European educational work is anchored as a development focus in the school programme of the BKO. Through a variety of activities in the European context, the school has been able to develop a European profile that encompasses the entire school, which led to the award of the quality seal "European School in North Rhine-Westphalia" in 2021. Within the framework of the present successful Erasmus+ project, teachers from the BKO were able to experience the vocational school system of these countries at first hand at events in Scotland and in Ireland/Northern Ireland, as well as to learn about the current status with regard to digital methods and teaching aids. The events in Spain and Finland as well as the job shadowing activities in Slovenia and France also provided an insight into the approaches of foreign vocational colleges, for example with regard to vocational training and qualification, cooperative teaching and learning methods and digitalisation. Linking health-promoting teaching principles with European content was also the aim of the project.
The Berufskolleg des Kreises Olpe (Vocational College of the District of Olpe, BKO for short) is a combined school with a vocational school, training preparation, vocational college, technical college, technical college and vocational grammar school, at which a total of around 145 colleagues currently teach around 2600 students. As a European School in NRW, it is the school's task to qualify students so that they can participate in and help shape developments in society and the economy at European level. By participating in mobility projects for school staff, the school's pedagogical staff are trained in such a way that they expand their knowledge of teaching content and learning methods, aspects of intercultural competence and digital opportunities. This also raises the school's European profile in order to meet current and future challenges within Europe through a profound understanding of European history and institutions. New insights with regard to foreign language competence, digitalisation, media competence, health care and prevention, differentiation or European ways of thinking enrich and innovate everyday school and classroom life.