Educational organization called "Natura Opava - Czech Republic" is a non-governmental and non-profit organization that has been dealing with environmental education, training and consultancy in the branch of environmental protection since 1992. Our training programs are aimed to teaching pupils and students to get familiarized with the nature by using own experience. Our motto is - "Learning about the Nature while in the Nature". We also try to provide the wide public with information of natural attractions. Our activities are mainly focused on township of Opava (Czech Republic), Raciborz (Poland) and the region of Amvrakian Bay (Preveza-Greece). During a year, we organize about one hundred seminars, branch exercises and awareness events. We organize nature-scientific expeditions used for making scientific work closer to the younger generation. In cooperation with the Statutory Town Council of Opava, we have regularly been publishing publications about the nature in Opava region in the recent times. Two years ago, we began to issue the magazine called "Opavský Přírodovědný Zpravodaj" (natural-science newsletter of Opava), also with support of Statutory Town Council of Opava. The newsletter has so far had over 9,000 email subscribers. Our activity in vocational education is also quite extensive. We have closely been working with high schools and universities for which we provide branch training and practical lessons within accredited school subjects and also within common lessons associated to involvement of professional experts. We hold methodology lessons in several schools. We are co-administrators and reviewers in prestigious competitions of student works, like for instance Olympic games in biology and secondary-school professional activities at both the district and regional levels. Our members have actively been leading professional training both in traditional lessons and in non-formal education. In this perspective and level, we can monitor and specify significant failures of lessons within professional education in schools focused on natural sciences. This experience has brought us to the the idea to develop this project. With a team of collaborators from schools of Opava, Poland and Slovakia, we have been preparing useful projects aimed to education for students and young people in the branch of sustainable development, agriculture and nature protection. We provide consulting services in the branch of nature protection to the wide public. We also provide consulting services in the branch of environmental education and practical lessons of biology to schools. Information of our activities is available at our website: http://www.natura-opava.org/. Our team includes many experts who are mostly graduates of prestigious universities in the Czech Republic; they are extensively experienced in professional training.
Masarykova střední škola zemědělská a Vyšší odborná škola, Opava, CZECH REPUBLIC
They are secondary school of agriculture and higher professional school of Opava; we have been providing adult people with our services as a training centre in the branch of agriculture. We have these school subjects to teach - Agro-business, Nature Protection, Chemist-operator, Gardener, Farmer, General Business, Nature Science Lyceum, Regional Rural Politics. We actively cooperate with the School Farm Opava and Teva (pharmaceutical production company); our organization is aimed to as much as possible connect practical experience in teaching at schools and gradually expand portfolio of partner organizations of the school. We are quite busy in the knowledge branch of international cooperation; we have our partners from more than 10 European countries and their number is increasing every year. This provides our students with opportunity to get familiarized with their culture and gain experience in the particular knowledge branch. Our school is located in the Moravian-Silesian Region, which is a region significantly burdened by heavy industry causing major pollution of the natural environment; our town is one of three most polluted towns in the country, according to statistics of the last year and this year. This region is also known for its big problem with unemployment; our region lies on the border with Poland. Our students come from several different regions of our country; they commute up to the distance of 130 km. Our school is also attended by pupils and students from poor families; their parents cannot afford to provide them with enough money for their trips. This project is a unique chance for those pupils and students to gain international experience in the knowledge branch of knowledge and get familiarized with new culture. Our school is one of few facilities of such kind in the region which are not afraid to accept students with learning disabilities (SPU); these students have their individual study plan in our school. They can also enjoy full support of management and staff employed in the school.
Rude-Associaço de Desenvolvimento Rural (Covilha e Canhoso), PORTUGAL
RUDE - Rural Development Association is the managing body of the Community Initiative LEADER at Cova da Beira, accredited on April 11, 1992 by the National Management to administer this fund community in the Territory NUT III Cova da Beira. Since 2009 RUDE is responsible for the implementation of the PRODER (a strategic and financial support to rural development for the 2007-2013 programming period, approved by the European Commission Decision C (2007) 6159, December 4) that aims:
- Improving the competitiveness of agriculture and forestry;
- Promote sustainability of rural areas and of natural resources;
- Economic and social restructuring of rural areas.
It is a legal private entity whose scope of action covers 49 parishes in the municipalities of Belmonte, Covilha and Fund?o; RUDE is a legal private entity whose scope of action covers 49 parishes in the municipalities of Belmonte, Fund?o and Covilh?, has a total area of 935.9 km2 and a population of 80,471 inhabitants. Its action generates new dynamics in its territory of intervention and, through the adoption of innovative initiatives, particularly in the development of rural areas, contributes to the well-being and quality of life of local population. Geographical proximity and the common features of the three counties, particularly in terms of natural resources and landscapes, were the main reason to bring these territories, the Territory Intervention RUDE - Association for Rural Development. he intervention of RUDE has settled a logic of complementarity of objectives, the impact of which has resulted in partnerships +, + skills to rural areas, opportunities + and + rural development. The implementation of the Local Development Strategies has resulted in a set of actions that caters to the crossing of external factors and internal factors of the SWOT analysis of strategic priorities, particularly in the areas of local products development and valorization; historical heritage; tourism and environment; cross-border cooperation; innovation and competitiveness; social and territorial cohesion. Within its activities, this institution also organizes hobby courses of fruit growing and fruit farming within environmental education and professional training in schools. This institute also conducts relevant workshops in own country.
Universitatea de Stiinte Agronomice si Medicina Veterinara din Bucuresti, ROMANIA
USAMVB is a complex institution and provides Higher Education and Training in: Vegetal and Animal Production; Biology; Control and Expertise on Food Quality; Food Processing Industry; Forestry; Land Reclamation; Environmental Engineering; Biotechnologies; Management in Agriculture; Veterinary Medicine. USAMVB mission, through the 3000 students who come from rural areas, is first formed in the belief that farm production could be increased as a result of the systematic application of current technology and agricultural research findings with the participation of the farming community. Also, to carry the results to a broad range of farmers who could use them; and to train farmers, extension workers, agricultural teachers and researchers from disadvantaged areas so that agricultural production could continue to be increased on a sustained basis.
Zespół Szkół nr 1 w Kędzierzynie-Koźlu, POLAND
Vocational School Complex n o 1 in Kedzierzyn-Kozle, Poland, consists of Secondary Technical School and Basic Vocational School. In the previous one we teach 551 technicians of: construction, logistics, computer science, hairdressing, trade, economy, feeding and catering services and 359 students in Basic Vocational School in professions: cook, seller, hairdresser, builder-plasterer and others. Our school has taken part in some EU projects such as: ?Sport and Cooking ? Polish-Czech Reconciliation?, ?Innovative Vocational School?, ?Student Online?, ?Good profession ? good future? and others, however it is our first time in the Leonardo da Vinci project. We also teach the vocational subjects in multi-vocational classes from entire region. In these classes students learn construction and gastronomical subjects. Our school is also the examination centre for students who take final exams in professions of the seller and the cook of small gastronomy. Kedzierzyn-Kozle is the town in the area with well-developed chemical industry but struggling with significant unemployment. Our school is cherished in our region. Taking part in this project would give them various opportunities. Predominant part of our pupils come from rather poor social background so participating in this project could be a chance for them to get to know different culture, lifestyle and to broaden knowledge while contacting with other students from abroad.
