The Institute is currently participating in Erasmus+ Network IRENE (Innovative Religious Education Network: Educating to the religious diversity). The project period is from the 1st of December 2020 until the 31st of October, 2022. The main partner is NGO Asociatia Vasiliada from Craiova, Romania. Other partners are University of Eastern Finland; Institute of Ecumenical Studies in Venice, Italy (Istituto di Studi Ecumenici San Bernardino della Provincia Sant’Antonio dei Frati Minori); Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Foundation for Regional Development (Fondatsiya za Regionalno Razvitie) in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The project IRENE is aimed at religious teachers, theologians and clergy. The main objectives of the project are to improve the methods of religious instruction in view of the increasingly diverse religious landscape; sharing good practices and innovative teaching methods; increasing the competences of target groups in the field of digital learning; strengthening strategic links between partners.
In the framework of this project, altogether 4 mobility visits to Greece, Estonia, Finland and Italy will take place; in addition, 4 international seminars will be organized in Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland and Italy, with the participation of a total of 12 teachers and clergy from Estonia, involved in religious education. The project will carry out a preparatory survey to identify the specific needs of the respective target groups in participating countries. The research part of the project and the analysis of the interviews are coordinated by the University of Eastern Finland and the Institute. As a result of the project, a number of study and training materials will be prepared.