Final project summary: Quality assurance through international human resource development of teachers with the aim to promote students’ competences in globalised labour markets
Project (2016-2018): 2016-1-DE02-KA102-002844
International collaboration and cooperation between companies is of major importance these days. Therefore, it is the strategic goal of Berufsbildende Schule Wirtschaft II to increase our students' employment outlook and to offer them the opportunity to gather job experience in Europe and also to promote independence, flexibility and intercultural awareness.
In order to realise this 6 teachers were selected to participate in a 4- resp. 5-day job shadowing programme at our partner school Tietgen in Odense (Denmark). There they got to know the Danish vocational education system and its major institutes.
Moreover they identified major similarities and differences as well as requirements between the German and the Danish VET system. Additionally they identified possibilities where German VET students can gain practical international experience.
Finally all these activities led to the development of a pedagogical as well as organizational concept that helps prepare and accompany our students to gather intercultural work experience at our partner school Tietgen. In the future our full-time business VET students will get the chance to do a 2-week commercial work placement at Tietgen’s school shop and virtual training company. Not only will they gain vocational insights but also independence and intercultural awareness will be promoted.
All these activities led to an increased awareness of European economic and cultural interconnectedness among our teachers. Furthermore it also strengthened our teachers’ self-confidence to prepare and accompany our students' visits abroad. Finally an internal Erasmus+ quality assurance group was established in 2017 in order to prepare and organise students’ work placements abroad systematically.
Finally we could also tighten our cooperation with our partner school Tietgen in Odense with respect to staff mobilities as well. Staff will exchange methodological and pedagogical aspects of contemporary teaching and learning in the future.
In accordance with our mission statement, Berufsbildende Schule Wirtschaft II will therefore prepare its students for the requirements of domestic and foreign labour markets better and will finally strengthen the international profile of our school and quality in teaching and learning.
Angelika Winkelhardt (Erasmus+ Coordinator)
May 2018