Vienna-wide presentation of the Startbox Mathematics app – a free service for individual support
On April 22, 2025, as part of our Interreg AT-HU project BOUNCE BACK, we presented the Startbox Mathematics app to around 100 interested educators. Director of the Board of Education for Vienna Elisabeth Fuchs and District Mayor Stefanie Lamp congratulated the development team. The “Startbox Mathematics” was developed and funded by the European Office of the Board of Education for Vienna for the early detection of math difficulties in first-grade elementary school students as part of the EU Interreg project CODES. Together with the HTL Vienna West, we have successfully developed an app for the Startbox Mathematics. It supports teachers in accurately identifying children’s mathematical problems and providing targeted support.
Adventure in Computer Science – Educational excursion for teachers
As part of our Interreg project eTOM AT-CZ, teachers from the Czech Republic and Vienna explored the exciting field of computer science together on April 8, 2025. Practical workshop activities, such as those on the topic of “algorithms,” provided insights into digital skills development paired with collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, communication, cultural awareness, and contextual competence – our eTOM project topics, which we are addressing together with 24 Viennese pilot schools. This educational excursion at TU Wien aroused great interest among our project partners and encouraged the participating teachers to work cross-border with their students in a similar format.
“Hungary: Country, Culture, Language”
On Monday, March 31, 2025, the Collegium Hungaricum Vienna opened its doors to educators. As part of the EU Interreg project BOUNCE BACK, a lively exchange will take place between teachers at elementary schools in Vienna, Sopron, and Szombathely on issues of resilience promotion and life skills pedagogy. To better understand our partner country Hungary, its culture, and its language, Director Dr. Márton Mehés invited the project’s pilot schools to an entertaining afternoon on Hollandstraße, featuring presentations, videos, and a crash course in Hungarian. The event concluded with a quiz, which clearly demonstrated the participants’ high level of attention.
Robotics Bootcamps in Vienna and Bratislava
At the end of March 2025, cool “boot camps” began for six pilot school locations of our Interreg SK-AT project ICE Robotics, focusing on the three key topics of robotics, AI, and 3D printing.
Secondary school students from Bratislava and Vienna are learning together through mutual visits and our “boot camp workshops.” The school partnerships we establish are intended to be established long-term, with a focus on new technologies, particularly the application and use of educational robots and artificial intelligence (AI).
Interested teachers from the participating pilot schools already attended our first preparatory workshops on the integration of 3D printing, robotics, and AI into everyday school life. They received three modern 3D printers and robotics sets to implement in practice with their students. The equipment acquired through the project will be used to prepare the school classes for the Robotics League, which will take place later in the project. A new round of bootcamps is planned for the 2025/2026 school year with additional schools.
Strengthening diversity, job shadowing in Berlin
This was the topic of a visit to Berlin by a group of 23 teachers, 5 school principals and representatives of the Vienna Department of Education from 16 to 19 March 2025 as part of our Erasmus+ project „enterEurope – Diversity“.
During their stay, the participants observed lessons at eight Berlin schools of different types and gained valuable insights into the topic of ‘diversity’. The visits made it possible to get to know various resources and to observe how diversity is implemented in practice in everyday school life – both in the classroom and taking into account local and personnel circumstances.
The job shadowing not only offered the opportunity to experience European values and the Erasmus+ programme at first hand, but also to promote exchange with colleagues. Expert lectures, best practice examples and peer networking provided numerous suggestions for further integrating and deepening the topic of ‘diversity’ in one’s own pedagogical practice.
© Canva Magic Media (KI-generiert)
Artificial intelligence – the future starts here and now
Machines and systems are increasingly able to perform tasks that traditionally require human intelligence, such as learning, problem solving, understanding and creative work. AI is also increasingly part of everyday school life. As part of the second module of the Teach-the-Trainer workshop series on 27 February of the Interreg SK-AT project ICE Robotics, educators from Vienna and Bratislava were given an introduction to the functioning and application of artificial intelligence. Topics such as machine learning, neuroscience-inspired AI and computer vision were covered interactively. The workshop also took a critical look at ethical issues and the challenges associated with the increasing spread of AI. Furthermore, teaching materials have been developed to facilitate the use of AI in practice. Participating teachers can now prepare their school classes specifically for our project boot camps taking place in Bratislava, including the AI focus.
3D printing in schools – eTOM AT-HU project!
On 26 and 27 February 2025, the next round of our 3D printing workshops took place. As part of the Austria-Hungary Interreg project eTOM AT-HU, another 20 teachers came to the first practical part of the workshop “3D printing in the classroom”, in which we familiarized them with 3D printers in order to use them effectively and innovatively in class. For this purpose, each school location received two 3D printers, with which they will delve further into a hands-on training in the second and third part of the workshop series. Participants have the opportunity to exchange ideas, share projects and ideas with each other in order to learn from and with each other on a shared platform.
All of this culminates in a joint cross-border closing event on 5 June 2025 in the Board of Education for Vienna. Presentations of the contributions made in the project are planned, as well as networking with experts.
Die angewandten Kenntnisse werden in einer gemeinsamen grenzüberschreitenden Abschlussveranstaltung am 5. Juni 2025 in der Bildungsdirektion vorgestellt. Geplant sind Präsentationen der im Projekt entstandenen Beiträge und Gespräche mit Expert:innen.
Together and colorful
On February 25, 2025, as part of our Erasmus+ project „enterEurope – Diversity“, an inspiring input event entitled “Diversity – Strengthening Diversity!” took place in the magnificent Wappensaal of Vienna City Hall. The event was organized in cooperation with the Vienna Anti-Discrimination Office and was ceremoniously opened by our Director of Education Elisabeth Fuchs. The participants were given exciting insights into key topics such as the internationalization strategy of the Vienna Department of Education, gender and LGBTIQ in schools as well as gender-reflective pedagogy. These valuable inputs provided the perfect basis for a lively discussion and an intensive professional exchange. The open and appreciative atmosphere was particularly pleasing, enabling collegial networking and the exchange of best practices. The event impressively underlined how important it is not only to address diversity, but to actively promote it and integrate it into everyday school life. We would like to thank everyone involved for their committed participation and look forward to further exciting initiatives as part of “enterEurope”. Together we can shape a diverse and inclusive future!
DigiUp NEXT – Find your match!
As part of the Interreg project DigiUp NEXT, which focuses on IT apprenticeships, the European Office was represented at the speed dating event for future apprentices in Alterlaa. The initiative, organized by the FMS23, took place for the fourth time on 21 and 22 January 2025 to connect young people directly with potential employers. More than 50 companies took part in the event and used the opportunity to recruit future apprentices from among the 300 participating students.
Pedagogical theater workshops on the topic of water
On 13 November, 2024 and 15 January, 2025, our workshop series on the topic of water took place as part of the Interreg project CLIM_SED. Here, secondary school teachers were able to experience various aspects of this valuable element in the form of verbal and non-verbal exercises, gestures and facial expressions. The artistic-pedagogical methods are an exciting approach for all subjects to sensitize students to topics such as climate protection, ecology and sustainability and to further strengthen their awareness. At the closing event at the end of May, the teachers and their school classes can present what they have worked on together.
BOUNCE BACK – kick off with pilot schools
an information event with the pilot schools of the project BOUNCE BACK took place on January 21, 2025 in the ballroom of the Vienna Board of Education. On this day, we provided information about the planned content and goals of the project as well as the role of the pilot schools. Finally, an extremely interesting panel discussion and exchange session on currently challenging topics at Viennese school locations took place. As a next step until the summer, the schools will receive multi-professional support in dealing with their location-specific challenges. In addition, we will meet for an afternoon together at the end of March to get to know the country, culture and language of our partner country Hungary.
We look forward to a good collaboration with our 16 pilot schools!
Mini fair for intercultural education and support – we were there!
At this year’s mini-fair organized by the AK Vienna and the SFZ of the Education Directorate, our MINT box aroused particularly great interest among around 230 visitors on January 14, 2025, which can be seen at the stand of the European Office of the Education Directorate for Vienna. The sprachENsensible MINT-Box offers an innovative approach with which students of different levels can discover and research eight exciting topics: water, sound, solar system (planets), energy, digitalization, urbanity, forces, electricity and air. Many interested educators immediately took the opportunity to get advice directly on site about the versatile use of the MINT box in lessons. The individual advice was provided as part of the Interreg project eTOM SK-AT, in which further language-sensitive materials for schools are being developed.
We also presented the traveling exhibition on multilingualism. With 6 stations, it invites you on a journey into the world of bilingualism. Viennese schools can borrow the traveling exhibition for parent-teacher conferences, school events, etc. HERE.
Scandinavian Inspiration for Vienna’s Vocational Education: Erasmus+ Job Shadowing in Bergen
In mid-December 2024, 22 school leaders and representatives from the Vienna Board of Education traveled to Bergen to explore Norwegian vocational education as part of an Erasmus+ Job Shadowing program. The focus was on innovative approaches such as the integration of artificial intelligence in teaching, collaborative learning methods, and visionary school architecture.
Norway’s education system impressed with its forward-thinking concepts, emphasizing equal opportunities and hands-on vocational training. Participants gained valuable insights that will enrich Vienna’s vocational education landscape and open up new perspectives. This mobility marked another milestone in international collaboration, paving the way for promising future Erasmus+ projects.
Here are our KEY TAKE AWAYS!
Servus in Munich: School projects with the capital of Bavaria
At the end of November 2024, a group of 21 Viennese teachers visited the city of Munich for an “enterEurope” exchange and to set up joint Erasmus+ school projects on the topic of democracy.
Our delegation shared with the Bavarian school authorities current school challenges and corresponding quality measures in the field of European Citizenship Education. The group was particularly able to exchange ideas during school visits to Munich middle schools to impart practice-oriented skills, career orientation and individual support.
Another highlight was the visit to the European School Munich, which is the only school in Munich where the national languages of all member states of the European Union are taught. The European motto “United in diversity” is part of the curriculum and has the highest priority in everyday school life, with respectful and tolerant coexistence.
Here are our KEY TAKE AWAYS!
New school partnerships with the Czech Republic
A school partnership, a joint online kick-off to get to know each other and, as a highlight, mutual visits with a diverse program:
The Interreg AT-CZ project JOBITY offers this special experience in the heart of Europe to Viennese middle schools and their Czech partner schools.
For example, the 3C of the MS Scheedgasse was able to spend two days in Budweis in autumn 2024, where the relationship and cooperation between the two partner classes was promoted. In accordance with the thematic focus of JOBITY, the students were also able to be inspired by possible future careers. In April 2025, the 3C will welcome its Czech friends in Vienna!
The 3B from MS Steinbauergasse was already in the role of host in October. She warmly welcomed the partner class from South Moravia to the school in Vienna-Meidling and went with them on an exciting puzzle rally through the first district. On the second day, AT-CZ teams not only produced wind energy, but also unique pieces of music. A student from 3B formulates the most important result as follows: “At that point at the latest, each of us found new Czech friends. We can’t wait to go to Brno! The days are already being counted.” In May 2025, the young Viennese will set off for the Czech Republic. By the way: They all improved their English skills.
BOUNCE BACK – Study Trip to Zurich
In order to obtain content-related input from research on the topic of “life skills” and “resilience” for the design of a “life skills pedagogy program” as part of the Interreg project AT-HU BOUNCE BACK we undertook a study trip to Zurich from 12 to 14 November 2024 together with our project partners from West-Hungary and Burgenland.
We were inspired with many implementation ideas for our project by experts from the Zurich University of Teacher Education and from the University of Zurich and by the Institute for Motivation and Self-Organization Zurich. We will now incorporate the findings we have gained into the various levels of the project.
We are already looking forward to further exchanges with these experts and their scientific feedback!
© Sportmittelschule Hetzendorf
Digital boards in class
15 Viennese schools (MS, FMS/PTS) have already been equipped with a digital school board and additional equipment as part of the Interreg AT-CZ JOBITY project. Subsequently, two basic training courses on the use of the digital board took place in June and November 2024, in which a total of 20 teachers from JOBITY pilot schools took part and were able to get tips for use in their own lessons. The JOBITY project supports young people in their educational and career choices with transnational activities in Vienna, South Bohemia, Vysočina and South Moravia and in particular makes them aware of future employment opportunities in technological and innovative sectors (e.g. GreenTech).
Esperienze di diversità: Job Shadowing a Torino con Erasmus+
From 6 to 9 November 2024, a Viennese delegation consisting of 14 school principals and representatives of the Vienna Board of Education travelled to Turin to explore the topic “Strengthening Diversity“ as part of the Erasmus+ project “enterEurope“.
The participants observed classes at seven compulsory schools in Turin and gained exciting insights into the Italian school system and inclusive teaching on site. In the Italian school system, inclusion is the standard rather than the exception; inclusion is not a goal, but rather a reality. Diversity – especially with regard to the integration of children with special needs – is seen as an enrichment rather than a problem. This is possible because there are sufficient staff resources for it. In Italy, there is also no “repeating a year“ in primary school; all children are taken along.
This job shadowing in Turin offered participants the opportunity to look beyond their own national borders, to gain new perspectives for promoting diversity and inclusion at their own schools, and to strengthen their school’s international network in Europe.
Here are our KEY TAKE AWAYS!
Here is our VIDEO!
The 3D printer at Interpädagogica 2024, a cross-border input
Exciting, innovative and creative – this is how the cross-border input presented itself for our project partners from Hungary and for visitors to the stand of the Vienna Board of Education as part of the INTERREG project eTOM AT-HU on 8 November 2024. At a mini-workshop, you could try out the 3D printer yourself, accompanied by our 3D printing expert and provided with information for use in your own lessons. “The time there was like a didactic lesson. Or even more. We learned and saw so much!” was the feedback from a Hungarian project partner from the University of Sopron.
In Vienna, the first round of our 3-part workshop series was also successfully completed with 13 Viennese middle schools. For practical implementation, each school received two modern 3D printers. The second round of the workshop series is already planned for spring 2025 with a further 11 middle schools.
Workshop “Good practice methods for career orientation”
A two-part BO method workshop took place here in our European office on October 8th and November 7th, 2024. 22 teachers from MS and FMS/PTS took part in the Interreg AT-CZ JOBITY project and were able to learn about future careers in the working world as well as new tools for BO teaching from an expert.
The focus of the workshops was on trying out selected good practice methods and collegially exchanging experiences on career orientation in school practice.
All participants also received our JOBITY folder, which was created in the project and contains a collection of good practice methods for career orientation, for their school location.
© Michaela Bareis
Vocational Education in Focus: Erasmus+ Job Shadowing in Bordeaux
In mid-October 2024, 24 teachers, principals, and representatives from the Board of Education for Vienna traveled to Bordeaux, in France’s Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, for an Erasmus+ job shadowing experience. The aim of this mobility was to strengthen collaboration between nine vocational project schools from Vienna and local vocational institutions in Bordeaux.
During their exchange with French colleagues, the participants gained valuable insights into the region’s vocational training and school practices through school visits and job shadowing at various vocational institutions. A key focus was also placed on preparing for vocational mobilities for Viennese trainees in spring 2025, allowing young people to gain practical insights into the world of work in Bordeaux.
This visit marks an important step in reinforcing the Erasmus+ partnership between Vienna and Nouvelle-Aquitaine in vocational education, establishing a solid foundation for future educational projects.
Here are our KEY TAKE AWAYS!
BOUNCE BACK – Kick Off
On 26 September 2024 the time had come and we celebrated the start of our Interreg project ATHU BOUNCE BACK together with 60 interested guests from Hungary and Austria.
In a cozy get-together with various culinary delicacies, the guests were able to find out about the content and goals of the project and exchange ideas at market stalls.
We received input on the core topic, the creation of a life skills pedagogy program with a focus on increasing the resilience of learners, in the form of short presentations by Dr. Christiane Spiel (Univ.-Prof. Wien), Dr. Klaus Vavrik (Prim. Ambulatorium Sonnwendviertel) und Dr. Réka Kissné-Zsambóki (Univ.-Prof. Sopron).
In a subsequent panel discussion, various aspects of the topic were examined and incorporated into the project work.
Delegation from South Korea: Daegu Meets Vienna in the Name of Education
Once again, Vienna was the destination for an educational delegation. On 2 September, 2024, 30 staff members from the educational authority of Daegu, South Korea, visited the city to gain a better understanding of the Austrian and European educational landscape. During the reception in the European Office of the Board of Education, they were introduced to the Austrian education system and the educational landscape of Vienna, which laid the foundation for a lively exchange.
UNBOXING THE EU – Think, Talk & Shape the EU
As part of our large-scale initiative, UNBOXING THE EU, for the EU elections on June 9, 2024, we have organized various activities such as EU brunches and a high-profile creative competition where participating schools could win two trips to Brussels and experience days in a national park. We have also created a comprehensive brochure that includes practical links to teaching materials, workshop offerings, online tools, and exhibitions related to the EU elections.
Get inspired, and implement the motto UNBOXING THE EU in your educational work:
Cooperation with the Vienna Network for Democracy Culture and Prevention (WNED)
As part of our Erasmus+ project “Vienna goes Brussels,” Viennese teachers repeatedly receive important pedagogical insights on the topic of civic competencies through exciting input lectures from experts in the field of democracy education, financial education and children’s rights.
On 29 May 2024, together with the head of the Vienna Network for Democracy Culture and Prevention (WNED), we offered interested colleagues comprehensive insights into important concepts related to violence and extremism prevention and their connections to children’s rights. In addition to introducing WNED and its tasks, useful contacts and various offers were presented.
Conclusion of “Green Europe”
The Europe Office of the Board of Education for Vienna looks back with great joy on the successful conclusion of the Erasmus+ mobility project “Green Europe,” which was celebrated on 28 May 2024 at the Hans-Radl-Schule.
Together with our 20 project schools, we reviewed seven mobility activities involving 267 teachers, school principals, and school quality managers in six different EU countries. They had the opportunity to observe at schools in Ljubljana, Helsinki, Zagreb, Marseille, and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, attend training on sustainability topics in Erfurt and Nuremberg, and gain valuable European experiences for themselves and their school locations.
We sincerely thank everyone involved who contributed to the success of this project. Together, we have taken an important step in promoting the European spirit and international cooperation in our schools!
You can find our Key Take-Aways here.
© Danube Strategy Point EU-Förderagentur GmbH
Digital skills in the Danube region
The 12th International Stakeholder Conference of the Danube Region Strategy took place in Vienna on May 23, 2024. The Austrian Labor Minister, Martin Kocher, opened the Conference under the working title “Green and Digital Transition in Education and Labor Market Policies”. Around 100 stakeholders from the field of labor and education discussed current challenges and opportunities.
The European Office presented its EU funded project “DigiMe – Digital and media competence for teachers and students” in the “Digital Skills” working group. The aim of the cross-border project from 2019 was to prepare teachers as good as possible for the requirements of future careers, with girls in particular getting excited about making and robotics. During several workshops, teachers were given the necessary tools to impart the required digital skills and programming knowledge to their students.
Feel free to browse through the teaching materials yourself here: DigiMe
In exciting exchanges with educational institutions from Ukraine, Poland and Hungary, everyone agreed: Digital skills can and should be integrated into every subject and cannot be learned early enough!
Vienna delegation in Gran Canaria: Job-Shadowing under Palm trees
For three days, 40 educators from Vienna, including school principals and representatives of the school supervision, had the opportunity to observe classes at eleven different schools in Gran Canaria. During this time, they gained insights into the Spanish school system and could assess the ongoing education and training of educators on-site. At the CEP “Centro del Profesorado,” there was a lively exchange among teachers and school administrators, where initial contacts for further Erasmus+ collaborations were established.
The representatives of the school supervision also took advantage of the opportunity to engage with local educational authorities on systemic processes and challenges. Additionally, our delegation was sensitized to important topics related to environmental and climate education through activities such as cleaning the beach of microplastics and a coastal hike focused on species conservation.
Here are our KEY TAKE AWAYS!
© GRG Bertha von Suttner
Vienna as a destination for international education delegations
In the school year 23/24, many international delegations totalling over 200 people from various European countries – including 100 school headmasters from Brussels alone – came to Vienna to get to know our education system and visit Viennese schools. They were also given various specialist presentations, which were also organised by the European Office. Topics on which the visitors were able to exchange ideas included innovative school concepts, inclusion, the transition from nursery to school, educational campuses and all-day schooling, digital media and early school leaving.
The visit from a school in Kiev was a special opportunity. Around 40 pupils and 10 accompanying persons were able to spend a school week at two Viennese grammar schools, where they were able to take part in various events organised by the two schools (e.g. guided tour of Vienna, sports, school musical) in addition to lessons.
The often very touching feedback from the pupils in Kiev can be read here:
Essays about the journey 1
Essays about the journey 2
A big thank you to all the school teams for their great work!
Children talk about education – a cross-border future conference in Brno
“And: Clappreboard 3…: What do you remember fondly when you think about your time at primary school? …What should an ideal school education look like? …”
Students from Vienna and young people of the same age from Brno answered these and another 6 questions as part of our eTOM AT-CZ “Education for Tomorrow” project. Professionally, relaxed, with a lot of fun and with the utmost seriousness, our Czech partners from Brno and a camera team shot videos to let young people have their say on the topic of education. The answers formed the basis for discussions at a future conference on May 16 and 17, 2024 in Brno, at which educators discussed and reflected live on the young people’s views.
European Gala for the European State Prize 2024
For the second time, the European Office of the Board of Education for Vienna was nominated for the renowned European State Prize:
On May 7, 2024, Europe Minister Karoline Edtstadler honored the best European initiatives in Austria in the “Sofiensälen”, where we were represented this time with the internationalization strategy enterEurope, which networks educational authorities and schools without cross-border experience across Europe on current school development topics. Numerous foreign mobilities for over 700 Viennese teachers and 250 students have already taken place since 2021. The many project submissions in the Erasmus+ program show that there is interest in further exchange in the Viennese educational landscape.
© Stadt Wien
Student asks mayor
This opportunity was offered on May 3, 2024 as part of the media discussion on the occasion of Europe Day for school classes from BRG/ORG Henriettenplatz, HLT/HLW Hertha Firnberg and WMS/RG/ORG Anton-Krieger-Gasse.
In addition to Mayor Michael Ludwig, the head of the representation of the European Commission in Austria, Wolfgang Bogensberger, and Vienna’s director of the Board of Education, Heinrich Himmer, also took part in the event in Wien Museum. They emphasized the importance of the EU for the city of Vienna and the active role of our city in the heart of a united Europe.
Vienna also visibly benefits from the European Union, for example in the form of numerous EU-funded projects that are being implemented in the city – from new parks to labor market support, educational programs such as Erasmus+ and current climate protection measures. In the exchange with the students, a clear opinion was expressed: The European Union is more important than ever today!
A highlight at the end of the event was the drawing of the main prizes for our creative competition initiated as part of our “Unboxing the EU – the EU in the classroom” campaign.
EU brunch in the Board of Education for Vienna
“Democracy is a valuable gift that previous generations have passed on to us. Now it is up to us to preserve and strengthen this asset. And the best way to do that is to vote. Use your vote, otherwise others will decide for you!” said a student who made her voice heard at our EU brunch.
In total, in April 2024, with a view to the upcoming EU elections, 13 EU experts discussed current issues relating to the EU with more than 300 students aged 12 – 28:
democracy, values & rights, participation, economic growth, climate protection, student mobility, the influence of the EU on daily life, regional benefits of the EU, expectations for the future and much more.
The appropriate setting for this was a house where democracy is lived, discussed and shaped: the Board of Education for Vienna
Dialogue within the Erasmus+ project NEST
” Starting a teaching career – opportunities and perspectives”
How can new teachers successfully enter the profession? How can newcomers be optimally accompanied and supported in their first years of work? What challenges do they face and what benefits do they bring with?
On April 15, 2024, these and other questions on the topic of starting a teaching career and on the topic of mentoring for newcomer teachers were discussed in the ballroom of the Board of Education for Vienna as part of our NEST project closing event.
School management, teachers and students took the opportunity to contribute their opinions and perspectives in the open space, share their own good practices and network with each other.
Computer science adventure – understanding computer science
The “C” in “Digital Competence” in the 7 future competencies in our new Interreg project eTOM AT-CZ “Education for Tomorrow” received a special focus. Children from VS Kleistgasse and VS Herbststraße went on a special kind of journey of discovery in April 2024: together with young lecturers and students from the TU Vienna, the children of the 2nd and the 4th grade immersed themselves in the fascinating world of computer science through an interactive workshop. With the help of age-appropriate and playful group activities, the children learned about the fascinating simplicity of the term “algorithm”, learned a lot about this exciting science and, in some, a passion was awakened.
Our eTOM ATCZ pilot classes will receive an interactive board this school year and will start the virtual classroom with us and Czech school classes next school year!
Job Shadowing and Outdoor Education in Marseille with Erasmus+
From March 17 to 20, 2024 a group from 25 Viennese schools undertook a job shadowing mobility to Marseille, France to experience and discover new approaches to learning and the integration of the project topic “Green Europe” in the areas of education and school administration.
The group participated in job shadowings at seven institutions in primary and secondary education, and in school administration with a focus on psychological services. One of the days was used to focus on the topic of Outdoor Education exclusively and therefore we visited the Île de Frioul (Frioul island) which is part of the Calanques national park. This was the ideal location to include sustainability and environment within a pedagogical setting.
Due to the intensive networking amongst the participants as well as with our French partners, we were able to create lasting co-operations for our Viennese schools.
You can find our video here.
Now new – APP for „Startbox Mathematics“!
The diagnostic and support file „Startbox Mathematics“, developed as part of the co-financed Interreg project “CODES”, is now also available as an APP in digital form! It was programmed by the HTL Wien West and piloted by a group of committed colleagues from November 2023 to March 2024. Many thanks to the piloting group!
The APP supports teachers in mathematics lessons through targeted diagnosis and support of learners in the school entry phase.
The Startbox Mathematics APP is now available to everyone at https://europabuero.wien/startboxmathematik-app.
© KSV1870
Financial education in practice – Meeting with experts from KSV1870
UOur Erasmus+ project “Vienna goes Brussels” not only offers students the opportunity to visit the capital of the EU to strengthen their own citizenship skills but also allows teachers to continuously further their education. Since the beginning of the project, the topics of financial education and children’s rights have been consistently pursued.
On February 15, 2024, in collaboration with the Kreditschutzverband 1870, we organized an event on the topic of “Financial Education in Practice”. Viennese teachers were provided with insights into how the complex subject of financial education can be reduced didactically and simplified in everyday school life. Additionally, there was an opportunity for direct exchange with the experts from the Kreditschutzverband on-site.
Erasmus+ project application workshop for Viennese schools
The Erasmus+ project application workshop is designed as a three-part series and was developed by the European Office of the Board of Education for Vienna. Its purpose is to support interested teachers in developing and submitting a successful Erasmus+ short-term or accreditation project for their own school.
Conducted in small groups over the span of three afternoons we get down to the basics of a successful project application. Some of the questions we try to answer are: What possibilities does Erasmus+ offer for my school? Which activities can you participate in through Erasmus+? What is important when writing a proposal? What types of financing are available?
©Kanton Zürich, Bildungsdirektion
Vienna visiting Zurich
How are students with special needs integrated into regular classes?
How does the canton of Zurich manage to offer a high-quality dual education system?
How does school social work work at the different school levels?
These were some of the questions that our Viennese delegation asked the educational experts from the primary and secondary schools of the Canton of Zurich and the teacher training university, PH Zurich. The three-day visit from 15 to 17 January 2024 was found to be very enriching by the educational department of the Vienna Board of Education and it was partly surprising how different Vienna and Zurich – despite being quite similar countries – are in many respects, especially in the area of education. In this way, everybody sharpened the views on what could be improved and preserved. At the end, everyone said goodbye with a full bag of ideas and future project submissions to Movetia, the Swiss agency for exchange and mobility.
Research meets school: networking in the BOKU hydraulic engineering laboratory
As part of our Erasmus+ project “Green Europe” we visited the hydraulic engineering laboratory at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences on January 16, 2024. Helmut Habersack, head of the BOKU hydraulic engineering laboratory, gave the participating teachers from the 20 project schools a comprehensive insight into a wide range of research on the topic of “water” using the Danube as an example.
After the very interesting tour, there was a joint brainstorming session on the didactic preparation of complex scientific findings for students. In the future, Viennese teachers will be actively involved in the design of the public lab of the hydraulic engineering laboratory!
This cooperation promotes the educational exchange of didactic approaches and scientific research on the topic of “water”. The European Office is proactively committed to raising awareness of environmental issues in schools.
Viennese teachers in Zagreb: an inspirational exchange
At the beginning of December 2023, Viennese teachers had the opportunity to visit 23 Croatian schools for two days and observe colleagues during their lessons. Also, the discussions they had about the similarities and differences in the two educational systems were of extreme importance.
The study visit was made possible by the Erasmus+ project ‘Green Europe’, which aims at increasing pedagogical insight and knowledge of teaching methods, particularly in the area of Environment and Climate Protection as well as Inclusive Education.
Over the last two years, the European Office of the Board of Education for Vienna and the Zagreb Municipal Department for Education, Sport and Youth have successfully cooperated together. This cooperation was the basis for the study visit and made it possible that delegation participants gained deeper insights and experienced new practical methodological approaches. The visit not only strengthened existing partnerships but also paved the way for new opportunities.
Inclusion in Schools: International conference with high-profile experts
On 4 and 5 December 2023, the European Office organised a conference on inclusion in schools in cooperation with Prof. Michelle Proyer from the University of Vienna. The two-day event offered participants the opportunity to discuss international perspectives and the different stages of development of inclusion in schools and to exchange ideas in exciting, topic-related discussion rounds and workshops.
A highlight of the conference, in addition to keynotes given by renowned experts such as Prof. Rune Simeonsson (University of North Carolina), Prof. Mats Granlund and Prof. Lilly Augustine (both University of Jönköping), the I AM – Inclusive Assessment Map app was presented. The app was developed as part of the EU- funded project I AM with the aim of improving inclusion work in schools. The institutions involved in its development were the Universities of Vienna, Jönköping (Sweden), Tromsø (Norway), Porto (Portugal), Leipzig (Germany) and the Centre for Special Needs Education in Belgium.
LINK: https://iam.univie.ac.at/#/
Two Viennese schools receive eTwinning awards
On 21 November 2023, the Austrian Education Agency OeAD awarded the national eTwinning prizes and the OeAD’s national quality seal at the Ars Electronica Center in Linz. It was a great honour for the European Office of the Board of Education for Vienna that two Viennese schools were first and second. First place went to the GRG Maroltingergasse for the project ‘Triple E: E-learning – E-twinning – E-Rasmussen and second place to the GTVS 12 Am Schöpfwerk for the project ‘With music across Europe’.
eTwinning is the largest online school community in Europe and offers pupils the opportunity to exchange ideas with fellow pupils in other countries and thus enables them to network easily within Europe.
Inspiration and information for your own eTwinning project can be found at
https://etwinning.at/
© OeAD/APA-Fotoservice/Kruegl
School exchange ‘Vienna goes Brussels’: Goede reis! to Viennese secondary pupils
In November 2023, the Erasmus+ project ‘Vienna goes Brussels’ became reality for eight Viennese secondary school classes. During the academic year 2023/24, the project will enable around 200 pupils to spend fully funded project days in Brussels.
In the EU capital, they will take part in an extensive programme including visits to several EU institutions. The topic is civic competence. At the heart of the visit is an exchange with a Flemish partner class from a Brussels school. In the course of three half-days, the mixed group of pupils will work on an exciting project together.
A highlight for the Flemish and Viennese school classes will be a joint reception at the Liaison Office of the City of Vienna, which has supported the project from the outset.
© WH International Services/Vera Tschakaloff-Janner
Constantly new, exciting educational collaborations
We are always able to become part of exciting new educational collaborations. This is of course a great honor for our city and also shows that Viennese schools do great work! Sarajevo would also like to exchange ideas with Vienna in the field of education.
In order to explore initial ideas, a meeting took place on October 27th between the Ministry of Education of the Canton of Sarajevo and the Board of Education for Vienna. The Sarajevo Minister of Education, Naida Hota-Muminović, was received for this first conversation by the head of the European Office of the Board of Education for Vienna, Caroline Jäckl, who informed her about the responsibilities and structure of the Board of Education and the tasks of the European Office. Education Minister Naida Hota-Muminović, for her part, spoke about the canton’s current education policy and the current reform process in the education sector. The canton of Sarajevo wants to take part in Erasmus+ projects with Vienna as a candidate for EU accession; further exchanges are scheduled for 2024.
RESILIENT throughout every day at school – workshops on inner stability and resilience
How can I as a teacher deal better with crises at school? And how can I improve my mental resilience? Resilience is essential, especially in times of great upheaval and new challenges in school life, it is also the best prophylaxis against burnout. In autumn 2023 as part of the Erasmus+ KA3 project NEST, the European Office of the Board of Education for Vienna offered several workshops on increasing resilience for head teachers and teachers. In addition to information about chronic stress, a renowned resilience trainer provided participants with tried-and-tested methods for effectively preventing overload and counteracting exhaustion as well as increasing well-being and inner strength.
Training course on sustainable development in Erfurt
From 15-18 October 2023, a group of motivated teachers from Vienna attended a fascinating training course in Erfurt as part of the enterEurope Erasmus+ project ‘Green Europe’.
Together with teachers from Thuringia, they visited various green LERNORTE such as the Waldhaus ‘Fuchsfarm’, the Egapark and the Horticultural Museum. The inspiring workshops gave the participants new insights into experiential learning in the context of environmental education and sustainability. The exchange with the German colleagues was once again incredibly productive – thank you for your hospitality!
Special appreciation also goes to our esteemed colleagues from the VHS Erfurt and the Office for Education of Erfurt City Council for the excellent organisation.
We are already looking forward to future educational co-operations and to seeing you again soon in Vienna!
The ‘Vienna Goes Brussels’ school exchange programme launched by the Board of Education for Vienna
The Erasmus+ project ‘Vienna goes Brussels’ began on 5 October 2023 and prepared the way for a further eight school partnerships.
30 Viennese teachers, head teachers and education quality managers met with colleagues from the “GO! Scholengroep” in Brussels.
At the kick-off in Brussels Wien Haus, there was unanimous agreement about the need for European exchange and civic competences across borders. That is why ‘Vienna goes Brussels’ will enable around 200 Viennese pupils during the 2023/24 academic year to take part in exchange projects with classes in Brussels and visit European institutions. The first class visited the Belgian capital at the beginning of November. Others will follow. Travel will be by environmental-friendly night train.
Travelling exhibition ‘Living Bilingualism’
Moving from one info point to the next, the travelling exhibition takes you on a journey into the world of bilingualism through six info points with a focus on the border regions of Austria and Slovakia. Presenting knowledge about the languages of the world, and including personal reflection questions and information on multilingual language acquisition and much more, the exhibition whets your appetite for languages and raises awareness of important aspects of language education and multilingualism in neighbouring countries.
The travelling exhibition including the accompanying manual was developed within the framework of the INTERREG SK-AT project BIG_ling has been available since the academic year 2022/2023 and can be obtained by any Viennese school free of charge.
Loan request to: europabuero@bildung-wien.gv.at
International educational delegations in Vienna
During the academic year 2022/2023, we hosted 27 international delegations from different countries (DE, HU, ES, BA, CZ, FI, FR, CH, TW, NO, DK).
Around 200 people from various educational institutions visited Viennese schools – many thanks to our school teams for their great hospitality.
In addition, the guests received expert presentations at the European Office, reflected on the different school systems and institutional framework conditions and exchanged views with Viennese schools on topics such as inclusion, innovative teaching methods, foreign language teaching, intercultural education, internationalisation, STEM, vocational training and school well-being. There are already numerous requests for coming academic year.
Closing event enterEurope ‘MINT – Mädchen in die Technik’ (STEM – Girls into Technology)
On 6 June 2023, the 20 enterEurope project schools of the “STEM – Girls into Technology” group came together again to celebrate the end of the project. In the academic years 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 during job-shadowing at partner schools in Barcelona, Zagreb, Hagen, Stockholm and a STEM conference in Leiden a lively cross-school exchange had taken place. New initiatives and own Erasmus+ projects were launched following international models.
From autumn 2023, there will be alumni meetings for all our enterEurope project schools to continue to promote regional and international networking.
Towards the further development of an inclusive school system
In the framework of the Erasmus+ project ‘I AM – Inclusive Assessment Map’, the European Office organised a conference on 25 May 2023 called ‘The ICF as an effective tool for the further development of an inclusive school system’. Following on from the exclusive keynote by Prof. Dr. Judith Hollenweger from the University of Teacher Education Zurich, around 100 teachers and experts from the field of inclusion and special needs education were able to exchange views on the philosophy of the ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) in education. Other speakers were Prof. Dr. Michelle Proyer from the University of Vienna and Julia Honcik and Dr. Rupert Corazza from the Board of Education for Vienna.
Learn more about the Inclusive Assessment Map here:
https://iam.univie.ac.at
Festive event on Europe Day
On 9 May 2023, a festive event was held at Vienna City Hall to mark Europe Day. The important connection between the City of Vienna and the European Union was emphasised several times in the speech of Mayor Michael Ludwig. “Europe is being lived out in Vienna and Vienna carries Europe in its heart,” said Martin Selmayr, Head of the EU Commission in Austria. Also, Martin Pospischill, Head of the Municipal Department for European Affairs, thanked the many long-standing successful EU-project cooperation partners – including the European Office of the Board of Education for Vienna.
Europe Festival 2023
On 6 May 2023 in the pedestrian area of Mariahilfer-Street ‘Vienna goes Europe’ again provided a wonderful opportunity to make visible and tangible the vast diversity of Europe in Vienna at the Europe Festival with its diverse cultural programme.
Together with information stalls from 23 European countries, the European Office of the Board of Education for Vienna also proudly presented information and products from its various EU projects.
MINI Fair 2023
On 22 February 2023 in the offices of the Vienna Chamber of Labour, the European Office was again represented at the MINI Fair of the Language Support Centre Vienna.
The annual MINI Fair showcases the many services and products in the field of multilingualism and the intercultural aspects of education.
The European Office presented the following products for language support developed during EU projects:
• the travelling exhibition on multilingualism,
• Startbox ‘Language’,
• the language-sensitive MINT-Box.
GreenCHALLENGE 2022
More than 3,500 pupils from 142 classes took part – congratulations to the winners!
The time had finally come – after a two-part evaluation phase, the TOP TEN entries received their green prizes in time for Christmas. A jury of sustainability experts also rewarded the best activities and presented vouchers for amazing workshops and excursions at a ceremony during a school visit.
Click here for the video and the winners’ contributions.
A big THANK YOU to all participants for their commitment for a greener Europe!
Coding and Robotic in STEM Education
On 12 December 2022, the RoboCoop final event took place at the University of Teacher Education Vienna. The main results of the study that was carried out by the project was presented with recommendations for policy making for the use of coding and robotics in STEM education.
The project developed five robotics stations for teachers from all school types:
• Cubetto and BeeBot (elementary and primary)
• Makeblock mTiny (elementary and primary level)
• Lego WeDo (primary level)
• Makeblock m:Bot and Lego Mindstorms (lower and upper secondary level)
• Thymio (secondary level I and II).
During project lifetime around 200 robotics workshops for schools were carried out.
Presentation of the SprachENsensible STEM Box
On 5 December 2022, the European Office presented the ‘SprachENsensible STEM-Box’ with its comprehensive contents. At three levels, teachers will find on the one hand the theoretical basics of language-sensitive teaching, and on the other hand concrete working materials and instructions for experiments on eight different STEM topics: from water experiments and instructions for 3D printing to video tutorials and mind-map posters for the classroom. The materials are aimed at everyday teaching – with a special focus on language and technical language.
Pick up a box for your school now or browse through the materials
HERE .
Language-sensitive learning with BLUE-BOTS
Thanks to the BIGling project, many little BlueBots moved into Viennese primary schools and into the hearts of pupils and their teachers in 2022.
During the project workshops, around 90 teachers were able to exchange information about the various possibilities of use and received a Blue-Bot package worth €2,000. Pupils had their first experience with coding and programming the BlueBots and Tactile readers and tablets were successfully used, e.g., in the 3b and 3c classes of the Wilhelm Engerth School and the 4b class of the GTVS Irenäus-Road –
– click here for the photos.
Europe is Waiting for You
Viennese schools want Europe, and the internationalisation strategy of the Board of Education makes it possible. The Erasmus+ team at the European Office developed the enterEurope project, which will enable, by 2027, many motivated teachers to meet their counterparts all over Europe and start to network with them.
This very ambitious strategy is financed by the EU Erasmus+ programme and interested teachers from all types of schools teaching at all levels can attend our project application workshops.
Europe is waiting for you.
DigiMe Workshops
In 2022, teachers and pupils were able to improve and deepen their knowledge of digitalisation during the DigiMe coding workshops. Teachers learned how to programme sensors and electronics with a microcontroller under the guidance of the project’s technical expert, so that they could implement their own creative projects in the classroom: As a result, the mechatronics class of the FMS Schopenhauer-Street developed a CO2 alarm that can be programmed with the micro:bit, and the MS Wendstatt-Road built an interdisciplinary electric guitar that plays via radio using a programmable microcontroller.
• Video CO2 alarm
• Video electric guitar
Numerous worksheets, explanatory videos on the basics of a programming language and instructions for other technical projects for lesson planning are available on the e-learning platform .
Exploring the Danube Floodplain National Park together with a Slovak school class
On 22 September 2022, the pupils of MS class 1A of the Bildungscampus Seestadt North were excited to meet school class from Slovakia in the Danube Floodplain National Park and experience a whole range of new things: an exploration tour through the castle gardens, a ‘living’ memory game, exciting stories during a guided tour of the national park, a visit to the Au Theatre and a dive into the underwater world without getting wet.
As if by magic, the pupils learned new Slovak and German words from each other and, while eating pizza together, realised: “The world of languages is wonderful” –
– thank you and Ďakujeme from the 1A.
DigiUp 4.0 Workshops
In 2022, as part of the EU project DigiUp 4.0, a total of 25 career orientation workshops were held at four pilot schools in Vienna. In modules such as electronics/robotics, 3D printing/CNC or creative metal, pupils learned more about the use of digital technologies in technical professions. One of the workshops took place on 17 November 2022 at the Fachmittelschule Wien 23. At this event, the pupils learned how to work practically with 3D printers and VR glasses. In the following video you can gain an impression of how the contents of the DigiUp 4.0 project can be implemented in classroom work.
Austrian State Prize for Europe, 2022 – European Office in the top three
Every year, the State Prize is awarded to individuals or institutions that have promoted a deeper consciousness or a better understanding for Europe in Austria.
This year there were almost 150 entries and the KreativCHALLENGE project from the European Office of the Board of Education for Vienna made it into the top three in the category ‘Europe in Schools’.
A huge thank-you to all the teachers and schools who took part in the CHALLENGE in 2021 and who made the project into what it has become: namely, something very special.
Leadership workshops for school management
In 2022, various workshops with professional trainers implemented by the ERDF-funded INTERREG projects BIG_inn AT-HU and EduSTEM AT-CZ took place at the European Office and the Board of Education for Vienna.
In a challenging time, school leaders were supported and strengthened in their leadership role – the video provides tips and shows best- and worst-practice.
On 31 May 2022, a leadership symposium was held on the topic of ‘Innovation needs education – education needs innovation’ – available online.
Click here for the handbook ‘Change Management Processes in Education’.
IN SITU Entrepreneurial Brunch Club
“IN SITU Entrepreneurial Brunch Club”, the series of meetings carried out as part of the IN SITU project was integrated into the key competence – „entrepreneurial competence“ – defined by the European Union. It aimed to make entrepreneurial thinking and action tangible for pupils at an early age and to inspire them to tackle and implement their ideas. The aim of this series of events was therefore to bring students and entrepreneurs together and engage in a lively exchange on this focus. The IN SITU Brunch Club took place at the BildungsHub of the Vienna Department of Education. In the school year 2021/22, in total 15 school classes were invited to meet and exchange with speakers from 13 Viennese social enterprises, e.g. Wienwork, Amlogy, Rasenreich etc. – materials for teacher in the topic (Social) Entrepreneurship:
https://europabuero.wien/insitu/
Cross-border Activities
In 2021/2022 as part of the DigiMe project, the European Office organised excursions for school classes and teachers in order to exchange and network on cross-border activities on the topic of digitisation and education. For example, a workshop on ‘ICT and digital approaches at schools’ was offered for teachers in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Telč, Czech Republic. Viennese secondary school pupils had the opportunity to visit a school in Brno and Czech school classes came to visit Vienna. The pupils thus had the unique opportunity to acquire new knowledge in the field of digitalisation during joint activities, to experience new cultures and to make new Austrian-Czech friendships.
STEM* – Girls Go Technical
On 19 May 2022, a regional network meeting took place in the context of our Erasmus+ Internationalisation Strategy enterEurope. The topic of the meeting, which was hosted by the Higher Technical College Vienna-West was ‘STEM – Girls Go Technical.’
The headteacher, Thomas Angerer and his team made it possible for the schools who are involved in the project to exchange experiences, to network as well as to discuss with members of the education inspectorate what the next steps for school development are.
The European Office of the Board of Education for Vienna is looking forward to these next steps and to continue working with the partners.
*STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths
Click here for the HTL4kids podcast
European Day 2022
This year’s European Day was on 7 May and took place on Vienna’s Mariahilfer Street where there was a very interesting culture programme as well as info-stalls with plenty of activities to encourage audience participation.
Of course, the European Office of the Board of Education for Vienna was there with an exciting programme showcasing the office activities as well as passing on information and collecting the public’s ideas about ‘Europe in the Future’.
Interpedagogica 2022
During this year’s special educational fair, the Interpedagogica, the European Office showcased different projects with varying topics and contents ranging from coding to mechatronics to languages and mathematics.
Teachers who visited our info-stall had the opportunity to test their own digital competence as well as receive specialised advice for the implementation in the classroom of the micro:bit, the start-box mathematics and start-box language.
Start-box Language and Start-Box Mathematics
Thanks to the EU project CODES and following on from the start-box language, all Viennese primary and special needs schools will receive a start-box mathematics mathematics in the academic year 2021/2022.
The Educational Director of the Board of Education for Vienna Heinrich Himmer would like to wish all recipients enjoyable and successful teaching lessons with their new start-box.
Language-sensitive STEM teaching
The BIG_inn and the EduSTEM project teams at the European Office have started exciting new projects about exploratory learning with partners in the neighbouring countries.
In the academic year 2022, teachers from around 100 primary and lower secondary schools will attend our STEM workshops and receive not only an introduction to language-sensitive STEM teaching but also a STEM starter kit including materials to carry out experiments, a stereomicroscope, scientific models and much more.
Learning model for entrepreneurship education
As part of the InnoSchool project, a game-based learning model for entrepreneurship education in secondary school was developed. The InnoSchool learning model is based on edutainment, i.e. the combination of learning via online games and lessons in the classroom. It increases entrepreneurial skills and promotes ideas for social innovations in our society. Easy transferability to other areas within the targeted Danube macroregion is ensured thanks to the one-stop shop platform, www.innoschoolplatform.eu.
KreativCHALLENGE 2021
Enhancing the 2021 EU Future Conference, more than 50 Viennese school classes participated in the KreativCHALLENGE competition that was planned and organised by the European Office of the Board of Education for Vienna by submitting nearly 200 colourful contributions illustrating the topic ‘YOUR IDEA FOR OUR EUROPE’.
This was a real achievement considering the strict COVID restrictions that were in place at the time and goes to show that Europe is popular in our schools.
Vienna goes Europe: Job-shadowing in Europe, 2021-2027
The European Office of the Board of Education for Vienna is currently implementing ‘enterEurope’ a large job-shadowing project financed by the EU Erasmus+ programme. The aim of the project is to offer Viennese headteachers and teachers who have never visited a school in another country the opportunity to job-shadow in schools in our European partner regions focussing on topics such as school democracy, STEM, Green Europe, to mention only a few.
Teachers and headteachers have already visited Lüdenscheid (DE), Corfu (GR), Paris (FR), Barcelona (ES) and Zagreb (HR).
The motto is: Learning together and learning from one another.