The European School Karlsruhe

      The European School Karlsruhe offers high quality education from Nursery through Primary (from 6-11 years old) to Secondary (from 11 to 18 years old) culminating with the European Baccalaureate. The AWO- Kita Polyglott, for children from 3 months to 3.5 years, is also located in close proximity to the school. The aim of the European School Karlsruhe, like the other European schools, is to offer tuition to children in the kindergarten, primary and secondary in the main 3 language sections: German, English and French. A multilingual and multicultural education with native speaker teachers is therefore ensured. The European Baccalaureate, internally recognised, is a high level diploma in languages and sciences which allows students to enrol in universities worldwide.

European values such as openness, tolerance and democracy are conveyed to the students at the ESK.  Activities, such as the EU-wide Comenius project show the special international character of the ESK. And, although the participating schools are thousands of kilometres apart, the exchange between them is intensively cultivated and maintained: In this modern age we communicate through the means of European-wide eTwinning, the webpage, e-mails, videoconferences and of course through visiting each other. For the ESK students it is nothing unusual to visit other countries, for example as part of the „Model United Nations“(MUN), which give an understanding of the workings of the United Nations.

The ESK has sent 2643 graduates out into the world since the first Baccalaureate exams, for 3 young people in 1968, up until 2015. “The ESK is a particularly valuable jewel for Karlsruhe. The pupils experience Europe here and consequently we encounter Europe right here in Karlsruhe,” said Dr. Frank Mentrup at the anniversary celebration in 2013. Kari Kivinen, from Finland, General Secretary of all 14 European Schools, emphasizes

in this context: the school has opened itself up to the business world through many partnerships with companies and there is an excellent cooperation with the state government and the town of Karlsruhe. “The ESK is a location factor for the whole of the technology region” says the Director, Mr Daniel Gassner.

The European Dialogue Centre (EDC) was built in the grounds of the ESK in 2014 and is a meeting point for local and international players. Former ESK-director Tom Høyem founded the project, promoted by the town of Karlsruhe and the parliament of Baden-Württemberg. The EDC should strengthen the connection between Karlsruhe international and Karlsruhe local- as also the „European Dialogue Silver Award“, that is awarded once a year in the European Dialogue Center.

Focusing on the strong international potential of Karlsruhe, a selected jury chooses a person, an

institution or a company, that promotes and supports the dialogue between the local and international Karlsruhe in a special way. Tom Høyem founded the award with many regionally well-known jury members in 2013. Wilhelm Bühler, co-founder of Stadt-Wiki received the first European Dialogue Silver Award in 2013.

From everyday school-life to large public events such as the annual Open Day: The multicultural educational institution in the Karlsruhe suburb of Waldstadt is truly alive. Every March the school welcomes between 1,000 and 2,000 international visitors to its Open Day. This gives them the opportunity to witness for themselves European education in a cosmopolitan and familial atmosphere for children of all ages: From nursery through Kindergarten, to the primary and secondary school. All those interested in pedagogical and extracurricular care for their children can come and inform themselves on this day.

Around 200 partner-contracts with companies and institutions within the “Technology Region” Karlsruhe make the European School an important location factor for the strong development in research and the economy in the area. In intensive cooperation with the Chamber of industry and commerce (IHK) the ESK is committed to the educational initiative „Wirtschaft macht Schule“, which focuses on the shortage of employees in certain sectors.

A long close relationship, of course, also exists with the mother organisation, the Institute for Transurane (ITU).