European Summer School

Core training event for experienced Trainers from our network

Every year, experienced Trainers from all over Europe come together in Germany’s Ruhr area and take part in a 4-day training program in order to become Peer Educators. Through participating in diverse and intensive courses, they are prepared for conducting Trainings for Trainers in their own project countries.

Participants learn about Understanding Europe’s educational approach, related didactic methods and how these translate into our workshops on Europe, media and participation. In addition, they are coached on how to develop educational materials and how to adapt it to specific target groups.

The program includes trainings on methods of inclusive and discrimination-sensitive democratic citizenship education as well as on the examination of own attitudes, values and privileges. The European Summer School offers a transnational meeting space for young, committed Europeans. In an environment of productive exchange and open-minded dialogue they can strengthen their educational and democratic competencies for active participation in pluralistic societies.

European Summer School 2022

From the 1st to the 4th of September, the annual European Summer School took place in Oer-Erkenschwick. 19 peer educators and five fellows met in the middle of beautiful nature at the Salvador-Allende Haus to network and to discuss about citizenship education. The Fellows introduced their newly developed workshops on social justice, which will now become part of the new Understanding Europe Toolbox.

Review

European Summer School 2021

This year’s Summer School took place from September 23 to 26 in Duisburg, Germany. The program consisted of interactive workshops, methods and approaches of inclusive and diversity-oriented democratic citizenship education, an anti-racism training as well as a talk hosted by Yael Ohana from Frankly Speaking. Most participants were able to take part in person, following a thorough hygiene plan. A hybrid setup was installed for everybody who could not join. We are very happy with how things went and would like to thank everybody who participated!

Review

European Summer School 2020

In response to the COVID-19-Pandemic, the 2020 European Summer School took place as a purely digital event: 17 Peer Educators from 10 different countries came together in the digital sphere. Next to (digital) educational approaches and didactic methods, the program focused on fake news and hate speech. External experts discussed "educational inequalities in schools", held a lecture on "decolonizing Europe", and offered a diversity training for all participants.

Júlia Aguilera Jofre

UE Spain

I am very excited to uptake this challenging academic year as a Peer-Educator, a year that will definitely be filled with different opportunities and innovative educational formats.

Elisa Mauke

UE Germany

I´m part of the Understanding Europe project because I couldn´t enjoy political lessons during my school days. So I know how difficult an overwhelming it can be to develop political awareness without any support. Through my work as a trainer for UE Germany, I can enable young people to come into contact with the EU at an early stage.

Klajdi Kaziu

UNA Albania

Understanding Europe, to me, introduces a new approach to bringing youth closer to European themes. Through promoting critical youth activism, I expect to slowly contribute towards the development of better-informed, politically sound, and active young Europeans, sharing concerns and actions across their national borders.

Kerstin Reisinger

UE Austria

I think Austria can benefit a lot from the Understanding Europe project, as political education and especially education about the European Union is not usually seen as a priority in schools. With the Understanding Europe project, we can try to bridge this educational gap.

Leonor Costa

UE Portugal

I got involved with Understanding Europe hoping to expand my own knowledge of the EU and developing new skills within the scopes of communication and teamwork. While being active in UE, having contact with both Trainers and students from different backgrounds, I have been presented with multiple learning experiences which I will undoubtedly take with me for the rest of my life.

Ema Gonçalves

UE Portugal

I joined Understanding Europe last year in hopes of engaging my peers’ civic participation and to try blurring the bridge that separated them from EU’s decisions and functioning. This year I am a Peer Educator and I’m looking forward to help guiding new Trainers through this experience!

Diana Andrei

UE Belgium

As a Peer Educator of the project, it's important to be aware of the needs of others, to be creative and be able to deliver the knowledge by taking into consideration the multiple intelligences of the audience. These 3 things are essential also in our crash courses. For me, being part of Understanding Europe means to live a life of use to others and ensure a better future for the next generations.

Vladyslava Kuriacha

UE Ukraine

Understanding Europe Ukraine has shown me how empowering education and knowledge truly is. I am grateful for the ability to offer space for open discussion and the free exchange of ideas for our young people. In return, they never fail to fascinate and inspire me with their energy and eagerness to learn, to question, and to work for a better future. Archimedes said, ‘If you give me a lever and a place to stand, I can move the world.’ I want to believe that with UE we are offering both.

Julia Kikel

UE Austria

After being introduced to the European Youth Parliament in 2017, I have always felt very passionate about European values and youth participation. The Understanding Europe project, specifically, appealed to me because of its novel, tangible and interactive teaching and learning approach, which is mutually enriching for both pupils and trainers. Moreover, I enjoy being part of an international team of equally motivated and like-minded people who share my interests.

Taguhi Poghosyan

UE Armenia

I have been part of UE since 2017, and throughout this time the project not only gave me a chance to be more active in my community and in my country in general, but it also gave me a chance to learn more about the structure of the EU, its history and gain an understanding of the most relevant political topics.

Arijle Kurtagić

UE Bosnia and Herzegovina

I believe that in Bosnia and Herzegovina the Understanding Europe program carries an additional amount of importance than in some countries that are EU member countries already. Here, there is so much skepticism regarding the EU. Understanding Europe allows young people to create an informed, balanced stance regarding the EU's effectiveness and serves as a tool to teach them that their voices matter, in their home country, and in the European Union.

Kansu Ekin Tanca

UE Türkiye

Being a Fellow in the Digital Europe Programme before, I had the opportunity to develop a dialogue-oriented workshop focusing on digital citizenship for youth. Now becoming a peer-educator, I look forward to engaging with democratic citizenship education even more!

Isabela Neague

Station Europe Romania

It is a great pleasure to be able to bring the Understanding Europe program to Romania, as well! I am honored to be able to participate with other young people in this incredible training experience and to be among the ambassadors of the values of a cohesive Europe, through applied learning and non-formal practices.

Mihaela Brinza

UE Italy

I believe in the world because I believe in people. I believe in what Understanding Europe is doing. This project contributes to our personal growth. It brings us closer to the European Union. We have the possibility to deal with like-minded people who have the same interests. In this way, we better understand what Europe really is.

Doruk Buyukpinar

UE Türkiye

As a law graduate who had the chance to take part in a variety of youth organisations, I am humbled and honoured more than ever to join the UE Network. It is my utmost please to be able to ambassade the European values and qualities by means of discussions, panels, and various other methods of interactive teaching towards any and all attendees

Amy Cox

UE Ireland

I’m delighted to be involved with Understanding Europe because I believe that education is important for our empowerment as young people. I hope the programme will have an impact in Ireland as it has done across Europe.