Education Working Group
Basic information
Established in: 1994
Main aims and tasks:
- Fostering a European dimension in education
- Having discussions on education-related topics, exchanging ideas and opinions, initiating projects and supporting other initiatives by providing thematic input
- Striving for a European higher education area
- Supporting student mobility in Europe
- Promoting and evaluating European education programmes
- Lobbying for the recognition of non-formal education
- Starting new educational projects with fresh ideas
- Increasing communication between the locals interested in educational activities
- Gathering and spreading information about other educational and exchange programmes and possibilities
- Providing information that could help students build their future careers
- Creating an informational network about the social and academic conditions at universities all around Europe
Activities:
- Discussions on typical education-related matters
- Mobility Training School
- Collaboration with the YOUrope Needs You project team
- Collaboration with the Higher Education Days project team
- Workshops at statutory meetings (Agorae and EBMs)
- Collaborations for the Summer University project (with the Summer University Coordination Team and with local organisers)
- Providing information about education-related matters to the Network
- Helping members to write position papers connected with education
- Taking part in important educational events and representing AEGEE
- Being up-to-date with the information on education-related matters
History:
The Education Working Group (EWG) was founded in November 1994, through the unification of the Erasmus WG and the Tempus WG. As these other two working groups, it aimed to bring together AEGEE members interested in educational matters, in order to develop actions at European level and share ideas and opinions.
The Education Working Group is the place in AEGEE where you can meet people who share your interest in education. We keep an eye on all the processes concerning the education in Europe and try to strive for better education and to shape it better for us. We engage in different discussions and actions and the EWG has been a start-up point for many educational projects. Since Higher Education is one of the four pillars of AEGEE, we would never get tired of exploring the education and mobility opportunities, of sharing them with the Network and of trying to lobby for the creation of new ones.
The EWG is also the one who started the Higher Education Days project. Moreover, we were also in cooperation with the “Education Unlimited” project and our “Student Mobility” topic was chosen as the Flagship Topic of AEGEE at Agora Enschede 2012. The EWG is now in the process of planning the first Mobility Training School.
Getting Involved
The ideal member of the EWG is somebody who is interested in education, mobility programs or sharing educational experience. We talk about education, exchange useful information and we are always the first to know all the news in the field, so if you find this interesting, you are the person we are looking for!
Members interested in the EWG can subscribe to the mailing list EWG-L and get involved in discussions on educational topics, without having to become an EWG member.
By joining the EWG, members can get in contact with other people interested in education, from other parts of Europe, exchange ideas and opinions with them and find common interests which can lead them to initiate actions connected to education at European level. As well as widening their knowledge about educational issues in Europe, they can learn about different procedures while working in the EWG, such as to plan actions and projects, to work in international teams, to conduct surveys, to make campaigns and start discussions or to write position papers.
Besides having the same possibilities as new members, older members can use their experience and knowledge in education and event management to help the EWG move further on. They can start projects and campaigns and take more responsibilities inside the EWG (such as joining the board). They can also collaborate with the EWG as part of their antenna, for any of our actions, without being a member of the EWG.
Regular members can join by sending an email to EWG-BOARD-L@lists.aegee.org and asking to join the EWG.
Elections:
Board members (Speaker, Secretary, HR responsible and PR responsible) are elected through online elections among EWG members, for a mandate of 1 year, without any background or further requirements (only to be an EWG member).
Related fields of study:
EWG is open to AEGEE members with any kind of background of study. Whoever is interested in education can join.
Working methods:
E-mails, Skype meetings, sharing data systems (Google docs, dropbox, etc).
Amount of work required:
It varies depending on the moment of the year, the responsibilities they decide to take, the tasks they are involved in and, especially, their own motivation and will to work. In any case, all EWG members are expected to stay active (being involved in any action) in order to keep their membership.
