The PEEF project involved almost 10 000 students and over 1 000 teachers in education and vocational training exchange programmes and work mobility initiatives between Alpine areas in France and Italy.
- 24 June 2015
A dense network of relationships has been built at the level of institutions, schools and people, which will lead to the creation of new projects in the new 2014-2020 programming…especially in the definition of joint arrangements and terms of combating early school leaving.
Students, teachers, school managers and apprentices took part in the cross-border exchange project, building on previously established links and similar projects implemented during the previous programming period. In this way, PEEF– Pôle d’Excellence Education et Formation/ Polo d’Eccellenza Educazione e Formazione – has facilitated young workers’ access to foreign job markets.
Bilingual education for bilingual futures
The project’s aims were aided by the creation of a common educational path in Italy and France (ESABAC). “The cross-border area, ALCOTRA, has had a very important role in initiating the project, thanks to the pilot testing of bilingual and bi-national routes along the border line between Italy and France,” says Mario Gobello of the Piedmont Region.
The project also established cross-border working groups made up of inspectors, school principals and teachers to produce teaching materials, assessment tests organisational solutions. ESABAC has now established a strong presence in institutes in the three regions of Valle d'Aosta, Liguria and Piedmont, with 180 high schools in Italy currently involved. Evaluation of the project by students and teachers highlighted the human aspects of value, especially the cultural exchange experienced in the other country.
Partnership likely to continue
Increased integration of education systems in Italy and France and the exchange of best practices is expected to continue to reduce cultural barriers between the two countries. Though Mr Gobello says that the direct impacts of the project are difficult to measure, the experiences of thousands of students involved are valuable.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project extension of the “PEEF– Pôle d’Excellence Education et Formation/ Polo d’Eccellenza Educazione e Formazione” is EUR 7 149 543 of which the EU’s European Regional Development Fund is contributing EUR 4 723 689 from the Operational Programme “Italy - France (Alps - ALCOTRA)” for the 2007 to 2013 programming period.