The INTER-ACT project’s general objective was to enhance the inclusion of immigrant and refugee children in European primary schools by equipping teachers and students with innovative tools and methodologies. Specific objectives were: 1) To provide primary education teachers with clear guidelines and a practical methodology to foster inclusion and effectively manage diverse classrooms. 2) To offer students aged 9 to 12 an engaging interactive learning tool that would challenge them to collaborate, embrace diversity, and internalize solidarity and European values through playful activities. 3) In the longer term, the project aimed at strengthening European social cohesion by supporting the integration of refugee and immigrant children, enabling them to become active and responsible citizens. 4) To leverage the consortium’s multidisciplinary expertise to create practical, transferable educational tools with direct classroom impact. The project’s objectives were closely aligned with the selected priorities, addressing inclusion and diversity, supporting the educational response to the war in Ukraine, and promoting the development of key competences such as teamwork, empathy, and intercultural understanding.
The INTER-ACT project was designed in response to an urgent European challenge: the integration of immigrant and refugee children into primary schools. The refugee crisis, intensified by the war in Ukraine, brought millions of children into European classrooms, often with limited language skills and different cultural backgrounds. Studies showed that these pupils not only face lower academic performance, largely due to socio-economic disadvantages, but that their integration within the school community is essential for improving both learning outcomes and social well-being. Teachers are at the frontline of this process, yet many lack tailored methodologies and tools to promote inclusion, support diversity, and foster a sense of belonging among all students. The need was therefore twofold: to empower teachers with innovative and practical resources, and to engage students in activities that build solidarity, intercultural understanding, and European values. INTER-ACT was conceived to meet these needs by creating accessible, inclusive, and interactive educational solutions, supporting schools in turning diversity into a resource for stronger social cohesion.