The European Union plays an important role in the daily lives of citizens, yet many students and educators still have limited opportunities to explore EU institutions, policies, values and decision-making processes in a structured and meaningful way. EUFest was created to respond to this gap by offering practical tools and innovative methodologies that make EU-related education more accessible, relevant and engaging.
EUFest – Celebrating the EU through Teaching and Learning – is a 36-month Jean Monnet project that supports schools, teachers, trainers and vocational education providers in strengthening the teaching of European Union topics. The project combines teacher training, practical school implementation, collaborative international work and open educational resources.
The project is structured around four interlinked Work Packages: project management and quality assurance, teacher training, development of the EUFest Plan and pedagogical materials, and dissemination, sustainability and policy impact.
General objective
The general objective of EUFest is to strengthen democracy, civic engagement and participation in EU issues, while promoting the idea of the European Union as a community built on shared values such as human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights.
Specific objectives
- Improve the EU literacy of teachers and trainers so they can teach about EU issues more effectively.
- Increase the quality of innovative teaching and learning methods on EU topics, including the use of digital technologies.
- Increase the number of curricular and extra-curricular contexts in which the EU is taught in schools and VET institutions.
Target groups
EUFest primarily addresses teachers, trainers, schools, vocational education and training providers, students, trainees and stakeholders involved in education and civic participation.
Consortium and countries
The project brings together eight institutions from Portugal, Spain, Croatia and Türkiye. The partnership is organised in national pairs, with one teacher-training institution and one school or VET school in each country. This model ensures a strong connection between educator training and practical implementation in learning environments.
Work Packages
| WP1 – Project Management and Quality Assurance | Ensures effective coordination, monitoring and evaluation. |
| WP2 – Jean Monnet Teacher Training | Develops and delivers a structured training programme for teachers and trainers on EU topics and innovative methodologies. |
| WP3 – EUFest Plan | Designs, pilots and refines the EUFest Plan, the Pedagogical Guide and the Video Manual for school implementation. |
| WP4 – Dissemination, Sustainability and Policy Impact | Supports communication, visibility, networking, exploitation of results and long-term continuation beyond the funding period. |
Innovation and European added value
EUFest builds on previous successful educational cooperation while introducing a stronger EU-focused pedagogical framework, a hands-on approach to learning, co-teaching and teacher mobility, and a practical video manual based on real implementation experiences. The project is designed to be adaptable and replicable in other educational contexts across Europe.
Expected impact
By the end of the project, EUFest aims to strengthen educators’ confidence in teaching EU topics, improve the quality of EU-related learning methods, increase student participation in EU-focused activities, and support the long-term integration of EU education into schools and VET institutions.