Multilevel Governance example : European Rural Touristm Development Project

Transnational Pilot project - European Rural Tourism Development Project What is ERTDERTD is a collaborative partnership between 13 training institutions and public/private agencies drawn from 5 countries across Europe. The project is supported by the European Union through the Leonardo da Vinci programme, aimed at improving the vocational education systems of Europe. ERTD is a collaborative partnership between 13 training institutions and public/private agencies drawn from 5 countries across Europe. The project is supported by the European Union through the Leonardo da Vinci programme, aimed at improving the vocational education systems of Europe. AimThe aim of the project is to develop and pilot new learning materials and a new course in rural tourism development which will be delivered on-line to course participants via a virtual campus. The programme will incorporate a variety of learning tasks, including the research, design and promotion of new rural tourism itineraries incorporating case studies to facilitate the learning process. The learning programmes will ensure skills and knowledge of participants meet the needs of the rural tourism sector and new opportunities for employment within it. Target GroupThe new learning programme developed within this pilot initiative is aimed at the following groups of participants Those owner/managers and employees involved in rural tourism activities, eg bed & breakfast, self catering holidays, agro-tourism Young people training in Leisure and Tourism Those people seeking to set up business within the rural tourism sector including the unemployed and those wishing to change direction Primary Outcomes of the Project New learning programmes, course materials, to meet the needs of rural tourism enterprises which will be piloted, tested and evaluated across participating European countries The new courses will be developed using e-learning methodologies and will lead to a 'European' accreditation and certification offering participants recognition of the skills and competencies acquired. Certification will be secured in the following Management in Rural Tourism Development of Rural Tourist Attractions Partnership includes some 13 partners across 5 countries The project is led by Cebanc-Cdea, Donostia San Sebastian, Spain in association with Norton Radstock College, Bath, UK with partner colleges and social partners from Spain, Italy, UK, Bulgaria and Belgium

Tasks by level of governance

Learning at an European School - A cross border Gymnasium (High School)

The German- Polish Gymnasium (High School) is located in Löcknitz (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), Germany close to the Polish border. Since 1995 German and Polish pupils share the classrooms and since 2004 it became an European School. One of the aspect which makes it European is that the School has many partner schools around Europe, e.g. Limbaži (Latvia), Vänersborg (Sweden), Prezlaw (Poland), Sassenberg (Germany) and the most important one Police (Poland). 

Both of the schools, in Löcknitz and Police, are placed in the cross border region "Pomerania". 

When pupils are at the 8th grade, the classes in Löcknitz split and every class is getting around 10 Polish students from Zespól Szkól im. I. Lukasiewicza w Polcach (Police). From that moment on until graduation in the 12th grade, German and Polish pupils are learning together. 

They have some excursion to get to know each other better and take part at a lot of projects.

At the beginning it is really hard for the Polish pupils. Most of them just know a bit German and the classes in Löcknitz are in German only. So they are forced to learn the language as fast as possible. Also they have some subjects more than their German classmates, like Polish History and Polish Politics. But in the end it was worth it because they are getting an European Graduation. But also the German pupils are getting the opportunity to learn Polish as a third language.

Integration worked really well in this school and even if the village, in which the school is situated, is politically more right and has a lot against the school and its projects, the pupils stay strong for their school and do everything for a Europe without borders.

We show that we are European!

Homepage of the School

Fun with Signs!

'ERDF' - Edition

Here the ERDF (European Regional Development fund) (EFRE in German) support the construction of the Autobahn

Here ERDF are supporting the finishing of Tourist Industry Infrastructure in the region Kremnica-Skalka (Slovakia).

In Poland the ERDF supports the buying of Ambulances. 

In Wales the ERDF is also supporting construction. - In this case it is the building of a Slip way.

Multilevel Governance is at the core of the EU.
We, Master-students in European studies at the University of Southern Denmark, wish to highlight the importance of these policies for all levels of the EU. This blog focuses on the Application, with special attention to the regional levels.
(For theories, see our sister blog (link Pending))
As a basic introduction to Multilevel Governance, here is the definition offered by the Committee of the Regions:

"Based on coordinated action by the European Union, the member states and regional and local authorities according to the principles of subsidiarity, proportionality and partnership taking the form of operational and institutional cooperation in the drawing up and implementation of the European Union's policies." CoR