11 Universities from 7 countries along with associated partners (German-Croatian Chamber of 
Industry and Commerce, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia, German accreditation agency ACQUIN) and individual experts from Germany, Hungary and the European Parliament cooperated on the project.
The goal of the project was to achieve greater compatibility of teacher education in Europe so as to enable mobility and diploma recognition and to firmly posit intercultural education as an interdisciplinary task. For this purpose the components of the contents and the structure of „Teacher education in a European perspective“ were developed and tested. They were designed with an aim to be implemented in the national curricula or offered in the form of short-term courses (e.g. summer schools). At the same time the specific development perspectives of each participating country were taken into consideration. The activities were concentrated around five issues relevant for the development of a European dimension in teacher education in accordance and under the consideration of participants’ professional expertise. The following issues were covered: „(1) Educational science in teacher education in a multicultural Europe; (2) Foreign language teacher education and linguistic diversity in Europe; (3) New media and possibilities for transnational cooperation; (4) Intercultural learning as a horizontal task; (5) Economic key qualifications in teacher education.”
Project manager and grant holder was Prof. Dr. Jürgen Helmchen from the University of Münster/ Institute of Educational studies; project coordinator was Prof. Dr. Siegfried Gehrmann from the University of Zagreb/Faculty of Teacher Education.
Research results obtained in the framework of the project have been published in the monograph Europäische Lehrerbildung. Annäherung an ein neues Leitbild.
Prof. dr. Ursula Nelles, rector of the University of Münster and prof.dr. Aleksa Bjeliš, rector of the University of Zagreb exchange agreements on cooperation between the two partner universities.
Prof. dr.h.c.Vladimir Šimović, dean of the Faculty of Teacher Education of the University of Zagreb and Hans Joachim von Olberg, dean for education of the Faculty of Educational and Social Science of the University of Münster exchange agreements on cooperation between the two institutions holders of the TEMPUS „Learning for Europe“ project.
Shortly before the opening ceremony Mr Ante Žužul, managing director of “Školska knjiga” publishing house and the patron of the Center for European Education, addresses greetings to Croatia’s prime minister, dr. Ivo Sanader and Germany’s Federal minister of education and research dr. Annette Schavan.
Some 140 guests from the fields of politics, culture and diplomacy of ten countries represented in the consortium of the TEMPUS „Learning for Europe“ project attended the Opening Ceremony, met with great response in the media. In foreground Croatia’s prime minister dr. Ivo Sanader, Germany’s Federal minister dr. Annette Schavan and dr.h.c. Doris Pack, MEP. In the background dr. Marianne Krüger-Potratz, project manager from the University of Münster.
Enlarged excerpt of the previous photograph: in foreground Croatia’s minister of culture, Mr Božo Biškupić, in the background representatives of twelve Universities from ten countries members of the TEMPUS project consortium.
Ambassadors of countries represented in the consortium, members of the press, deans and university teachers from Croatia and abroad, representatives of national and international educational institutions, foundations and business organisations in Zagreb.
Seated on the podium from left to right are the representatives of holding institutions of the Center for European Education: prof. dr. Aleksa Bjeliš, rector of the University of Zagreb, prof. dr. Siegfried Gehrmann, Faculty of Teacher Education of the University of Zagreb (project manager), prof. dr. Marianne Krüger-Potratz, Institute for Educational Science of the University of Münster (project executive board), prof. dr. h.c.Vladimir Šimović, dean of the Faculty of Teacher Education of the University of Zagreb and Hans Joachim von Olberg, dean for education of the Faculty of Educational and Social Science of the University of Münster.
Project managers of the University of Zagreb and the University of Münster, prof. dr. Siegfried Gehrmann and prof. dr. Marianne Krüger-Potratz.
Prime minister of the Republic of Croatia dr. Ivo Sanader addresses the guests in German language and emphasizes a long tradition of German-Croatian cooperation in the educational field and a special role of the Center for European Education. „The Center is a result of good German-Croatian cooperation in all areas, especially in the education sector. (…) Croatia has taken over a gap-bridging role between the European Union and South-East Europe and this Center offers us a chance to give our own contribution to the development of education in the countries yet to become part of the union (…), but also to contribute to further sthrengthening of the role of Zagreb as university center.
German federal minister of education and research, dr. Annette Schavan, stressed in her address that this institution is a real European project, an important novelty and an impulse for the European education area. This institution «can become a center of excellence in all issues of European education and a meeting point for general and occupational education. The Center will contribute to the sharpening of European awareness and the strengthening of European spirit and European soul.
The chairwoman of the South-East European Delegation of the European Parliament, dr.h.c. Doris Pack (MEP), considered in her address the mediating dimension of the Center for European Education. „The absolute domination of economy is behind us. If we want to continue the process of European development, we need new visions. » In this context Doris Pack stressed the role of the Center for the region of South-East Europe – the Center shall contribute with its study programs to the spreading of the fundamental values of the European Union – human rights, tolerance and cultural and language diversity.
Croatian minister of science, education and sports, prof.dr. Dragan Primorac, who was regretfully unable to attend the Celebration, was replesented by prof.dr. Radovan Fuchs, head of Department for International Cooperation at the Ministry of science, education and sports. Prof.dr. Fuchs emphasized in his address that the Center for European Education is compatible with the Government’s policy of the development of a society of knowledge in Croatia. “The Center is being opened just in time when Croatia is going through the process of reform of its education system.”
Project manager and member of the executive board of the Center for European Education, prof.dr. Siegfried Gehrmann from the Faculty of Teacher Education of the University of Zagreb, considered in his opening speech the six year long founding period of the Center and presented its basic goals: international cooperation in higher education, interdisciplinarity in teaching and science, cooperation with business organisations and political institutions in the development of new study programs and the strengthening of European multilingualism. “We have a chance to develop in in Zagreb the next six years a center of excellence for the issues of European education. In order to accomplish that goal we still need the support of our partners from the fields of science, politics and economics.”
Managing director of “Školska knjiga” publishing house and at patron of the Center for European Education, Mr Ante Žužul, focused his addressing speech on the necessity of future consideration of cultural and national identities in Europe from the European perspective and preservation of those identities and their shaping through European cooperation. In this respect he emphasized the central role of Center for European Education regarding coordination and cooperation in the field of education and as a platform for communication and work on national and international projects. „The interest of Croatia’s economy in the work of the Center is large, because its productivity is related to education.”
Manager and member of the executive board of the Center for European Education from the Institute for Educational Science of the University of Münster, prof.dr. Marianne Krüger-Potratz, stressed in her address that the first study program of the Center – one year master study of Management and Counselling in European Education – shall begin in October 2008 in Zagreb. She explained that this study program qualifies for the tasks of managing reform processes in the field of education and gives insight into problem-solving strategies, as well as into problems of other countries. “The Center offers an organisational framework for the study and is seen as an institutional guarantee of permanence and transfer (…). But, the master study program is not going to be the only program offered by the center; it is seen as a platform for other programs of permanent professional development and achievement of additional qualifications.
Respective rectors of the Universities of Zagreb and Münster, prof.dr. Aleksa Bjeliš and prof.dr. Ursula Nelles, emphasized the central role of the Center for European Education regarding internationalisation of both universities in the context of the implementation of the Bologna process. They also emphasized the necessity of the development of European study programs in the framework of international consortiums of higher education istitutions as one of reform strategies. Therefore, both rectors gave their wholehearted support to the development of Croatian-German Center in Zagreb, with courses held in Zagreb and Münster.
Representatives of holding institutions of the TEMPUS „Learning for Europe“ project, dean of the Faculty of Teacher Education of the University of Zagreb, prof.dr.h.c. Vladimir Šimović and Hans Joachim von Olberg, dean for education of the Faculty of Educational and Social Science of the University of Münster, emphasized the responsibility of both institutions in international cooperation within the university consortium and their positive attitude toward the development of the Center for European Education as a permanent higher education institution as well as toward long-term cooperation at binational and international level.
The ceremony was followed by a press conference with the speakers at the opening (from left to right): prof. dr. Radovan Fuchs, prof. dr. Aleksa Bjeliš, Mr Ante Žužul, dr. h.c. Doris Pack (MEP), Mr Hans Joachim von Olberg, German Federal minister dr. sc. Annette Schavan and prof. dr. h.c. Vladimir Šimović.
Rector of the University of Zagreb, prof. dr. Aleksa Bjeliš, in an interview on the current situation of higher education reform at the University of Zagreb.
Prof. dr. Siegfried Gehrmann, project manager at the University of Zagreb, explains to the press the Center’s goals and tasks on the website of the Center. In the background German Federal minister of education and research, dean for education of the Faculty of Education and Social Science of the University of Münster and project manager from the University of Münster.
After the Opening Ceremony of the Center for European Education representatives of universities members of the TEMPUS “Learning for Europe” project gathered together with the representatives of ministries, economy and German international educational institutions (Goethe Institute Zagreb, DAAD – German Academic Exchange Service) at a round table on “European Education through European Cooperation”.
At the end of the discussion Mrs dr.h.c. Doris Pack (MEP) was elected head of the International Advisory Board of the Center. Members of the Advisory Board are representatives of the following institutions: University of Münster (prof. dr. Ursula Nelles, rector), University of Zagreb (representative appointed by the University’s rector, prof. dr. Alesa Bjeliš), “Školska knjiga” publishing house Zagreb (Ante Žužul, managing director), DaimlerChrysler Kroatien (Horst Wohlfart, managing director), WAZ-Mediengruppe/Europapress Holding Zagreb (dr. Srgjan Kerim, new president of the UN General Assembly), Goethe-Institute (Juliane Stegner, head of Goethe-Institute in Zagreb).