European Federation for Intercultural Learning
Budget
€50 — €0
EP Access
0
accredited persons
Staff
3
0.85 FTE
EU Grants
€125,000
Mission & Goals
EFIL, the European Federation for Intercultural Learning, is the umbrella structure for AFS organisations in Europe. AFS traces its roots back to volunteer ambulance drivers who provided their service during the two World Wars; nowadays, AFS is a network of exchange organisations in over 60 countries. With the help of a large network of volunteers they organise short- and long-term intercultural stays abroad (pupil and volunteer service programmes) for over 13,000 young people every year. EFIL was established as an international, non-governmental organisation in 1971 to foster intercultural competence and global education in Europe, through enhanced cooperation among AFS organisations in the continent. Today EFIL comprises 24 AFS organisations in Europe and the South Mediterrenean working together to foster volunteering for European citizenship and pupil mobility as a key tool for internationalisation of school education.
EU Legislative Interests
- Union of Skills - Council recommendation 'Europe on the Move' - Council recommendation on the Automatic Mutual Recognition of Diplomas and learning periods abroad - Council Recommendation on Common values, Inclusive Education and the European Dimension of Teaching - Council Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning - Declaration of EU Ministers of Education 'Promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, non -discrimination and tolerance through education'. - Council recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning. - EU Youth Strategy - European Education Area - Erasmus+ - European Solidarity Corps
Communication Activities
POLICY IMPLEMENTATION KA2 EACEA - Capacity building in the field of youth - Youth Mobility in the Mediterrenean (YMED) KA2 - A Trainers Network on Active Global Citizenship (TAC) KA2 EACEA - Empowering Teachers for Automatic Recognition (ETAR) pupilmobility.eu KA2 - Expanding Learning Mobility https://intercultural-learning.eu/erasmus-pupil-mobility/ EAC/10/2019 - Preparatory Action Expert Network on Recognition of outcomes of learning periods abroad in general secondary school. https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/en/recognition-learning-periods-abroad Pilot of the Comenius Individual Pupil Mobility Scheme (2008) http://ectp.eu/efillife/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Comenius-_pupil_mobility_en.pdf ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS 'More funding for pupils' mobility' www.pupilmobility.eu 'Recognise Study Abroad' www.recognisestudyabroad.eu PUBLICATIONS and PROJECTS Annual report Recognition of school study periods abroad in Europe - an overview and policy recommendations https://d22dvihj4pfop3.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/81/2020/02/14113954/EFIL-Study-Recognition-of-school-study-periods-abroad_print-version-A4.pdf Erasmus+ projects Intercultural learning for pupils and teachers and Expanding Learning Mobility: www.intercultural-learning.eu Erasmus+ project Global Competence in Teacher Education: https://www.globalcompetence4educators.org/ EVENTS Annual Forum on Intercultural Learning and Exchange https://www.fondazioneintercultura.org/en/Conferences/FILE-Forum-on-intercultural-learning-and-exchange/ Speaking at events organised by the European Parliament: - Towards more exchanges for pupils (21 March 2018) - Pupil and VET Mobility in the new Erasmus programme (4 September 2018) - EEA mid term review (4 October 2023) https://education.ec.europa.eu/event/EEA-MTR-event-2023 - Equal futures: Advancing global citizenship education for all learners (2 December 2025) Speaking at conferences during the Lifelong Learning Week https://lllplatform.eu/events/lll-week/ - ‘ Active citizenship and culture in formal education’, 4 December 2017 - Global citizenship education for teachers – 4 December 2019 - The future of learning mobility - 3 December 2020 - Assessment of learning outcomes of study abroad: flexible, formative, alternative - 30 November 2021 - Inclusive Mobility event and Investing in Learning Mobility event- 29 November 2022 - Fostering skills of teachers for internationalisation of school education -1 December 2023 - The international dimension of secondary schools: the potential for teachers - 21 November 2024 - Make schools international! Long-term pupil mobility as arenas for development of skills and democratic values -11 December 2025
Interests Represented
Promotes their own interests or the collective interests of their members
Member Of
Lifelong Learning Platform European Youth Forum (YFJ) Liaison Group of the European Economic and Social Committee INGO Conference of the Council of Europe CD-EDU of the Council of Europe Advisory Council on Youth of the Council of Europe Educational Leadership Network Europe (ELNE) European School Education Platform (ESEP), supportive partner
Organisation Members
Intercultura Slovakia (Slovakia) Interkultura Serbia (Serbia) Hellenic Educational Programs of International Exchanges (operating in Greece and Cyprus) AFS Austauschprogramme für interkulturelles Lernen (Austria) AFS Interculterele Programma’s vzw (operating Belgium Flanders and Netherlands) AFS Programmes Interculturels asbl (Belgium French speaking community) AFS Mezikulturni Programy (Czech Republic) AFS Intercultural Programs Finland ry (Finland) AFS Vivre sans Frontière (France) AFS Interkulturelle Begegnungen e.V (Germany) AFS Magyarorszag – Nemzetközi Csereprogram Alaptivany (Hungary) Associazione Intercultura ODV (Italy) AFS Starptautiskas Apmainas Programmas Latvija (Latvia) AFS Norge Internasjonal Utveksling (Norway) Intercultura AFS Portugal (Portugal) AFS Intercultura Espana (Spain) AFS Interkulturelle Programme (Switzerland) AFS Turk Kultur Vakfi(Turkey) AFS Interkultur (Denmark) AFS a Islandi – Alþjóðleg fræðsla og samskipti (Iceland) AFS Tunisia Intercultural Programs (Tunisia) AFS Egypt – Intercultural Educational Programs (Egypt) AFS Polska Programy Międzykulturowe (Poland) EIL Intercultural Learning (Ireland)
Commissioner Meetings
No recorded meetings with EU commissioners.