Dušana Findeisen, PhD, Slovenian Third Age University
Abstract: The new project “Building Bridges for Europe” (BBE) of the Institute for Virtual and Face-to-face Learning in Adult Education at Ulm University (ILEU) e.V. and DANET e.V. started in the University of Ruse, 20 November, 2017, Ruse, Bulgaria. Prof. Velizara Pencheva, PhD, Rector of the University of Ruse, open the First Meeting of BBE in the frame of Erasmus+K2 – Cooperation for Innovation and Exchange of Good Practices. University students from pedagogical courses and representatives of the University Academic Council, Union of Pensioners’2004 and the first Centre for Education of Third Age in Bulgaria, a set up within the structure of the University of Ruse, took part in the opening ceremony.
Some of the partners of this Erasmus+K2 project ILEU, ZAWIW (Germany), University of Ruse, AGORA Sofia (Bulgaria), Federuni (Italy), Open University Zagreb (Croatia), Slovenian Third Age University (Slovenia), Writers League and University of Galati (Romania) have been in “Danubian” co-operation for quite a long time. Many of them are members of the DANET, Danube networkers for Europe, an association based in Ulm, many have already participated in a number of events along the Danube and various qualification trainings, some have been partners in other projects, some were newcomers. On one hand, already knowing the partners, and to some extent their work and institution, may be less exciting, on the other hand meeting them to entail a new project may enable each of us to start deeper right away.
The first transnational meeting in Ruse was hosted by the University of Ruse Angel Kanchev
The first transnational meeting in Ruse at the University of Ruse was about laying the foundations for BBE, our emerging BBE project. It was about networking and intensive intercultural learning (culture of different countries, different institutions).
Social inclusion requires to reduce the differences as to become more equal. The differences of chances! But throwing light on cultural differences, understanding them and experiencing them helps achieving both cultural and social integration into European society. Without cultural differences and multiculturalism Europe would not exist! In feel that in Ruse we deepened the understanding of the culture of our partners’ societies, we strengthened communication among us, we became more flexible towards different cultures.
Finally, intercultural learning is also about identifying common cultural heritage. It develops our abilities to observe and analyse and much more…. For instance working with Romanian partners has increased our sensitivity towards their history and culture, towards their capital city. Upon coming back to Slovenia, the Slovenian team decided to organise a public panel in the central book store in Ljubljana. ( the same has already been done about Bulgaria). “What we know and what we do not know about Bucharest and Romania” and for the English study group we wrote a text with a highly personalized title. “Duša, Lučka and Meta’s Letter from Bucharest”.
What will, this project look like
In Ruse we already started presenting our most valuable EU projects, the projects that are already finished. Our method will be to observe and analyse. In particular we will observe the methods we developped in our projects to create a Tool Box where from methods could be picked up and preferably applied to new projects: the methods already identified are approaches in community development, exploratory learning, leading interviews with migrants etc. Followed a long discussion on how to categorise them.
Theoretical background
Methods cannot be separated from the psycho-social and other needs of the participants, the content and above all the goal we want to achieve. There are methods for stimulating the development of standpoints and changing attitudes, there are methods appropriate for pursing personal growth (more knowledge, more skills, different attitudes) as well as understanding oneself and the environment, Brockett (2015). There are methods for developing new skills. To cut this long story short: Innovative projects lead to using innovative methods.