Submission of Applications for the EPA Alcuin Award 2021
EPA is very pleased to announce that submissions for the 2021 EPA ALCUIN Award are now welcome. The EPA ALCUIN award was first launched in 1991 by EPA to highlight the role of parents in the education of their children. It honours the best educational innovation in Europe by giving this recognition to a person, a school, a group or an activity nominated by EPA members, Ministries of Education in the EU countries or the European Commission.
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 practice 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, etc.
- 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 EPA 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.
The jury is chaired by a member of the EPA Board. Its members come from different European countries and represent various stakeholders in education.
Submission of Applications
Candidates can be put forward by.
- A member of EPA.
- A Ministry of Education.
- The European Commission.
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, it is also acceptable to add whatever is available in your 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.
The prize will be given during the Gala Dinner of the EPA GA & Conference to be held in Vilnius (Lithuania) on November 12, 2021. To present the project most effectively it is crucial that one person is present at the ceremony to introduce and explain the specific characteristics ot the project. We kindly ask that this person is nominated in the application.
You can access the online EPA Alcuin Award 2021 Application Form Here.
The DEADLINE for submitting applications is October 31, 2021.
