P.A.C.E. project - A story of innovation in Adriatic schools

The first conference of the Agency for Cooperation in Secondary Education was an exercise in cooperation across Central and South East Europe, with more than 150 participants from over 16 countries, brought together by a shared interest in the theme of innovation in secondary schools.

As the first main speaker, Professor Richard Bailey from the University of Roehampton., reminded us, for learning to take place, theory needs to be accompanied by practice, experiential work by reflection.

The conference itself provided plenty of evidence of this potent combination. Three stimulating, challenging and rousing speeches by Professor Richard Bailey, Professor Umberto Margiotta (Professor of General Pedagogy and Vice-Rector of the University Ca' Foscari of Venice) and Claude Kieffer ( Director of the Education Department OSCE Mission to BiH) brought to the fore the crucial role of education in preparing young people to face the challenges of their future world. These speeches were followed by evidence of some "hands-on" work to this end as teachers presented the PACE Project model of innovation in secondary schools. "Tried and tested" in classrooms in Vukovar, Mostar, Banja Luka and 7 schools in Italy, this project reached a range of schools:— vocational, technical, artistic, scientific, language and business, gymnasia and united world colleges. The work of the teachers received "practical" recognition in the form of ECTS credits from the University of Venice.

Cooperation in education also entails teachers working with students and students collaborating, rather than competing, with each other. Students had a major role in the conference, presenting their perspectives on education for the future in the form of a document formally presented to dignitaries from each of the countries represented. This document was the product of collaboration via a workshop and a blog, involving students from 16 countries.

The final act of cooperation was in the panel session, which gave us an opportunity to hear views on a variety of issues relevant to educational reform from colleagues from Slovenia, several cantons in BiH, Croatia, Albania, Italy and Austria.

This conference was the culmination of the PACE project and the start of something new—an Agency designed to make permanent and build upon the achievements of the PACE project. Many conference participants commented upon the positive feeling "in the air" of the conference—-in the "atmosphere". The warmth and collegiality emanating from the core of PACE teachers from BiH, Croatia and Italy seemed to permeate the climate of the whole conference.

While this conference was a great end to the project and a promising start for the Agency, we were left us in no doubt of what needs to be done in the future if we want to harness the enormous power of education as a force for peace and stability in the region. Theory and practice must continue to go together.

Sandy Thomas, Education Director,
PACE Project, 24/04/08

Category:

Education

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