The main objective of the project was to develop a high-quality, freely accessible digital resource for teachers and school administrators that clearly demonstrates how EU Key Competences can be integrated into Montessori Elementary education both theoretically and practically. To achieve this, we defined three strategic objectives. First, we aimed to strengthen collaboration and mutual learning among project partners in order to enhance expertise in key competence development and project implementation. Through structured cooperation, partners improved their skills in project management, methodology design, and process coordination. Second, we sought to exchange good practices and build a sustainable European network by connecting elementary schools with teacher training and methodology centres. This objective led to the creation of a dynamic EU-wide community of Montessori educators and school leaders committed to continuous professional dialogue and innovation. Third, we aimed to develop user-friendly digital guidelines entitled “Citizen of the World,” grounded in classroom practices.
We applied for this project in response to identified needs within Montessori Elementary education. Firstly, there was a clear gap in the systematic integration of European values and EU Key Competences into daily classroom practice. Although many schools foster these competences implicitly, practices were not consistently evaluated, documented, or aligned with European frameworks. Training centers required concrete tools to embed competency-based education into their programmes, and schools needed structured guidelines for curriculum development, implementation, and assessment. A disconnect persisted between theoretical policy frameworks and practical classroom application. Secondly, there was no established international community focused specifically on Montessori Elementary education and EU Key Competences. Teachers’ effective practices often remained local and under-recognised. The project addressed this by fostering cross-border collaboration, mutual expertise exchange, and the development of shared implementation guidelines, while strengthening organizational capacity and promoting a common European educational perspective.