The EARN project aimed to connect schools, students, teachers, and civil society through student-centered learning that promotes democratic participation and social responsibility. Its core objective was to empower students from FGA and MSL to identify and analyze real community needs—the first phase of the Service-Learning (S-L) cycle—and to transform academic knowledge into meaningful social engagement. Supported by NUCLIO and LdE, the project sought to foster empathy, problem-solving, communication, and civic competences among students. EARN further aimed to strengthen the European dimension of S-L by creating opportunities for cross-border collaboration. Through joint activities, students and teachers were to explore shared challenges and develop adaptability, resilience, and teamwork skills. Teachers were to benefit from training and professional exchange, enabling them to implement S-L more effectively in diverse contexts. The project also aimed to build stronger links between schools and local communities in Landau and São Domingos de Rana, enhance NUCLIO’s and LdE’s capacities as S-L promoters, and lay the groundwork for long-term international cooperation. To achieve these goals, it planned to use digtal and blended tools
The EARN project (“Student-Centered Explorations: Addressing Real Needs with Service-Learning”) was created to promote innovative, student-centered education in Germany and Portugal and to strengthen European/transnational Service-Learning (S-L) across Europe. It addressed educational and social challenges by connecting school learning with real-life needs, enhancing student competences, and supporting teachers in applying S-L methods. EARN responded to students’ limited engagement with societal issues and teachers’ difficulties in adopting innovative practices due to workload and lack of resources. It focused on the first phase of the S-L cycle - exploring real community needs - guiding students to identify and compare local challenges across borders. This process developed key skills such as collaboration, communication, critical thinking, empathy, and civic responsibility. For teachers, EARN offered structured training, peer support, and practical tools to implement S-L projects, boosting their confidence and professional growth. At the systemic level, the project sought to expand and validate S-L in Europe—especially in Portugal—and pioneered one of the first cross-border school projects integrating real-world problem-solving