What Comes After Data Collection? –
The Birth of the BridGE Training Program

BRIDGING THE GENERATION GAP AMONG EUROPEAN TEACHERS

The birth of the bridge training program

1019 secondary school teachers from Portugal, Slovenia, and Hungary took part in our survey. Their voices helped us shape something meaningful.

What is BridGE?

Supported by the Erasmus+ program, BridGE Europe aims to reduce the generational gap among teachers across Europe. Insedo Ltd., based in Hungary, coordinates the project, with partner organizations including Agrupamento de Escolas de Oliveira do Hospital from Portugal and UPI – ljudska univerza Žalec from Slovenia.

The insights gained from our international survey painted a clear picture: generational gaps in the teaching profession go far beyond digital skills. Based on the responses, the most pressing challenges faced by teachers today include:

  • Communication gaps across generations

  • Differing approaches to technology and teaching methods

  • Burnout, stress, and feelings of professional isolation

 

These findings became the foundation for the BridGE training program, designed to support teachers through a new, holistic approach. The program is built on three key pillars:

 

Emotional Intelligence

Understanding and managing our own emotions – and those of others – to improve connection and collaboration in the classroom.

 

Mindfulness

Preventing burnout and restoring balance through presence, reflection, and stress-reducing techniques.

 

Digital Tools & Artificial Intelligence

Leveraging technology not just for teaching, but for building bridges between educators of different generations.

The goal of the BridGE program goes beyond transferring technical knowledge. It aims to create a shared language where both younger and more experienced teachers can feel at home – and feel heard.

More than a training, BridGE is a toolkit for restarting dialogue between teaching generations. And this is only the beginning.

 

 

#BridGEurope #Commsjourney #Erasmus



2023-1-HU01-KA210-SCH-000154734
Funded by the European Union. The information and views set out herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the European Union or the Tempus Public Foundation. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Why is this project important?

In the field of education, bridging the generation gap poses an increasingly significant challenge. Fewer young people are choosing the teaching profession out of passion, while the average age of teachers in educational institutions is rising. This trend is not unique to Hungary but is observed in many European countries. The challenges of the digital age and the dominance of social media require new perspectives and approaches, which the younger generation tends to grasp more easily, while older colleagues may struggle to adapt.

 

Our Goals

The main goal of the BridGE Europe project is to assess, analyze, and address this generation gap. Additionally, we aim to:

  • Conduct surveys to assess the situation among European teachers.
  • Develop an international training program based on the data obtained.
  • Implement, evaluate, and refine the training program as a pilot project.
  • Disseminate the results widely among European educational institutions.

 

 

Why does Erasmus+ support it?

Erasmus+ program aims to promote digital transformation, enhance teachers’ competencies, and strengthen understanding between different generations. The BridGE Europe project aligns perfectly with these priorities as it directly addresses the pressing issues of generation and digitalization in education.

 

What’s next?

As a starting point, we plan to conduct a detailed survey to gather opinions and experiences from teachers in the participating countries. After analyzing the data, we will organize an international workshop where participants will collaboratively develop methods and tools to bridge the generation gap. Finally, as the project concludes, we will share our findings through a large-scale dissemination event, which hopefully will serve as inspiration and guidance for other European educational institutions.

Thank you for joining us on this introductory journey into the BridGE Europe project. Stay tuned for further updates and follow the progress and results of our project!

 

#BridGEurope #Commsjourney #Erasmus