Celebration Day: Ministry of Education and OeAD honour outstanding projects in democracy education
On 21 October 2025 the OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation, honoured the best democracy education projects of the year on the occasion of the ‘Celebration Day’ in the town hall of Vienna. Around 150 invited guests attended the event at which three prestigious prizes were awarded in connection with the European theme of the year, ‘Citizenship Education: Participation in Democratic Life, Common Values and Civic Engagement’: the national eTwinning Awards, the European Innovative Teaching Awards (EITA) and the European Language Label.
Democracy education as the foundation of coexistence
The education minister Christoph Wiederkehr emphasises: "Democracy education is the key to ensuring that all citizens consciously take responsibility for their participation in our society – actively, reflectively and competently. It is not just about voting but about participating in public debates, in civil society processes and the ability to think critically and act empathetically. Thus we secure our understanding of democracy and our European values. European cooperation in education is indispensable for this – it strengthens our common European education area."
eTwinning Awards 2025
eTwinning, Europe's largest teaching and learning community, has enabled partner schools in 46 countries to engage in virtual exchange and joint project work for 20 years. The awards recognise schools that have implemented particularly innovative digital projects with European partners.
The award winners 2025:
• 1st prize: BG/BRG Judenburg for the project ‘E-ventus’ (wind energy in electricity generation)
• 2nd prize: Primary school Johann-Hoffmann-Platz (Vienna) for the project ‘Wir sind Kinder dieser Erde – We are children of this earth’ (environmental protection and climate change)
• 3rd place: Mittelschule Weitensfeld for the project ‘Stadt und Land – einst und jetzt’ (City and countryside – then and now)
• Special prize ‘Citizenship Education’: BG/BRG/BORG Hartberg for the project ‘Gemeinsam für Frieden und Menschenrechte! – Insieme per la pace e per diritti dell'uomo!’ (Together for peace and human rights!)
European Innovative Teaching Award 2025
The European Innovative Teaching Award (EITA) recognises innovative practices of teachers, kindergarten staff and trainers in adult education within the framework of Erasmus+ projects. The EITA is a recognition of exceptional achievements in teaching in Europe's schools and kindergartens.
The OeAD’s managing director Jakob Calice congratulated the winners: ‘The winners have shown impressively how creative, practical and effective teaching and learning can be today. With this award we recognise their commitment and dedication to democracy education. We are proud to support such projects within the framework of Erasmus+.’
Award winners:
• KIWI – Kinder in Wien: ‘Strategies of participation in the Kindergarten’
• Mittelschule Singrienergasse, Vienna: ‘Interculturality and digitization as tools of the future’
• BHAK Baden: ‘Comparison of gender-specific education in different European countries and joint elaboration of suggestions for improvement with regard to the high level of femicides in Austria’
• Katholisches Bildungswerk Kärnten: ‘Democracy up close and personal – living the European idea’
‘International exchange with Erasmus+ not only enriches subject-specific knowledge at the European level but also strengthens reflection and one's own educational practice – which benefits educators, children and the managing organisation.’ (KIWI Vienna)
‘As an educational institution with pupils who have limited financial resources and difficult access to equal opportunities this award shows us that commitment, creativity and transnational cooperation can make a real difference.’ (Secondary school (Mittelschule) Singrienergasse, Vienna)
European Language Label 2025
The European Language Label recognises outstanding initiatives to promote linguistic and cultural diversity in Europe – from school and vocational education to higher education, adult education and youth work. The OeAD presented the awards together with the Austrian Language Competence Centre (ÖSZ).
Award-winning educational institutions in 2025:
• School education I & II: Primary school Braunau Neustadt, Bilingual MS Großwarasdorf, BG GIBS Georgigasse, Public grammar school of the Franciscans Hall in Tyrol, University of Graz
• Vocational education and training: Equalizent Schulungs und Beratungs GmbH, commercial college Bregenz
• Adult education: Integration House project – Education
• Higher education: University of Vienna
• Youth: InterAktion – Association for intercultural coexistence
"Languages are key to intercultural understanding, solidarity and international cooperation. We do not want to teach and learn (foreign) languages in isolation in the classroom but go out, establish personal contacts with European partners and jointly design projects that bring people together. Erasmus+ opens up a wide range of possibilities for this. The European Language Label award is valuable confirmation for our school that we are on the right track." (Grammar school of the Franciscans Hall in Tyrol)
To the photos in the APA photo gallery: apa-fotoservice.at/galerie/39471
