How to select a teacher training course abroad

Taking part in professional development courses is one of the most popular staff mobility activities for teachers and other school staff under Key Action 1 (KA1) of the Erasmus+ Programme.

The course catalogue on the European School Education Platform contains lots of on-site courses, but before delving in there, take a moment to read this advice.

1 – Find out the basics: course content, location and duration

A clear description of the course content, objectives, target audience and duration are essential when choosing a course. Also check carefully the cost of the training course and the items included with it (e.g. meals, accommodation, and/or social programme).

Make sure the course is run in line with the eligibility rules described in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide.

2 – How to choose a course provider

On-site courses are run by independent organisations. The courses haven’t been validated or pre-checked. Selecting a course provider is the sole responsibility of the school or consortium. The European Commission accepts no responsibility or liability with regard to their content, delivery or management.

In principle, all course providers are asked to adhere to the quality standards for courses under Key Action 1, and schools are encouraged to use these as a checklist before, during and after their course.

If you have a question about a certain course provider, you can contact your Erasmus+ National Agency to see if they have any information. You can also look for reviews and comments made by previous course attendees.

3 – Training courses to support your project goals

Select a course that will provide participants with innovative and practical professional skills. The selected course(s) must support the objectives of your KA1 project and the professional development needs specified within it.

When choosing a course, think about aspects such as:

• a balance between theory and practice (‘hands-on’ activities),
• the range of methods used to engage participants,
• flexibility in terms of the needs of participants (e.g. competence levels, special points of interest),
• appropriate use of ICT in the course delivery,
• the experience/qualifications of the course trainer(s).

Make sure you also find out if the course includes pre-course and follow-up activities that can extend learning across a longer period of time and maximise the benefits of the course.

4 – European dimension: the added value of European courses

A European course is a great opportunity for teachers to meet and network with peers from different countries. In general, the more nationalities that take part in a course, the richer the course experience is.

A good course encourages participants to share and exchange best practices which contributes to a wider understanding of education across Europe. This also implies that schools should not send big groups to the same course.

Check with the course provider if the course includes participants from other countries and how sharing of practice is organised.

5 – Don’t forget about your certificate!

Receiving an appropriate course certificate is useful for participants’ career development. The course provider must provide a certificate of attendance and the use of Europass Mobility is encouraged: participants need to request the Europass Mobility document from their National Europass Centre and then have it filled-in by the course organiser.

6 – Other things to consider

It might also be worthwhile to find out:

• Are special needs (e.g. reduced mobility) taken into account (if required)?
• How is sustainability taken into account by the course provider?
• Is the training venue and available equipment in line with the promised content?
• Is the application process for the course easy and straightforward?
• Are any social or cultural programmes organised for participants?
• What kind of cancellation policy does the course provider have? If, for example, the course is cancelled or rescheduled, or if the school has to make changes to their booking?

Ready to find a course? Take a look in the course catalogue