After almost 7 years of helping citizens make their skills and qualifications clearly understood across Europe, the Europass website has now acquired a new, modern graphic identity.

The new site includes a navigation section, Europass and you, which provides quicker access to the most popular information, according to personal interests.

The Europass website and the online Curriculum Vitae and Language Passport editor continue to attract more and more citizens every month (1.2 million visits in November 2011).

The Lisbon Treaty introduces a new form of public participation in European Union policy shaping, the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI). As required by the Treaty, on a proposal from the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council adopted a Regulation which defines the rules and procedure governing this new instrument (Regulation (EU) No. 211/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council 16 February 2011 on the citizens' initiative).

The ECI will allow 1 million citizens from at least one quarter of the EU Member States to invite the European Commission to bring forward proposals for legal acts in areas where the Commission has the power to do so. The organisers of a citizens' initiative, a citizens' committee composed of at least 7 EU citizens who are resident in at least 7 different Member States, will have 1 year to collect the necessary statements of support. The number of statements of support has to be certified by the competent authorities in the Member States. The Commission will then have 3 months to examine the initiative and decide how to act on it.

In accordance with the Regulation, it will only be possible to launch the first European Citizens' Initiatives from 1 April 2012.

STENCIL is:

A virtual community, open to everyone, for sharing ideas, news and events on science teaching in Europe / in your country.  

A chance to present your own projects to colleagues from all over Europe. In STENCIL you can directly enter information about your science education project by filling in the Online questionnaire. 

An opportunity to get inspired and search for science education projects from all over Europe. In the European catalogue of science education initiatives you will find more than 900 projects realised in schools all over Europe. 

A source of inspiration for those who are interested in discovering good practices, in learning more about science education practices, and in transferring them .

Outcomes:

The European Online Catalogue of Science Education Initiatives includes initiatives directly submitted online by teachers and schools from all over Europe by filling in a questionnaire which documents the key elements of the school practices. Initiatives submitted are validated by project partners and made accessible by subjects, school levels, country, keywords, etc.

The Annual Reports on the State of Innovation in Science Education are published at the end of 2011, 2012 and 2013 and include the results of the joint reflection on science education themes and models carried out by STENCIL members as well as the detailed descriptions of the innovative practices identified at national and European level, paying particular attention to Comenius and other EU funded projects.

Study Visits are regularly organised from / to schools and other partner institutions in order to illustrate good and innovative practices in science education. A total of 7 study visits will take place in the following partners countries: Italy, Greece, France, Portugal, Germany, and Malta, in occasion of partner meetings. Also external users are invited to participate in these study visits, namely teachers and school managers.

Workshops are regularly organised during the project life span for both members and external beneficiaries, mainly teachers, school managers, teacher trainers, etc. focussing on themes and methodologies related to the good practices identified by STENCIL members and adopting a peer to peer learning approach. A total of 7 workshops will take place in the following partner countries: Italy, Greece, France, Portugal, Germany, and Malta, in occasion of partner meetings.

International conferences are organised in France, Germany and Italy, addressing teachers, school managers, teacher trainers, school authorities, policy makers, and all key players in science education in order to promote the Annual Reports as well as to present the good practices identified in this framework. They will also to provide occasions of informal exchanges, common reflections and debates, as well as working sessions and social events.

A Call for participants will be launched every year to schools having carried out the successful transfer of a good practice among those highlighted in the Annual Report. An award will be given to the winner school/s.

The Guidelines and Manifesto for teaching and learning science in a creative way will provide educational authorities and policy makers with tools and models for innovating science education in their countries, especially focused on the establishment of contacts between Research and School.

How to join:

If you want to be informed about the STENCIL Network and its activities, please write an e-mail to Ms Francesca Magrefi - e-mail: europe@stencil-science.eu - to be added to the STENCIL mailing list for the promotion of STENCIL activities and events (i.e. study visits, workshops, international conferences). 

We are looking forward to establishing a wide range of contacts with practitioners from all over Europe interested in the exchange on science education!