The main objective of participation in the project was to improve the professional, communicative and other key competences of the pupils within the taught specialisations and to emphasise the observance of environmental and ecological principles. Another aim was to monitor inspiring teaching methods used in an Austrian horticultural school and to gain information about environmental education and its integration into the school teaching and other activities. We wanted to apply the acquired knowledge and innovative methods in teaching and to strengthen the environmental dimension of education within the planned changes to our school educational programme. In the implementation of the project, we wanted to deepen the cooperation between the school and professional enterprises and also focus on improving the forms of promotion in order to increase interest in the study of horticulture.
With the project "Garden TIPS - gardening as a practice, inspiration, profession" we responded to the demands of developments in the field of horticulture. Educational programmes and teaching methods need to be innovated in order to increase the efficiency and quality of education. The issue of environmental protection and the strengthening of the environmental dimension of horticultural education is becoming more and more topical. Inspiration can be taken from renowned foreign schools and companies. The target groups of the project were pupils of the secondary school (of the Horticulture educational program, in the specialisations Floristic creation, Garden and architecture, Viniculture and processing of garden products), pupils of the vocational school (of the Horticulture educational program, specialisation Florist, Winemaker and Fruit Grower), students of the college, (of the Horticulture educational program, specialisation Garden and landscape design), and teachers. In addition to professional competences, it is also important to develop communication and other key skills of pupils and teachers. International cooperation has contributed to meeting these requirements.