing a project – KA1, KA2 and KA3
• Practical approaches on how to fill different sections in the budget plan
• Networking with teachers from various European countries
• Improvement of language and communication skills
• Increased capacity to cooperate on international level
• Enhanced intercultural awareness
• Internationalisation at the level of education
• Broader understanding of practices, policies and systems in education
• Bring positive and long-lasting effects on the trainees involved and synergy activities
• Encouragement of sharing best practices, ideas and materials between colleagues within the EU
• Improvement of teaching and learning of languages and promotion the EU's broad linguistic diversity and intercultural awareness
• Development of tools and techniques for innovative problem solving.
• Improve competences linked to the trainees’ professional profiles
• Building a network of teachers for future cooperation and increase capacity to cooperate on international level
• See and analyse examples of good practice
• Final outcome: Having a project in draft version

Follow-up

Trainees will be given soft and hard copies of all lesson materials, which they can present to their colleagues in their own organizations to generate interest in project writing. In addition, a mailing list of participants will be created in order to exchange ideas/experiences. At the end of the course the participants will fill in a questionnaire in order to get a detailed feedback for the effectiveness of the training event.

Programme of training activities day-by-day:

Day 1 – MONDAY

• Welcome and registration;
• Introduction to Erasmus Programme
• Everything starts with an idea –practical ideas that fit the program's priorities, objectives and requirements
• Key terminology of preparing the project – what do you need to know
• How to be a successful project manager

Day 2 – TUESDAY

• Successful European partnership building
• European Project Life Cycle: From the idea to the final report
• Workshop: Guided filling in the application

Day 3 – WENDESDAY

• Ice-breakers and warm-ups
• Assessing the relevance of your project to ERASMUS+
• What is possible in the framework of ERASMUS+ in which your project will be implemented? – Discussion
• Identifying the target groups your project is addressed to solve needs/problems
• Identifying the best form of involvement

Day 4 – THURSDAY

• The importance of working in group – how to stimulate your creativity by team work
• Writing the proposal – what is important
• Needs / Problems Analysis
• Specific Objectives
• Be Specific – provide concrete and up to date information
• Be Comprehensive – assess each partner’s and each target group’s needs
• Be Coherent - presented needs should relate to  the stated objectives

Day 5 – FRIDAY

• How to fill the project in accordance to European Development Plan; theory and practice
• Essay writing exercise: How to adapt your school to immigrants
• Planning the budget: What is important when you make the budget plan

Days 6/7 – SATURDAY and SUNDAY Workshops and Cultural/Sightseeing Activities

Day 8 – Monday

• Putting idea into practice: filling the application online with a trainer assisting –
• Teamwork

Day 9 – Tuesday

• Project presentations
• Benefits of participating in the project: inspirational stories

Day 10 – Wednesday

• Feedback, course evaluation and dissemination focus
• Awarding certificates of attendance