The European, International, Intercultural and Pluri-Linguistic Component of Quality in Education: A “Generational” Right to Education

Video 28/09: Parte I; Parte II;  Parte III; Parte IV.
Video 29/09: Parte I; Parte II.

Date: Monday September 28th and Tuesday September 29th , 2015
Venue: Conference Room, Department of Economics - Via Inama, 5 - Trento

Constant and recent developments in sources of international, supranational, national and subnational law as well as of soft law have allowed «rights in education» to evolve towards a «right to quality in education». Furthermore, quality in education has been gradually incorporating a larger share of a European, international and intercultural dimension which may be regarded as parts of its structural component. The issue is then to provide for a theoretical framework for a right and an obligation. 

Intergovernmental cooperation in Europe in the field of education – both within the Council of Europe and the European Union – relies primarily on soft law, and yet quite effectively. By virtue of the principle of subsidiarity, also subnational governments, in particular where their identity is rooted in distinctive cultural features, are strongly motivated in the commitment to incorporate in their educational policies a quality perspective, inclusive of its European, international and intercultural component. Inter-regional cooperation is also to play its role, even more so within a crossborder framework. The pluri-linguistic approach in education plays a very important role. 

The International Workshop aims, first, at a theoretical elaboration - as supported also by legal and soft law sources - of the concepts related to the European, international and intercultural dimension as a structural component of Quality in Education and as an obligation due to the present and future younger generation of students; and, secondly, at surveying, comparing and assessing good practices produced by the educational policies of subnational governments in the European, international and intercultural dimension as a structural component of Quality in Education. Special attention will be given to pluri-linguistic education.

The International Workshop is to focus concepts such as 
(i)     quality (in) education; 
(ii)     the international dimension in quality education; 
(iii)    the intercultural/multicultural  dimension in quality (in) education;  
(iv)    the role of foreign languages as a component of the international intercultural/multicultural  dimension in quality education; 
(v)     the “generational” requirements of Quality in Education.

Subnational governments attending the Seminar: Catalonia, Canton Ticino, Flanders, Tirol, Alto Adige/Südtirol, Trentino. 
Due to the complexities of accommodating the special needs and perspectives of five language groups in Alto Adige/Südtirol and Trentino and due to the special euro-regional cooperation with Tirol, the third session of the workshop will have the format of a round table; while the basic information will be provided in English, the round table will take place in German and Italian and the discussion will be plurilingual.

Program

Monday September 28th

9:15-9:45

Welcome and Introductory Remarks

• Paolo Collini, Rector of the University of Trento
• Roberto Toniatti, University of Trento
• Stefania Cavagnoli, University of Rome 2 
• Jan de Groof, Collège d’Europe, ELA

9:45-12:45

First Session: “Quality in Education and the Non-National Space: the Theoretical Framework”

Chair: Gabriele Anzellotti,  University of Trento     
Speaker: Gisella Langé, Ministry of Education, Italy 
Speaker: Rosemary C. Salomone, School of Law, St. John’s University 

11:00-11:20
Break

Discussants:
Patrizia Cordin, University of Trento 
Gracienne Lauwers, University of Antwerp and Free University, Bruxelles, ELA 

Discussion

13:00
Lunch 

14:30-18:30

Second Session: “Good Practices in  International, Intercultural and Pluri-Linguistic Components of Quality in Education”

Chair: Jan de Groof, Collège d’Europe, ELA
Speaker: Mònica Pereña i Pérez, Department of Education, Catalan Government 
Speaker: Brigitte Jörimann, Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), Canton Ticino

16:15-16:30
Break

Discussants: 
Luciano Covi, IPRASE, Trento 
Cinzia Piciocchi, University of Trento 

Discussion

Tuesday September 29th

9:15-12:45

Third Session: Round Table “Good Practices, Cultural and Territorial Self-Government and Cross-Border Cooperation”

The session will use German, Italian and Ladin on the assumption of a passive  understanding of languages in neighbouring territories committed to cross-border cooperation also in the field of education.

Chair: Stefania Cavagnoli, University of Rome 2  
Welcome: Ugo Rossi, President, Regional and Provincial Government, Trento

Participants:
 

• Carlotte Ranigler, Provincial School Authority for Schools in Italian Language, Bolzano/Bozen
• Evi Debora Schwienbacher, Innovation and Consultancy Service, Department of Education for the German Language Group, Bolzano/Bozen
• Edith Ploner, Provincial School Authority for Schools in Ladin Language, Bolzano/Bozen 
• Helmut Aigner, “Akademisches Gymnasium” and of the International School Innsbruck
• Livia Ferrario, Department for Knowledge, Autonomous Province Trento 
• Mirella Florian, Head of Schools in Ladin Language, Val di Fassa, Autonomous Province of Trento
• Fulvio Cortese, University of Trento

11:00-11:15
Break

Discussion, Q&A

12:45
Concluding Remarks

• Jan de Groof
• Stefania Cavagnoli
• Roberto Toniatti

Scientific Committee

• Stefania Cavagnoli, University of Rome 2 
• Fulvio Cortese, University of Trento
• Jan De Groof, Collège d’Europe, ELA
• Gracienne Lauwers, University of Antwerp and Free University, Bruxelles, ELA
• Cinzia Piciocchi, University of Trento
• Roberto Toniatti, University of Trento