ALCUIN Award 2014

EPA’s ALCUIN Award is a prize for excellence in the field of education which primarily focuses on the role of parents.

This award is assigned to the best educational initiative judged on the following criteria:

 Originality

The project should have the quality of being new and original. The characteristics of uniqueness and singularity are difficult to appreciate/achieve in Europe. If the concept is based on existing activities the original sources need to be declared. The minimum requirement for a proper ALCUIN-candidate is the adaption to local or national needs with respect to a specific (multi)cultural situation. The project should demonstrate inventiveness, imaginativeness, a certain extent of audacity, authenticity, individuality and rarity.

 Contribution to education

The project should be a good example in the sense of LifeLong Learning showing the influence and input of parents in the learning process of their children. EPA especially appreciates a holistic approach to education. Implementation of non-formal and informal learning and the involvement of parents as “lifelong learners” – educators, trainers, role model and learning adults …

 Involvement of parents as a characteristic

Parents and parents’ associations should be the main actors in the project. The project should have a real interest and advantage for parents and schools

 Constructive approach to home-school relationships in education

To see “Parents as Primary Educators” is EPA’s core paradigm. The ALCUIN award is intended to give a floor to successful support of this parental role in partnership with educational institutions. The project should be characteristic to the actors and recipients and have strong personal features.

 Its potential as a “role model” in Europe with easy dissemination and applicability

Every impacting activity is governed by optimum adaption to specific needs. The ALCUIN trophy can only be rewarded to initiatives that exhibit good performance along a clear vision. Disseminating experiences from a winner project should encourage member associations to implement their own activities based on these examples.

Submission:

Candidates can be put forward by

• a member of EPA
• a Ministry of Education
•  The European Commission

The prize will be rewarded in the GA of EPA in November 2014.

To present the project most effectively it is crucial that one person is present in the ceremony to introduce and explain the specific characteristics. We kindly ask to already nominate this person in the application.

Please explain the main characteristics of the project in English in the application form and take your time to link to the five criteria listed above. Though additional information in English is appreciated we encourage to also add whatever is available in national tongue (leaflets, posters, brochures, recordings, videos etc.).

To win the ALCUIN trophy all five criteria need to be fulfilled. The board explicitly decided to accept more than one submission from a country if they represent different independent local or regional projects.

Jury

The jury is chaired by Michèle Retter (FAPEL Lux). Its members come from different European countries and represent various stakeholders in education.

The jury will judge on the projects with respect to the specific environments.

Procedure:

Proposals for candidates must be sent in to the EPA office by 15 September 2014.

via e-mail:

         office@euparents.eu

via snail mail:

European Parents’ Association (EPA)

Strozzigasse 2/Zi. 418

A-1080 WIEN
AUSTRIA

Please fill the downloadable application form with the basic information and explain in detail, how the project is run.

We are curiously awaiting your application and look forward to new successful ideas.