Press Release: 8 out of 10 say EU projects aid innovation in classroom

More than eight in ten people involved in an EU-funded initiative aimed at encouraging innovative teaching methods and improved learning materials for children say the scheme had a positive and lasting impact on them. The same proportion also stated that it would have been impossible to achieve the same results without European support, according to a new study.

The projects were funded through the EU's Comenius scheme, which supports a range of activities, from school partnerships to teacher training and the eTwinning school network. Part of the Lifelong Learning Programme, which will be succeeded by 'Erasmus for All' from January 2014, Comenius allocates around €13 million a year to universities, teacher training institutions, NGOs and schools, to support the development of new teaching methods and materials. Examples of innovative teaching include the use of drama education and basic science for young children.