European Project EXCELLENCE BOOST, coordinated by the Raquel Lombardi Association, takes teachers to South Africa.

From 28 August to 1 September, a European teacher training exchange took place in South Africa as part of the Excelence Boost project, coordinated by the Portuguese partner, the Raquel Lombardi Association.

This mobility brought together 4 teachers from RAM with another 4 from each partner country, for a total of 32 teachers.
The main objective of the EXCELENCE BOOST! project, funded by the European Union, is to improve the personal and pedagogical skills of VET teachers and trainers, covering all areas of teaching, and to cultivate a culture of excellence at both individual and institutional levels in the participating VET schools.

The project is led by ACSSRL, coordinated by Raquel Lombardi, and involves three European and four African partners. The main objective of the project is to provide teachers and trainers with opportunities to develop and maintain their technical, pedagogical and transversal skills, including digital skills and intercultural communication, at the highest level.

In addition, the project aims to establish collaborative networks and promote the exchange of experiences between professionals from different parts of the world, in this case Europe and Africa.

Teacher mobility plays a key role in their professional and personal development. Therefore, throughout the project, various mobility activities will be carried out, which are essential for strengthening the teaching staff and promoting excellence in education in the participating countries. 

Moreover, educational institutions and other educational organisations, including the private sector, are facing major challenges and changes. These include the need for educators to understand the diverse needs of students, to adapt to the processes of digitalisation and digital transformation, to improve the leadership and management skills of educators, to value the mental health of both educators and students, and to promote inclusion and diversity awareness in a globalised scenario. The urgent need for this project is therefore evident as a means of strengthening the quality of education.In addition, there are organisational and institutional challenges that require constant updating.

In general, the EXCELLENCE BOOST! project lasts for two years and its central purpose is to promote a continuous learning programme for trainers and teachers in vocational education and other teacher recruitment groups. The aim of this programme is to make it easier to understand the continuous professional development of these professionals and to establish a method of sharing knowledge and experience between schools and organisations working in the field of vocational education and training that are innovative.