The new ingredient in educational innovation: the positive impact of cooperation

For the city of Halmstad, in Sweden, Viladecans (in the Barcelona area) is a source of inspiration. Both cities are part of the ON BOARD project to transfer knowledge among European cities in the URBACT programme. The Educational Innovation Network (EIN) created in Viladecans is an example of good practices in innovation in the educational sector that has caught the attention of the city of Halmstad.

Viladecans, which with 66,000 inhabitants is experiencing a shrinking population and unemployment, created the Educational Innovation Network (EIN) based on making education a fundamental weapon and guide to promote the city’s development. A space where different groups from the community can get involved, contributing their ideas, criteria and solutions for improving education. Although the differences between Halmstad and Viladecans are notable, both in growth and how education is organised, Halmstad began implementing the EIN, adapting it to that city’s characteristics, allowing for unprecedented community involvement, participation and cooperation.

Under the ON BOARD project, the six participating European cities (Viladecans, Halmstad, Nantes, Albergaria, Tallinn, and Poznan) share expertise and experiences to generate new knowledge, creating and sharing projects, thus contributing to educational innovation. The pilot projects (Pilot EduProjects) presented are available to all to be used and adapted by each of the members.

The Halmstad EduProject based on the Viladecans EIN focuses on healthy habits and their positive impact on increasing brain power and well-being. The progress of the project, although it has been affected by the Covid-19 situation, is still underway, adapting to the pace of current circumstances and pursuing the original goal of improving educational innovation in collaboration with interested parties from the community.

Learn more about the Halmstad Transfer Story here!