CHARTER OF THE EURO-MEDITERRANEAN CAMPUSES

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I. Preamble
The charter of the Euro-Mediterranean Campuses for heritage was drafted during the European Summer School of Heritage Campuses in Veria (Greece), from 5th to 10th of September 1998.
The results were presented to Monsieur Aristotelis BOURATSIS, head of the DG X cultural action unit. This charter sets out the orientations and operational principles of future campuses.
One of its objectives was to ensure that campuses complied with the CADRE cultural programme for the year 2000.
Since 1999, the charter has provided the selection template for new campuses.

II. Building upon past strong points
In their 10 years of existence, the Euro-Mediterranean Campuses have become one of the great movements of youth participation in the cultural policy of the European Union. Nearly 100 European Campuses for Heritage and the Environment have been completed in 25 countries, bringing together 2000 young people for remarkable heritage development projects.
In 10 years, these Campuses have built their identity around a certain number of characteristics that the Veria Summer School reaffirmed.
- A target audience
Euro-Mediterranean Campuses are intended for university students as well as young people who are receiving professional training in areas relating to heritage development or the environment.
- A specific field of activity
In practical terms, the Campuses focus on themes linked to heritage development, both in urban and in rural settings, as well as to environment protection and, in more general terms, to sustainable development in local territorial settings.
- They seek to achieve 3 main objectives
* To raise the awareness of young people in areas relating to community initiatives for heritage preservation, giving them the opportunity for hands-on involvement, thus reinforcing an appreciation of European citizenship.
* To provide young people with a firs professional experience, teaching them to participate in the conception of real local development projects. This primary focus on field studies rather than physical work sets the Campuses apart from activities like heritage work camps for young people.
* The purpose of this voluntary contribution of brainpower is to contribute in real terms to local projects. It must not therefore be seen as a mere training opportunity. A Campus is not a training scheme.
- A method
* A Campus always involves approximately 10 young people from different disciplines.
* A multicultural approach that brings together at least 4 nationalities.
* The local population takes part in the Campus. Their involvement is encouraged by pre-Campus communication, field surveys, and events for the public restitution of study conclusions.
* The compulsory requirement of real results that effectively contribute to a local project.
- Constraints
* A duration of no less than one month.
* Guaranteed preparation and local technical supervision.
* A reasonable price limited to 30 000 Ecus, for which it is necessary to raise 50 % local co-financing.

III. Euro-Mediterranean Campuses are held in conjunction with pilot projects for sustainable development, and regional heritage protection and enhancement.
- The Campus is a tool intended to benefit a local project. It is not an end in itself.
- The host projects that make use of the Campuses must have an autonomous existence, particularly in the areas of financing, planning and technical oversight, in order to provide Campus participants with the experience of a real project in the hands of local operators and heritage professionals.
- These projects must present certain exemplary characteristics:
* A context of local partnerships involving the host organisation.
* Effective communication for raising the awareness of the local population and enabling their participation.
* A project with an identifiable heritage purpose that fits into the local development of the host region.
* Projects must take account of local employment needs in drawing up their objectives and modus operandi.
* It must notably provide a professional training or job-search scheme for local young people who participate in the Campus work.
* It must integrate the heritage development aspect into a overall cultural project of explicit community interest.

IV. Euro-Mediterranean Campuses are part of a trans-national cooperation network. The Grouping of European Campuses works in the context of a trans-national cooperation network which includes all its campuses. This network functions on several levels:
- Support organisations cooperate on pre-Campus aspects : technical preparation, leadership training, planning of joint activities, inter-campus recruitment.
- During the Campus, real-time communication is made possible on the Campus web-site (data exchange, methodology, etc.)
- After the Campus, a seminar brings Campus participants together, with local young people, for a final evaluation and exchange programme. These exchanges can be carried out in the context of the “Service des Volontaires Européens de la Jeunesse” (European Voluntary Youth Services) financed by the Commission.

V. Key elements of success
The success of the new Campuses lies in achieving the objectives described above, concerning local heritage and development. This implies careful preparation, with a clearly thought-out strategy and methodology. The organisations and network involved must clearly define the extent of their responsibilities.
In this context, the following aspects are examined in closer detail:
1/ Ensuring the motivation of Campus organisers and participants.
2/ Ensuring that host organisations are operational.
3/ Ensuring the dissemination of results and the proper use of the experience acquired.

V. 1/ Ensuring the motivation of Campus organisers and participants.
Host organisations:
There are various motivations for organising a Euro-Mediterranean Campus:
- Support for the project itself, with the contributions of participants to the work, to ideas, to studies.
- Publicity for the project.
- Financial support (co-financing)
- Technical assistance and exchange between host organisations through networking.
- The flexible structure of Campuses (within a predetermined context) means that the host organisation can adapt the Campus to local situations and to given objectives.
Local participants and students:
These new Campuses present a challenge to both local youth and students:
- An information campaign must be conducted prior to the campus, providing elements of Campus philosophy, Campus objectives and some specific reasons to motivate their participation.
- The diversity of participants (from various perspectives: knowledge, professional expertise, social and geographical background) ensures that the whole experience is varied, and includes valuable exchanges.
- The students have the opportunity to put their theoretical knowledge into practise, as well as getting their hands dirty with practical work.
- Young people from the local community can learn, thanks to their participation in the Campus, to communicate with different young people, to understand their cultural identity, to invest their efforts into local development and, potentially, to acquire valuable work experience.
- The exchanges between the participants in different campuses, and their involvement in the actual organisation of the Campuses in some instances, are also highly motivating factors.
- Certificates of participation can also be the starting point of a professional career.

V.2. Ensuring that host organisations are operational
- The selection of host organisations for the Campuses is carried out by the Network, on the basis of measurable criteria that comply with the objectives of new Campuses.
- The selection of participants for the Campuses is carried out by the host organisations themselves according to well defined criteria (male/female ratio, as many different nationalities as possible, a multidisciplinary set of skills, age limitations).
- A technical information file is given out to each candidate after selection, containing details of the areas being studied and the approach adopted by the Campus as well strategy and methodology, and elements of local culture. This allows non-locals to prepare for the Campus and motivates them to gather information and documents relating to the subject matter in advance of the session.
- The host organisation is responsible for preparing and facilitating the social and cultural integration of the participants throughout the Campus, particularly in respect of the local / non-local distinction.
- The host organisation is also in charge of allocating the work to be done according to the needs of the project and the human potential available.

V. 3. Ensuring the dissemination of results and the proper use of the experience acquired
- The dissemination of results during the Campus helps to promote the project locally and facilitates exchange.
- The potential for future opportunities and the lasting quality of the Network allow a constant development of the experience and ensure its usefulness.
- The Network makes use of its experience in order to promote the Campuses and constantly improve their preparation and adaptability to each particular set of circumstances.

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