Specific programme: KA220-ADU - Cooperation partnerships in adult education

Research team:

• NAHIA IDOIAGA MONDRAGON (MAIN RESERCHER) 
• DORLETA  APAOLAZA LLORENTE (MAIN RESERCHER) 
• IDOIA  LEGORBURU FERNANDEZ
• MAITANE  BELASKO TXERTUDI 
• MARIA  ALVAREZ-REMENTERIA ALVAREZ 
• NAIARA  BERASATEGUI SANCHO 
• ISRAEL ALONSO SAEZ
• MIRIAM  URETA GARCIA 
• IRATXE  ANTONIO AGIRRE
• MARIA DEL MAR  BOILLOS PEREIRA 
• ASIER ROMERO ANDONEGUI 
• VANESA  ROJO ROBAS 

Coordinator:

• IBERIKA EDUCATION GROUP GGMBH (Germany)

Partners:

• SWIDEAS AB (Sweden)
• SYNERGASIA ENEGON POLITON (Greece);
• PISTES SOLIDAIRES (France)
• CLAVIS sprog & kompetence (Denmark)
• CESIE (Italy)
• UNIVERSIDAD DEL PAIS VASCO/ EUSKAL HERRIKO UNIBERTSITATEA (Spain)

Total budget: 250.000€ (UPV/EHU: 27.963,00 €)
Total funded: 250.000€ (UPV/EHU: 27.963,00 €)

Start date: 01/11/2022
End date: 31/10/2024
Total duration: 24 months

Brief description: The risk of social exclusion among migrants is currently worryingly high. Surveys carried out '20 in 25 countries found that anti-immigrant sentiment increased compared to '19 as a result of the COVID related insecurities & fears. The damage that the pandemic has left on integration policy measures has long since become apparent. Germany reports that significantly fewer people started an integration course in '20 than in the previous year. The number of new participants fell by almost 40% & a recent research conducted by the German Federal Office f. Migration & Refugees (BAMF) '21 reflects that contact with nationals has decreased among refugees as a result of the pandemic. Consequently, there has been a stagnation/deterioration of migrants' language skills and a regression in the integration process. The role of the ability to speak the language(s) of the receiving society is clear; this is the precondition for active interactions & social participation.

The Commission underlines in its Action Plan on Integration &Inclusion 21-27 that there is an urgent need to promote different language learning programs for migrants tailored to their specific needs. Nonetheless, so far, European countries’ language provision for migrants focus on standardised programs with scarcely any learning style differentiation. The integration programs extension varies from country to country but the curricula stays similar. Thereby experts agree that language learning is an extremely individual process & that people’s linguistic competences differ considerably, depending on their living contexts or previous learning experiences. Participants in the integration courses are highly heterogeneous, and so their learning styles. This project addresses the urgent need to create alternative learning paths that will reach participants with difficult preconditions to learn. EU+MAP creates motivating languages courses that consider the emotional dimension of the learners. Moreover, the implementation of innovative teaching strategies implies not only pedagogic backgrounds but also experience with the target groups, time investment for the development and piloting teaching phases.

The European Commission’s researches ('19) and Stathopoulou's extensive study about migrants' trainers in Europe report that there is a lack of specially designed materials catering for the needs of refugees and that teachers generally are not adequately trained to address migrants’ specific needs. This PROJECT’S MOTIVATION IS to offer migrants at risk of social exclusion the opportunity to participate in informal pilot language courses supported by a pedagogical curriculum that considers migrants’ sociological learning needs & creates the necessary upskilling opportunities for trainers to implement the programs in the framework of the project and further in future upcoming stablished courses & programs.