Summary

Engagement & Beyond

(Erasmus+ Project, 2017-2020)

There has been no disputes about the necessity of development, whether be an organization from the educational or business sector. Beside a number of crucial elements, engagement of all stakeholders, leaders and employees alike, is a determinative prerequisite of success. While companies are paying more and more attention on their employees’ commitment and engagement in the contemporary world of work, less attention has been paid on the world of education in the same context.

Having realized this fact, the current project aims to provide a practical tool for school leaders as primary target group, in order to help them become aware of the main mechanisms of engagement. By using the tool to be developed within the project, a clear picture of the current engagement status of their organizations’ at employee level will be received, initially. The tool will also cover a methodology and action plan, the implementation of which will likely increase the level of engagement on both personal and organizational level. Individuals will be empowered via regular practical help to be able to actively influence their own engagement level. 

The project aims to involve approximately 600 participants of different backgrounds in four partner countries (Germany, Hungary, Poland, UK), among them school leaders, teachers, decision makers, HR-specialists, as well as company leaders.

To enhance links between education and the world of work, inter-sectoral workshops focusing on engagement will be held, in the frames of which representatives of both sectors will have the opportunity to exchange experience and to learn from each other.

Different levels of impact of the project can be identified. The main target groups are teachers (individual level) and schools of different types (organizational level). Individuals and organizations involved, will become familiar with the results of the project throughout the whole process. They all will become aware of the importance of engagement as a development tool both on personal and organizational level.

At individual level, we expect that participating teachers, especially those who will be included in the personal development program, will experience that they have the power to influence their own level of engagement and, thus, influence their own career and the quality of their work.

At organizational level, leaders of organizations will understand that engagement is a key factor of success of their organization and that they can influence engagement by making and accomplishing an action plan based on the results of a diagnostic tool.

Though indirectly, learners of schools, as relevant stakeholders will also benefit from the results of the project on the longer term. More engaged teachers will teach better and will be more committed to develop themselves professionally, which adds to better learners' outcomes.