In this project the students should be able to apply theoretically acquired curricular skills and competences practically in the real world of work. Equally important is the promotion of social, linguistic and personal skills. In this way the chances of the students on the European labour market shall be boosted. Furthermore the spreading of the environmental awareness is another objective. Participating in an Erasmus+ mobility has also an important impact on the education at the HLUW Yspertal. A further aim is to intensify the relation to the partner organisations and the European labour market which makes it easier to establish contacts to safeguard the possibility to research for final papers. Finally the idea of a common Europe experiences a great kind of impetus.
The primary background of the project is the so-called „long internship" of our school, the HLUW Yspertal (Higher School for Economics and Environment of the Cistercian monastery in Zwettl). This school is unique in Austria regarding its curricular emphasis on economics and environmental issues, leading up to the A-level exams after 5 years of schooling. A further unique aspect, in addition to the curriculum, are additional qualifications, a tight cooperation with international schools and local economy. In the course of the five years, it is obligatory to do a three-month internship, in which the pupils have to gain practical experience in fields relating to the curriculum: laboratory work, office work, and production work. These internships can be done locally or abroad. In order to give all pupils, even those from financially weaker families, the chance to do their internship abroad, we are trying to get support from the Erasmus+ Project. Regarding the partnership with Erasmus+, the HLUW can look back on years of successful cooperation comprising 17 Erasmus+ (formerly Leaonardo) projects with 68 companies in 17 different countries.