One of the aims of the project was to invite new partners which was successful in both cases.I had checked these partners before choosing them.We made contact with agents of schools which had already organized mobility programmes with these organisations. First, our goal was for our instructors and colleagues to get to know the Italian vocational training system. In order to reach said goal, we invited a new partner, which was also in accordance with one of our international objectives included in our development strategy: broadening institutional relationships in an international level. It was interesting to experience how the Italian system handles disadvantaged students. It affirmed that we were on the right track. We witnessed how much can be achieved with these students when you involve experts and other helpers. Secondly, our target was to get acquanted with the whole segment. Besides vocational schools, we came to know dual partners as well. Our third aim was to improve language learning competencies. Having a language exam was not expected from colleagues because it could not be. Some of them had lower linguistic knowledge, others were on higher level. Participants of both teachers’ mobility programmes were put together so that they could be able to help each other when necessary. We learnt that understanding the language was easier for the colleagues, but speaking was way more difficult for those who do not use English on a daily basis. It was good to see them becoming braver and braver every day at communicating. Implementing project work was a crucial point of students’ mobility as we are aware of the fact that it is a milestone of the changes in vocational training. It was successful with both partners so students gained plenty of experience. Their job was to do certain projects with the management of professionals. It was also our goal to teach them the steps of project planning, implementing, checking and modifying if necessary. All of this fits right into our institutional development goal of living up to changes in laws and professional expectations. Meanwhile, it was our aim, too to improve communication, cooperation, problemsolving as well as professional, language learning and ICT competencies. The foreign environment broadened the students’ cultural knowledge. Now, it was also one of our main goals to assure the principal of equal opportunities and equal treatment. So among the participants of the project you may find disadvantaged students with special needs, colleagues with food intolarencies and others taking medicine. We included these students especially to help decrease the rate of early school-leaving. Furthermore, our intention was to get these mobilities approved for students and teachers as well. Every member of the delegation received a certificate and a Europass mobility card. The project work of the students was included in their ICT subject grade. There was one student from class 10 in Austria who should have taken an exam during his time in mobility. His absence was official, therefore they had a chance later to take this exam which they passed successfully. There was another student from class 11 who had a pre-matura examination at that time which was also postponed by us. This shows that our school is flexible towards mobility programmes as far as is possible. We wish to ensure that everybody has the opportunity to participate in these programmes.
The application was to accomplish the objectives of internationalizing strategies. We invited new partners from Italy and Austria. We chose Italy to get to know their education system, especially vocational training schools. We placed emphasis on administration and the method of handling disadvantaged students. We organized student mobility to Italy and Austria. Two participating companies helped us organize and transact. We have been paying extra attention to improve our school application strategy and the quality of our vocational training for years, searching for new solutions. Inviting these partners was in a close connection with reaching our goals. It is important for our students to get acquainted with European values, to accept the culture and customs of other nations. Bearing these in mind, our students did technical work in a foreign environment with foreign experts; meanwhile, they met Italian and Austrian professionals. Improving the competencies of language learning was also crucial, so spending time abroad opened the perfect opportunity for that. Students used English, of course, and in addition, they managed to learn basic words and phrases in Italian and German