SOCRATES European Community Program in the field of EDUCATION Romania

1
SOCRATESEuropean Community Program in the field
of EDUCATIONRomanias experience in the
SOCRATES program

2
The SOCRATES Program in Romania implementation
steps

• 1994 Additional Protocol to the Act Concerning
  the Conditions of Accession of Romania to the
  European Union and the Development of New
  Community Programs signed between Romania and the
  European Union
• 1995 Act No. 95 PECO-SOC-0019 between the
  Ministry of Education and the DG XXII
  preparatory measures for the participation of
  Romania in the SOCRATES Program were launched
• September 1, 1997 Romania was formally accepted
  in SOCRATES Program (Decision no. 2 of the
  Accession Committee of the European Commission
  Romania). Initiation of the first projects
  coordinated by Romania.

3
The SOCRATES Program in Romania

• 2000 participation of Romania in the second
  phase of the SOCRATES Program based on Council
  Decision no 253/2000/EU, Council Decision no.
  1437/2000/EU Decision no. 3/2000 of the European
  Communities Accession Council Romania.
• National coordination authority Ministry of
  Education and Research
• Socrates National Agency operational unit
  promoting, implementing and managing the SOCRATES
  Program
• Established in 1996 as a structure within the
  Ministry of National Education. In 1998, it
  became a public institution with legal
  personality
• February 2005 Socrates National Agency merged
  with National Centre Leonardo da Vinci. The new
  institution established is National Agency for
  Community Programs in Education and Vocational
  Training

4
The SOCRATES Program in Romania

• The National Council for Community Programs in
  Education and Vocational Training is the body
  having a coordination and decision making role
  regarding the SOCRATES and LEONARDO activities in
  Romania (establishes the national priorities and
  approves the lists of projects)
• Implementation improvements
• January 2000 Ministry of Education approved the
  operation at local level of a network of
  inspectors in charge of the European
  cooperation activities (42 inspectors) whose
  charges refer to information, counseling and
  monitoring activities

5
The SOCRATES Program in Romania

• March 2002 The SOCRATES National Agency
  officially cooperates with the National
  In-Service Training Centre for Pre-university
  Teachers as regards the recognition of the
  in-service training activities within Comenius
  2.2C and Arion
• September 2002 Erasmus students benefit of the
  PHARE End user support (3 MEUR)
• March 2003 PHARE end-users support was extended
  to the pre-university teachers participating in
  Comenius 2.2C (in- service training activities)
• December 2004 Socrates National Agency obtained
  the ISO 90012000 quality management system
  certificate for the international cooperation
  project management, training and consultancy in
  the field and administration of European funds
• March 2005 PHARE end-users support was extended
  to Arion study visits and to teachers mobility
  within Erasmus.
• The main consequence increased number of
  participants and of the grant level and high
  quality management system.

6
Overall results and impact

• Between 1997 2004 (first and second phase of
  the Program) there was a significant evolution in
  terms of participants number (institutions and
  individuals)
• Decentralized actions Comenius, ex Lingua E
  projects preparatory visits
• Submitted Approved

7
Overall results and impact

• Socrates I - ex Lingua B and C
• Socrates II - Comenius 2 Mobility
• Submitted Approved

8
Overall results and impact

• Erasmus

European cooperation projects
Mobility (students teachers)
9
Overall results and impact

• Grundtvig

Adult education Grundtvig 2 Partnerships
Grundtvig 3 - Mobility
10
Overall results and impact
Arion
Centralized projects
11
Overall results and impact

• Involvement in the SOCRATES Program had the
  following effects
• As regards individuals and institutions
• Increased motivation to get in contact with
  educational systems of other countries and to
  know the culture and traditions of other
  countries
• Increased motivation in establishing more
  international partnerships within the Actions of
  the SOCRATES Program
• New initiatives in submitting proposals within
  other European Programs (Leonardo da Vinci,
  Youth, Tempus, PHARE)
• Development of professional skills and career
• Improvement of linguistic competencies, learning
  new methods of teaching learning foreign
  languages
• Development of communication skills through ICT
• Enhancement of school achievements by gaining new
  learning experiences

12
Overall results and impact

• Use of new pedagogic methodologies active
  participatory methods, pedagogic communication,
  learner oriented activities
• Development of the civic spirit and European
  awareness
• Development of joint school community
  economic agents programs
• Development of teamwork activities
• Increased transparency as regards dissemination
  of results
• Enhancement of quality in the teaching learning
  process following the greater motivation for
  learning
• Interest in using other training opportunities at
  European level
• Development of university autonomy and scientific
  research activities
• Adoption of the transferable credits system in
  teacher and students training

13
Overall results and impact

• The introduction of the European Dimension in
  education
• At systems level, the SOCRATES Program has
  enabled
• Knowing new approaches and experiences regarding
  the educational systems
• Stimulating the innovation initiatives (teaching,
  learning, teacher training, educational
  environment)
• Using the cooperation experience in the process
  of developing educational policies through a
  bottom-up mechanism
• The objectives of the SOCRATES Program and those
  of the national educational system reform are in
  perfect compliance

14
 
 
 
  Blue direct impact Yellow indirect
impact
15
COMENIUSAchievements

• Increased capacity of funds management
• Increased banking culture
• Increased quality of applications submitted and
  of projects results
• Increased number of optional courses introduced
  in the core curriculum and increased curriculum
  management skills
• Increased interest for monitoring and evaluation
• Increased motivation for school education and
  self esteem (teachers and pupils)
• Involvement of the school in rural areas in
  Comenius projects ( 10)
• Involvement of Romanian schools in the I-Probe
  Net Comenius 3 Network, focused on evaluation

16
COMENIUSAchievements

• Increased motivation in participating in European
  Label competition 4 Comenius 1 projects were
  awarded in 2002, 7 in 2003 and 5 in 2004
• 1295 Romanian schools are actively involved in
  Spring Day in Europe event
• More than 1000 Romanian schools were involved in
  Comenius Week
• 455 Romania schools applied for the European
  School Certificate (35 were awarded) in 2004
• Schools and teachers had the opportunity of
  better knowing their own institutions, their own
  development needs by knowing and understanding
  the manner in which other European organizations
  with similar roles operate
• Elimination of preconceived ideas and
  stereotypes

17
COMENIUSAchievements

• Development of the democratic environment in
  school
• Development of the democratic citizenship in
  education through the respect for ones personal
  identity, elimination of racism and xenophobia,
  the achievement of the equal opportunities per
  gender and the observance of the minorities
  rights.
• All these achievements lead to the ENHANCEMENT OF
  THE EUROPEAN DIMENSION IN SCHOOL EDUCATION