different language - same culture; same language - different culture?

The IP-project addresses the fact and European heritage of interculturality and multilingualism as well as the situation of minorities in the respective cross-border regions of the countries involved, where higher education institutions in the field of social work contribute with their special expert knowledge. Since encountering interculturality, multilingualism and minority issues is part of the daily practice of social workers, the objective is to strengthen the social scientific knowledge base and practical competencies in successfully dealing with the needs and rights of minorities all across Europe and in this sense to contribute to stability and peace in Europe.

The direct target groups of the IP are students and teachers of the involved institutions of social work, but also civil society organizations who deal with minority issues, interculturality and multilingualism in a daily basis.

Regarding main activities, the main objectives of the IP are realized by developing common teaching and research activities like participatory observation, lectures, and excursions.

Regarding expected outputs, the IP aims at developing a common problem analysis by research and teaching activities as well as actual recommendations and good-practice models for civil society organizations dealing with minority issues. Specific outputs of the IP are, on the one hand, the realization of a common trans-national conference of social work practice in the field of minority issues, interculturality and multilingualism (held on the 9th of May 2011 at the CUAS), the development of a respective trans-national network among the participating institutions of social work, as well as a final report, available in various languages of the involved countries (see section "Documents" for download). The latter provides besides other topics, for practical recommendations - formulated by the participating students - how social work could successfully deal with minority issues in the respective border regions of the European Union.

In April and May 2011 more than 40 students and 13 teaching staff members participated in the 14 days lasting IP-project. They represented universities and universities of applied sciences from the following destinations: Belfast (UK), Brixen/Bressanone (IT), Eindhoven (NL), Köln (D), Ljubljana (SLO), Sarajevo (BIH) and Feldkirchen in Kärnten (AT).

In June 2012 the follow-up project, which is again organized by the Carinthia university of applied sciences, is taking place at Belfast, dealing with the northern-irish conflict and migration.

 

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.