Abstract:

The project facilitates to bringing up a new generation oriented on establishing and stabilization of a constructive dialogue with Europe through assimilation of knowledge of EU into the ambiance of schoolchildren and students of secondary vocational education. The project includes key activities, such as organization of training courses and workshops for teachers and pupils, creative contests for schoolchildren, promotional events on European culture, language school in the summer camp, centralized conferences for talented schoolchildren, young scientists and lecturers, researchers, organization of discussions within the topic groups involving specialists with the knowledge of Europe, its traditions. It is the first time when the innovative idea of informal education is implemented for the development of intellectual potential of the new generation oriented on learning Europe through studying and discovering opportunities. The project materials envisioned not only in face-to-face, but also in e-format, making use of new technologies, including video-conferences and video clips.

The main progect outcomes were as follows:
1. Stimulating teaching and research in the field of European integration studies, cultural stereotypes of Europe, Russian and European models of values, exchange of ideas and good teaching practices;
2. Promotion of scientific-research debates and public discussions on the key topics linked to the European integration in the framework of language and culture interdependence;
3. Investigation and identification of contemporary youth actual problems in Russia and Europe, discovering the main factors of youth socialization;
4. Advancement of intercultural dialogue between representatives of different linguacultures, development of communicative and sociocultural competences in the educational environment of students;
5. Arrangement of conditions for the creative thinking development on the bases of intellectual activity, project-research-oriented study, individualized creativity, module integration, transference to the self-learning;
6. Coaching of new teachers’ generation motivated to work with children and teenagers, solving intercultural and integrational problems efficiently;
7. Fostering the engagement of pupils/students in research of European countries, creating theoretical and empirical basis for the further fundamental studies of EU by the young researchers.

The project has successfully promoted the exploitation of results through the availability of the project website, deliverables and printed versions of conferences publications, monography. Importance of the project at the educational level consists in its innovation as the first regional project devoted to European integration, aimed at a focus group of young people and including various types of educational activities (researching, art and teaching ones). Novelty of the project is linked to the content, applied teaching technologies and approaches, achievements of European and Russian research schools. We consider that realization of the project LETSDO in the Southern region has become the symbol of the new era of intercultural dialogue between Europe and Russia leading to more and more conventionality of the boundaries between Russian and European countries.

Keywords:

International project, Jean Monnet, Learning Europe Trough Studying and Discovering Opportunities, ERASMUS+ Programme, dialogue of cultures, contemporary youth.