The objectives of the project were: - achieving a higher quality of professional education and training through learning and appliying innovative methods and practices in the educational process; - achieving a higher quality of students’ professional training through practicing in Portuguese companies in the field of economy and tourism, hotel and restaurant industry for a successful future realization on the Bulgarian and European labor markets; - increasing the level of of students’ professional competence through practicing in a real and multicultural business environment; - improving students’ knowledge of English, which is the working language for the project; - increasing the teachers’ motivation for professional improvement and development; - increasing the professional awareness of teachers about the innovations and business development in the field of tourism and economy; - developing the participants’ social skills of successful adaptation in a foreign environment, interpersonal communication, understanding, tolerance; - enrichment of knowledge about the historical heritage and cultural achievements of Portugal; - expanding the network of international partnerships.
The intensively developing sectors of the economy and tourism pose new challenges to modern education. In order to meet the demands of the new times and the labor market, vocational training needs more and more motivated students and teachers. It was in response to these requirements that the Vocational High School of Light Industry and Tourism, Kazanlak, applied and successfully implemented the project "European practices - innovative in education and successful in the career". More specifically, the project aims to develop the professional and personal skills of the participants and their successful future career. Thirty students of the "Restaurant" and "Office - Manager" professions and 6 vocational teachers took part in the project mobilities. The main goals we had set us in this project aimed to achieve a higher quality of professional education and training by learning and applying innovative methods and practices in the educational process; as well to increase the professional competence of students through practice in a real and multicultural business environment in the sectors of economy and tourism, hotel and restaurant industry.