“EU in Schools” Programme

23 April - 16 November 2007

The Delegation of the European Commission to Singapore has launched an “EU in Schools” programme in Singapore on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome in 2007.

The objective is to help raise general awareness about the European Union (EU) and to help students understand the basic structure and functioning of the EU and to show how it can be relevant for them.

This is important for Singapore students because it will raise their understanding of this unique but important political and economic institution.

EU & Singapore

The programme is especially relevant in 2007, as Singapore takes the chairmanship of ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) in July and will host its annual summit in November when ASEAN will celebrate its 40th Anniversary. ASEAN is moving towards greater integration and as it looks towards the EU’s experience in regional integration, an increased awareness of both will contribute to greater mutual understanding.

In addition to its political relevance, the EU is also economically significant for Singapore. The EU is Singapore’s largest source of Foreign Direct Investment providing over one-third of the FDI into Singapore and is Singapore’s second largest trading partner after Malaysia. Over 2,400 EU companies operate in Singapore and many hub their regional operations from here.

Culturally, the EU’s rich and diverse traditions continue to provide inspiration and collaborative opportunities for Singapore’s flourishing arts scene. More than half the performances that are in the Singapore Arts Festival, for instance, are from the EU.

The Format

The format of the programme is that an EU Ambassador/Charge d’Affaires will visit Junior Colleges in Singapore to share the story of the EU. JC students who would normally only be able to read about the EU in the press, will be able to find out how the EU works directly from an EU Member State Ambassador. They will also be able to ask questions and walk away from the programme with an understanding of the basic structures and decision making processes in the EU and have a more informed perspective on the stories they read in the press.

The programme is designed for 15-18 year old students and encompasses a 20 minute powerpoint presentation followed by 20-30 minutes of discussion/Q&A. The presentation is designed for use either in a large assembly setting or a smaller lecture setting. In addition, maps and other publications about the EU will be given out to students.

Resources:

EU Panorama (basic guide): http://europa.eu/abc/panorama/index_en.htm

Europe in 12 Lesson (comprehensive guide): http://europa.eu/abc/12lessons/index_en.htm

Travelling in Europe 2007: http://europa.eu/abc/travel/index_en.htm

Guide to Eurojargon: http://europa.eu/abc/eurojargon/index_en.htm

Guide to EU countries: http://europa.eu/abc/european_countries/index_en.htm

Did you know that: http://europa.eu/abc/did_you_know_en.htm#7

Thanks!

This programme is made possible with the support of the Ministry of Education, Schools Division.

We would also like to thank to the following JCs and Ambassadors who have participated in the “EU in Schools” programme to date:

Anderson Junior College
- H.E. Francisco José Rabena (Ambassador, Spain)

Anglo Chinese School (Independent)
- Dr Federica Sereni (First Secretary, Italy)

Dunman High School
- H.E. Marc Calcoen (Ambassador, Belgium)

Jurong Junior College
- H.E. Boguslaw M. Majewski (Ambassador, Poland)

National Junior College
- H.E. Folkmar Stoecker (Ambassador, Germany)

Raffles Junior College
- H.E. Paul Madden (High Commissioner, United Kingdom)

River Valley High School
- H.E. Holger Standertskjöld (Ambassador, European Commission)

Tampines Junior College
- Launch partner, all EU Ambassadors

Victoria Junior College
- H.E. Holger Standertskjöld (Ambassador, European Commission)

Hwa Chong Institution
- H.E. Tamas Magda (Ambassador, Hungary)

NUS High School of Mathematics and Science
- Mr Ludek Zahradnicek (Charge d’Affaires, Czech Republic)

Contact
If you are a teacher or principal of a school in Singapore, and are interested in the programme for your school, or would like more information, please contact

Luenne Angela Choa
Press and Information Officer
The Delegation of the European Commission to Singapore
250 North Bridge Road #38-03/04
Raffles City Tower Singapore 179101
Tel: 6336 7919 Fax: 6336 3394
Email: Luenne-Angela.CHOA@ec.europa.eu
www.europe.org.sg