Context
Today’s world is full of diversity, mobility and change. Travelling, work emigration, studying in foreign countries, contact with immigrants, work in international firms, growing possibilities to join work experience or international exchange – all this means that intercultural competences become more and more important. Competences which are a mixture of knowledge concerning cultural differences and their effect on behaviour, the ability to initiate and build positive, intercultural relationships as well as a tolerant attitude towards diversity and curiosity are very much wanted. The document „Europe 2020” describes exactly this vision of Europe and Europeans in future. This strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth shows, that young people will have to be very flexible and mobile in order to cope with the challenges of a changing world. Furthermore they will have to be prepared for life-long extension of their own qualification. In order to reach these aims the European Commission plans to realize the project “Youth on the move”. The project wants “to enhance the performance and international attractiveness of Europe’s higher education institutions and raise the overall quality of all levels of education and training in the EU (…).”.
Elements of the project will be i.a.:
- modernisation agenda of higher education (curricula, governance and financing)
- Taking further steps to promote the recognition of non-formal and informal learning
The National Agency of the programme „Youth in Action” and the German-Polish Youth Office therefore present a commonly developed cycle of workshops for intercultural education with the title „Między Innymi” (Amongst others).
It adds to the presumptions of the strategy „Europe 2030” as well as to the pilot project “Youth on the move”, allowing young people to develop basic competences in order to be successful on the job market. At the same time it joins elements as regards content (supplying certain knowledge required for life/work in an intercultural surrounding) with elements developing abilities and basic groundwork.
