As international school partnerships offer a concrete opportunity for intercultural exchange and cooperation, aces encourages partnership projects amongst schools in Central European countries.
Who can participate?
The call addresses schools (primary/secondary/vocational schools) in the eligible countries with a target group of pupils aged 12 – 17 years.
The eligible countries are: Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic and Slovenia.
The partnership for a project proposal is formed by one applicant school and one or two partner school/s (same criteria) which jointly develop and implement the proposed project. The applicant school/teacher will be the project co-ordinator and, if selected, the main contact person for the aces coordination. Further, the project co-ordinator is responsible for the continuous co-ordination between the project partners and of the reporting of the whole project (short narrative report and simple list of expenditures).
However, the contact teachers of ALL schools MUST be able to communicate in English. School partnerships can be:
- Bilateral – consisting of 2 schools from different eligible countries (cross-border or other combination)
- Trilateral – consisting of 3 schools from 3 different eligible countries
Possible combinations for trilateral partnerships are:
a) 3 schools from three different eligible countries
b) At least 2 schools from different eligible countries and an additional partner school from a noneligible European country (e.g. partner from a Comenius school partnership or another partner school from a non-eligible country). Attention: The participation of a partner school from a noneligible country will not increase the amount of award money and this partner will not benefit directly from the award money!
Please note that special need schools are not excluded but particularly encouraged! Schools without partners in the above listed eligible countries should make use of the online aces – Partner Finder on www.aces.or.at/partnerfinder in order to identify a partner school.
They will also be supported by Interkulturelles Zentrum.
Theme of the aces Call 2010/2011
Where people live or work together conflicts arise on a daily basis. Sometimes they have positive effects: e.g. when they contribute to clarifying issues. The challenge, however, is to deal with these conflicts in a constructive and non-violent manner. Therefore, and in view of the approaching end of the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World, the overall theme of the 2010 project competition is “Create your solutions! Dealing with conflicts in schools and our surroundings”.
The submitted project proposal has to refer to this theme aiming also at the enhancement of the international co-operation amongst young people and at the further development of educational approaches in doing so.
Eligible Activities
Project idea and implementation: The school partnership projects referring to the theme “Create your solutions! Dealing with conflicts in schools and our surroundings” can either be cross-curricular or based on a single subject.
There are no restrictions regarding the means of and foreseen project activities, although the design and use of innovative approaches and creative methods of implementation is very welcomed and will be credited. For example: education projects on a virtual basis, creative international exchange settings, action-oriented implementation like joint exhibitions, theatre, media involvement …
In addition, cross-border co-operation of pupils and teachers right from the beginning of the project (e.g. communication and working in international teams) is highly advised.
If selected, the project idea is jointly realised by students and teachers of the partner countries. Moreover, participants are encouraged to involve and co-operate with other persons and institutions (e.g. experts, parents, local/regional institutions, companies, non-governmental organisations, media …) to reach out into the local/regional public sphere.
Language: The language for overall international communication is English (aces co-ordination and international workshops/events, website communication, reporting). The use of several other languages (“neighbourhood languages”) for communication between project partners is allowed and encouraged.
Duration: The duration of the proposed project can be of a maximum of 7 months and its activities have to be carried out between September 2010 and March 2011. Project proposals including special summer activities (summer camps, meetings before September 2010) can be granted exception.
Location: The partnership project activities take place (only) in the partner countries.
Number of applications: A lead applicant school can submit only one project proposal.
Award and Eligible Use
- aces awards the “project partnership”, but in terms of administration the respective parts of the award money will be transferred to each participating partner school of a winning project. Therefore the partner schools or their school boards or parent’s council etc. should dispose of a bank account that accepts transfers in Euro (!).
The amount of the award for a partnership project is composed of 1000 Euro per partner school from an eligible country (e.g. involvement of 2 schools from eligible countries = 2000 Euro, involvement of 3 schools from eligible countries = 3000 Euro).
The project co-ordinating school will additionally get an administrative bonus of 200 Euro.
The awarded money has to be used for expenses arising from the realisation of the partnership project (costs incurred during the implementation period).
Expenditures which can be taken into account for the award can, for example, refer to information and working materials, organisation of events/workshops, meetings between partners (travel, subsistence), expert honoraria, entrance fees, minor ICT-equipment (like cameras, software: none of these items should cost more than 350 Euro! If – for any reason – this is the case nonetheless then contact Interkulturelles Zentrum BEFORE the purchase.).
How to apply?
The proposal for a school partnership project must be submitted by using the online-application form only. This online-application form will be available on www.aces.or.at/projectcontest after 1 March 2010.
Please note that it can only be completed by the coordinating school. It should, nonetheless, be a joint project application meaning that you should jointly discuss the content beforehand. In order to do so you are invited to see the “aces key questions for the project description” which give you the chance to prepare the content of the final application already in advance (don’t forget: in the end there should be one common application form for each partnership project proposal only!).
The application form consists of 3 parts:
· The data of all partner schools
· The project description
· The supporting documents “Declaration for the Partnership Project” (to be completed, signed and stamped by the coordinating school) and “Partnership Statement for the Partnership Project” (to be completed, signed and stamped by the partner school/s)
Deadline for Submission of Applications
The deadline for submission of project applications for this call is 30 April 2010. After submitting the onlineapplication form, you will receive an automatic confirmation of receipt. Interkulturelles Zentrum will advise applicants on questions until the deadline.
Further comments
In case it is impossible for you to submit your project by using the online-procedure form, we might accept applications and supporting documents sent via e-mail to Interkulturelles Zentrum – indicating the subject: “aces Call 2010”. Note that you must enquire the needed application form from us before 15 April 2010.
E-mail to:
In exceptional cases the supporting can even be faxed to Interkulturelles Zentrum (indicating the subject “aces Call 2010”): Fax: +43 1 58644-9
For more information: http://www.aces.or.at/start.asp?ID=231698&b=831
