Boost for cross-border education with European subsidy – Kick-off with Saxion as project partner
A future in which the border between the Netherlands and Germany is no longer an obstacle. Where you can work in Enschede after graduation just as easily as in Gronau or Münster. The EDL partners, including Saxion, are committed to making this happen. The “Euregionale doorlopened leerlijn (EDL)” project is giving this ambition a huge boost. The project has been awarded four years of Interreg funding to help realise this ambition. On 20 June, the project kicked off with a celebratory event in the City Hall in Enschede.
More attention to the neighbouring country
The aim of the EDL project is to promote cross-border education throughout the education chain - from primary to higher education. Marion Hemsing, senior advisor Euregio at Saxion, explains that various initiatives have been bundled together to encourage school children and students to learn more about their neighbouring country during their school or university career. “For example, language lessons, project exchanges or internships with German companies. This ultimately lowers the barriers to working in the neighbouring country and strengthens the links within the border region. There are many, often unknown, opportunities for our students just across the border.”
This ultimately lowers the barriers to working in the neighbouring country and strengthens the links within the border region.
Broadening horizons
The municipality of Enschede is the lead partner in the Interreg project. Project leader Barbara Verbeek tells us about the ambitions of the project: “We live close to our neighbouring country and you can learn a lot from each other. You don't have travel to a distant land to immerse yourself in another culture. Another country and another culture is only fifteen minutes away by bike. I think this enriches our region and makes it attractive. With the EDL project, we want to offer young people in our region the opportunity to work across borders and thus broaden their horizons.”
The task for Saxion
“At Saxion, we are very happy to be part of this large cross-border education project,” says Marion Hemsing. This fits very well with our commitment to internationalisation that serves the (Eu) region. Saxion is also carrying out a number of project activities. For example, our Employability Transition research group is planning to investigate the connection between education and the labour market. They will investigate what skills are needed to work on the other side of the border, from both an employee’s and an employer’s perspective.
Centre of expertise at the School of Education
Marleen van Grunsven, International Officer at the School of Education, is the coordinator of the EDL Expertise Centre. “There is a need for a place where all information on cross-border education is brought together. That is why we have set up a physical meeting place in the Edith Stein building in Enschede. The Expertise Centre provides students and lecturers with teaching materials, advice and workshops on various topics like digitalisation, identity and neighbour-language instruction. We work closely with the University of Münster. I think we can learn a lot from each other in the coming years.”
The EDL-project is subsidised by the European Regional Development Fund. The following Interreg partners have also contributed: Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and the Province of Overijssel on the Dutch side and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate and Energy NRW (Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Industrie, Klima und Energie NRW) on the German side.