EMPOWERing INtegration
and Active European Citizenship Education in an urban context

Title EMPOWERing INtegration and Active European Citizenship Education in an urban context
Acronym EMPOWER-IN
Topics Democracy education, Active European Citizenship Education (AECE), teaching development, integration and diversity
Period 01.10.2026 – 30.09.2029
Funding program Erasmus+ KA2 School Education “European Partnerships for School Development”
Project partnership
  • Lead: Europe Office of the Education Directorate for Vienna/AT
  • 4 project schools, Vienna/AT:
    • MS 7., Neustiftgasse 98–103
    • MS 21., Rudolf-Schön-Weg 1
    • MS 22., Leopold-Kohr-Straße 5
    • MS 22., Anton-Sattler-Gasse 93
  • School authority in Helsinki/FI
  • 4 project schools in Helsinki/FI
Strategic support
  • European Parliament / Experience Europe, Vienna

  • City of Munich, Department of Education and Sport
  • City of Vienna, MA11 (Vienna Child and Youth Welfare Services)
  • WienXtra
  • Zentrum polis
  • among others

Short description:

Many students with migration backgrounds attend schools in major European cities. Many grow up multilingual, while having few opportunities for democratic participation and for developing a sense of belonging to Europe. For many, Europe remains abstract, because a shared European identity is hardly tangible in everyday school life. Teachers sometimes feel insufficiently prepared to teach European and intercultural content. EMPOWER-IN addresses this by supporting schools in teaching Europe in a tangible, inclusive and everyday-oriented way and developing a European identity.

Activities & offers for Vienna schools
(grades 5-8):

  • Peer networking with schools in Helsinki, Berlin, Munich and Vienna
  • 40 job shadowings (school visits) for school leaders and nominated teachers in Helsinki
  • Participation in the international student parliament with a Brussels visit for elected school representatives
  • New ideas & materials on AECE
  • 40 coaching sessions on intercultural competences & parental involvement