“IDENTITY AND INNOVATION” ERASMUS+ PROJECT

“IDENTITY AND INNOVATION” ERASMUS+ PROJECT2023-12-06T16:46:52+01:00

IDENTITY AND INNOVATION 

 (2021-2022) 

A project co-financed by the European Union under the Erasmus+ programme, to support knowledge exchange, collaboration and sharing of good practices, especially for secondary education in schools.

I² Identity and Innovation was an 18-month Erasmus+ project involving two secondary schools, two educational heritage service providers, and two networking organizations within the cultural heritage domain. The partners come from Belgium, the UK, and Italy, united by a shared ambition to strike a balance between preserving the historical significance of educational heritage and fostering innovative settings for schools. Through workshops, the exchange of best practices, and round-table networking events, the collective expertise of education and heritage specialists manifested in an integrated approach to elevate the visibility, sustainability, appreciation, creativity, and digitalisation of school heritage. This effort aimed to enhance well-being and elevate the quality of scholastic environments. 

In this venture, EHH, in conjunction with its Member Associations, played a pivotal role in sharing examples of best practices from the private cultural heritage sector. 

Three tangible outcomes resulted from the project, made available to the larger network of cultural heritage and education sectors in the following products:

  • vision document about the role of school heritage in community building
  • co-creational trajectory to support other schools and organization in the creation of valuable international partnerships
  • a number of e-books, free to download, addressing two main topics: Educational Activities and Good Practice Examples.

Kick-off meeting 

On March 22, a significant milestone was achieved as the team actively engaged in the virtual inauguration of Identity and Innovation.  

The kick-off facilitated a digital meeting with representatives from our five fellow project partners. Guiding us through the intricacies and roadmap of this enlightening eighteen-month initiative was Heleen Van den Haute, the driving force behind the Sacred Heart Institute Heverlee, the project’s lead organisation. 

For more information, visit the website.

Project Meeting in Belgium  

From April 25 to April 29, the Identity and Innovation consortium gathered for a week of hybrid meetings in Belgium. Given the ongoing impact of COVID-19, previous meetings had been conducted virtually, making this an inaugural in-person gathering for most partners. 

The Heilig Hartinstituut in Heverlee, Leuven, served as the main venue for the meetings. The schedule was both diverse and enriching, encompassing tours, on-site visits, conferences, and captivating discoveries. 

These meetings also marked the inclusion of the project’s latest UK partner, Harlaxton College, member of the Historic Houses UK. Detailed discussions unfolded regarding the forthcoming phases of the project, along with the concrete outcomes envisioned. 

You can find more information about this meeting here.

Third transnational meeting in Italy 

At the end of June 2022, Ewelina Oksiuta and Theodora-Cristina Canciu represented EHH during the third transnational organised in Italy. This event convened workshops, facilitated the exchange of best practices, and fostered round-table networking sessions. The assembly of education and heritage specialists engaged in the project is developing an integrated strategy aimed at elevating school heritage. This transformative approach seeks to enhance its visibility, sustainability, appreciation, creativity, and digitalisation, ultimately enriching the well-being and overall scholastic experience. 

More about the week can be found here.

Final General Meeting in the UK 

From October 10 to 15, Theodora-Cristina Canciu took part in the final partner and student exchange meeting of the Erasmus+ project “Identity and Innovation” in the UK. 

Throughout the week, partners engaged in a variety of activities. They had the privilege of attending a presentation by Mr. Ian Welsh on the “Walled Garden” project at Harlaxton Manor, where he detailed the restoration efforts on the site. Partners and students also explored Belton House Gardens and Parkland, along with Saint Wulfram’s Church and its Chained Library. 

In addition to brainstorming sessions with the project partners, we were honoured to witness the planting of the 104th tree in honour of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative, a nationwide effort commemorating the Platinum Jubilee. This ceremony was led by His Majesty The King’s Lord Lieutenant. Overall, this journey provided us with a chance to witness the culmination of a year’s worth of work on the project and gain deeper insights into the application of cultural heritage in education. 

You can find more about the meeting here.

Consortium

The project consortium is composed of 7 partners from 3 different EU countries.

MEMBERS

Universita Degli Studi di Macerata (Italy) 

The Thomas Cowley High School (United Kingdom)

Heilig Hartinstituut Pedagogische Humaniora (Belgium)

Cultureel Erfgoed Annuntiaten Heverlee vzw (Belgium) 

European Historic Houses (Belgium) 

Photoconsortium: International Consortium for Photographic Heritage (Italy)

Harlaxton College (United Kingdom)