Erasmus Plus European Partner Project
Introduction
Within the European educational network EDU AWAKE, a series of international initiatives is being developed to explore new pathways of mindfulness, awareness and emotional well-being in education. One of these initiatives is this international project KA210 “Mindfulness, Yoga and Meditation in the Teaching Profession”, which focuses on promoting resilience, self-awareness and empathy among teachers and students.
Together with European partners, the project aims to explore how mindfulness-, yoga- and meditation-based approaches can be naturally integrated into everyday school life. The goal of the project is to provide teachers with simple yet effective tools to bring calmness, presence and compassion into their teaching – improving classroom climate, relationships and overall well-being. The project aligns with the current European priorities of well-being, inclusion, emotional intelligence and sustainable education. It represents a practical contribution to a new culture of mindfulness in the teaching profession – intercultural, applicable in everyday contexts, and deeply human in its essence.
Why is this important?
Teachers in Europe are under increasing stress and emotional strain. At the same time, many pupils are showing signs of restlessness, difficulty concentrating and social distancing. Physical and mental mindfulness exercises – supported by yoga elements, meditation and deep relaxation techniques – have been proven to promote inner peace, clarity and empathy.
These practices strengthen self-awareness, help reduce tension and create space for mindfulness and presence in everyday school life. This is where the project comes in: it brings together schools, teachers and educational institutions from different European countries to jointly develop ways of creating a more mindful, health-promoting learning culture.
What could be the positive impact?
Physical presence and mental clarity are inextricably linked. Yoga elements – such as breath awareness, gentle movement sequences and relaxation techniques – are understood in the project as pedagogically accessible forms of practice that help teachers to
​
-
release tension,
-
focus their attention,
-
and bring awareness into the classroom.
​
Meditation and deep relaxation simultaneously promote inner calm, concentration, self-awareness and resilience – qualities that are central to today's teaching profession. In collegial exchanges, exercises are presented, tried out and adapted so that they can be used both in one's own everyday life and with pupils. This creates a holistic learning process that involves the head, heart and body.
Goals and approach
The project strengthens resilience, self-awareness and empathy among teachers and pupils. The focus is on the exchange and joint development of proven practices from yoga, meditation and mental mindfulness.
Specifically, the project pursues the following objectives:
​
-
Promoting the emotional and mental health of teachers through physical and mindfulness-based exercises.
-
Developing simple, everyday modules for teacher training and teaching.
-
Integrating mindfulness-oriented rituals (breathing exercises, breaks, relaxation sequences) into everyday school life.
-
Promoting empathy, interpersonal skills and social presence in the classroom.
-
Establishing a European network of schools that promote a culture of well-being.
​​
The approach is cooperative, experience-based and inclusive: teachers from different countries share their experiences, try out exercises, reflect on results and jointly develop new formats.
Results and dissemination
-
The project aims to produce concrete, practical results that can be used by schools throughout Europe:
-
Curriculum and handbook: four modular units on mindfulness, yoga, meditation and relaxation.
-
Training videos and online materials: to support teachers in implementation.
-
Workshops and international meetings: for exchange of experiences, reflection and further development.
-
Empirical values: documented examples from participating schools.
-
European network for mindfulness-based teacher training, which will continue beyond the project period.
-
The results will be disseminated at European level – via online platforms, conferences and training networks.
-
The project contributes to mindfulness, yoga and meditation being understood as an integral part of a contemporary, healthy and human-oriented educational culture in the teaching profession.
Project partners and management
The project is coordinated by the Yoga Academy Freiburg in collaboration with educational partners from different European countries. All partners contribute expertise in mindfulness practice, teacher training, curriculum design and European project work.
A complete partner profile will be published shortly.
Project frame and funding
-
Duration: 1 October 2026 – 31 Januar 2028
-
This KA210 project comprises several learning, teaching and training activities, as well as transnational meetings and accompanying dissemination events.
-
This project is being developed with the intention of applying for Erasmus+ funding as part of an EU-supported initiative.
Interested? Get involved
Are you a university, school, educational centre or teacher interested in mindfulness in education? Get in touch with us!
KA210 FAQ
Willkommen - nehmen Sie Kontakt auf....
Wir freuen uns über eine mögliche Zusammenarbeit.