The general description of Quarter Mediation courses is available on the European School Education Platform (ESEP). It includes information about the background and previous experience of Quarter Mediation (the course provider) and of the involved trainers.

The course description on ESEP also includes the target group, the course language, its intended objectives, pedagogical approach, teaching methods and learning outcomes.

The people interested to attend one of the European training courses for adult education organised by Quarter Mediation, can find on ESEP the session dates, the duration of the courses, information about the course venue, and general information on the course activities.

The applicants must fill in a Registration form that is provided by the course organiser at request:
o    Final registration, in case the applicants have the grant approved;
o    Pre-registration, in case the applicants intent to attend the course, but they still need to wait for the approval of the grant by their National Agencies).

The application process is straightforward, accessible and transparent, the participants being selected on the principle “first come, first served”,  with the condition that they belong to the public targeted by the course they applied for. 

The registration forms are provided by the course organiser via email, at request.

All fees related to the participation in a course organised by Quarter Mediation are clearly shared with the participants during the registration process, together with a list of services that these fees cover. Moreover, all the necessary information regarding the cost of the course are available on the course description on ESEP. The participants will also be made aware of any optional services that need to be paid separately (e.g. accommodation, meals, city tax). 

Course fee:
As decided by the European Commission, the course fee is of 80 Eur per person per day (it means 560 Eur per person for a 7 days' course). As it was also decided by the European Commission, the course fee covers only the enrolment in the course and it must be paid from the amount allocated in your project for course fee.

Organisational costs:
The organizational costs is of 65 Eur per person for the entire course. The organisational costs cover: monitoring and support of participants during mobility, logistics needed for course activities, evaluation of the learning outcomes, organisation of educational visits during the course, as well as the preparation and delivery of the course documents required by each participant/sending organisation (e.g. Learning agreements, Quality commitments, Europass Mobility certificates, Attendance certificates, invoices and receipts). The organisational costs can be paid from the grant received by the participants from their National Agencies for organisational support and/or for individual support.
The course fee and the organisational costs must be paid in advance, by bank transfer, based on the invoices that will be received from the course organiser as soon as the course will be confirmed (as soon as the minimum number of participants will be reached). The invoices will include all the necessary information for the bank transfer.

Accommodation and meals:
For organisation and logistic reasons, all the participants in the European training courses organized by Quarter Mediation are accommodated in the same hotel, where also the conference rooms are located. 

Quarter Mediation books accommodation for all the participants, for 6 nights (check-in on Sunday, check out on next Saturday) and the participants will pay the equivalent amount for accommodation (breakfast and lunch included) directly at the hotel reception, at their arrival. It is also possible to pay the accommodation in advance, by bank transfer. If the case, please inform Quarter Mediation so we will get in contact with the hotel and ask it to prepare an invoice for accommodation for you.

At the moment, the price for accommodation (breakfast and lunch included) negotiated by Quarter Mediation with the hotel is the following:
•    Eur 107,50 per day for a person accommodated in a single room;
•    Eur 142.50 per day for 2 people accommodated in a double/twin room (it means Eur 71.25 per person per day);
•    Eur 197.50 per day for 3 people accommodated in a triple room (it means Eur 65.85 per person per day).
Double and triple rooms can be chosen only if other participants agree to share a room. This price is only available for Quarter Mediation’s groups.

City tax of 1.45 Eur per person per night is not included in the price for accommodation written above and will be paid as a separate amount. The city tax is subject to change every year, at the decision of the municipality.

The name of the hotel is Best Western City Hotel de Jonge and it is the only hotel in Assen, located in the inner centre of the city and with easy access to the train station (7 min on foot). Exhibitions, festivals, sport and culture events organised in Assen all over the year are highly appreciated both by locals and by international tourists. The city of Assen is a very important part of the history of The Netherlands, due to the fact that it is connected with the first king of The Netherlands, Louis Napoleon (NL: Lodewijk Napoleon) who awarded Assen its city rights in March 1809. Assen is located at 28km (15 min by train) to Groningen. The city of Groningen is known as the "Metropolis of the North”, being regarded as the main urban centre of the northern part of the country, particularly in the fields of education, business, music and other arts. Groningen is also known as the "World Cycling City", around 57% of its residents using a bicycle for regular commute within the city. Nowadays, Groningen is the most important international university centre from the north of the country, with about a quarter of its population consisting of international students.

Each course organised by Quarter Mediation is defined by clear and measurable objectives and learning outcomes.
Quarter Mediation creates each course based on the identified learning outcomes desired by the registered participants, that reflect inspiration, engagement, interactivity, reflection, and new perspectives. In order to do so, prior to the course the participants are enquired by the course organisers on their professional background, their interests, the level of education of their learners, their subject/subjects of teaching. In this way, the expectation of the participants are met and the course content is based on the participants’ knowledge and interests. 
The course curriculum incorporates diverse teaching methods and materials to ensure engagement and interactivity. It includes a mix of lectures, group activities, discussions, hands-on exercises, educational visits, and multimedia resources. During the course, the information and communication technology is used in a modern and interactive way, to enhance interactivity and engagement of the participants.

Real life experience and practical applications are included in the course programme to trigger reflection and provide new perspectives. Moreover, the participants are encouraged to apply what they've learned to their own contexts. 

The assessment methods and evaluation strategies are combined to create an European training course for adult education that is inspiring, engaging, interactive, and conducive to reflection and new perspectives for each participant.

Quarter Mediation established clear and measurable learning objectives for the courses it organises, and ensured they are aligned with the latest educational standards and practices in Europe. The course content is selected and organised based on the most recent and relevant research findings and best practices (e.g. case studies, real-world examples, and cutting-edge theories). The lectures and presentations delivered during the course include citations and references for all course materials, including readings, presentations, and resources, to demonstrate that the content is grounded in credible sources. 

Quarter Mediation continuously commits to a process of regular content review and update, by revising the course materials to keep them current with the latest developments in the field. Evidence-based teaching and learning strategies are incorporated into the course design. Innovative and effective teaching methods (e.g. problem-based learning, experiential learning) are showcased during the course to demonstrate their relevance and applicability.

The course content aligns with European educational standards, guidelines, and frameworks, and it is adapted to the participants’ professional background. 

In order to design its courses, Quarter Mediation thoroughly reviewed the core values of the European Union (e.g. democracy, equality, diversity, sustainability, and social inclusion ) and the policies supported by the Erasmus+ programme. Afterwards, Quarter Mediation ensured that the course objectives, content, and design align with these EU values and policies. Moreover, EU-related themes are included in the course materials and discussions (e.g. Systems of education in Europe, European history, culture). 

Quarter Mediation's courses support the European Commission's Digital Education Action Plan. They promote an interdisciplinary approach that addresses EU policies from various angles, such as education, sustainability, culture, and innovation.

The training courses designed and organised by Quarter Mediation incorporate reflective activities and discussions that encourage participants to contemplate the relevance of EU values and policies in their own contexts.

Usually, the participants in the courses organised by Quarter Mediation receive funding from the Erasmus+ programme or similar EU initiatives.

The composition of the group of participants highlights the importance of cross-cultural exchange, understanding, and tolerance. During the course, the participants are given the opportunity to meet colleagues from different European countries, discuss common challenges, and initiate future transnational partnerships between their educational organisations. 
Quarter Mediation ensures a diverse composition of participants to its courses, in terms of nationality, background, and experience. In this respect, when selecting participants, we aim for representation from various European countries and different educational contexts.

During the course, the participants are encouraged to interact and get to know each other, to share their backgrounds, experiences, and expectations.

Moreover, the course activities include group assignments and collaborative projects that require participants from different countries to work together. Assigning participants to diverse groups can help them learn from each other and build relationships.

Finally, participants are permanently encouraged to engage in collaborative assignments or initiatives beyond the course, fostering ongoing relationships and cooperation (e.g. partnership projects, educational exchanges).

Last but not least, the participants are kept informed about future opportunities for cooperation, such as Erasmus+ projects, exchange programs, or conferences related to education and training in Europe. This is done via Quarter Mediation’s website, on the social-media platforms of Quarter Mediation such as: Quarter Mediation's Facebook page, Quarter Mediation's LinkedIn page, Quarter Mediation's YouTube channel), as well as via email. 

Before the course the participants are provided with all the necessary details regarding their participation in the course, as well as with the essential logistic information. Quarter Mediation will book accommodation for all participants in single, double or triple rooms (at the participants’ choice), for 6 nights (check-in on Sunday, check-out on next Saturday). The participants will pay the equivalent amount for accommodation (breakfast and lunch included) directly at the hotel reception, at their arrival. It is also possible to pay the accommodation in advance, by bank transfer. Learning agreements can be signed between the sending and the receiving organisations, only in English, at the request of the participants, or of their sending organisation.

During the course the course organiser appoints a mentor who monitors and assesses the participant’s progress, their competencies and skills, and is in contact with the representatives of the sending organisation and with the participant.

After the course the participants are given the opportunity to keep in touch with the European opportunities in education and training by being invited to follow Quarter Mediation’s webpage and its social-media channels.

The trainers and speakers providing the course content have outstanding qualification, their competencies and skills being recognized at European level as experienced trainers, fine researchers, up-to-date expertise and experience to deliver the course or training curriculum. Quarter Mediation’s trainers are able and have the relevant experience to teach and interact with a multicultural audience and they are proficient in the language of the course.

Mrs. Christina Stefan, PhD. Eng. - Director Quarter Mediation; Doctor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering; University Degrees in Engineering and in Pedagogy; Trainer in adult education; External Assessor for various European Commission's programmes (e.g. Intelligent Energy Europe, Horison Europe, EURATOM, EIC Accelerator, SME Instrument, Green Deal, Marie Sklodowska-Curie); author of several publications education and training related, including handbooks for pre-university education, guidelines for teachers and trainers, handbooks and laboratory guidelines for mechatronics, compendia for European projects, scientific books and researches at the university level.

Mr. Tim Stefan, MSc. Eng. - Director Quarter Mediation; Master’s Degree and University Degree in Electrical Engineering; Trainer in adult education; coordinator on behalf of the European Commission of experienced and would-be entrepreneurs in the Netherlands; coordinator of the administrative and financial issues connected with Quarter Mediation’s European projects and European training courses; author of several researches in the field of engineering and of different publications as a result of the European projects Quarter Mediation is and was involved in.

All Quarter Mediation’s courses are designed for 7 days, with an average of 30 hours in total.

All Quarter Mediation’s courses start on Sunday at 14:00, and end next Saturday at the lunch time. The duration of the course ischosen to be in line to the course objectives.

Each participant must attend the entire course and be actively involved in all the course activities. 

Each course organised by Quarter Mediation is unique, as it is adapted to the novelties in education, to the background & level of education the participants teach/train at (in case the participants come from the education area) and/or to the background of the participants (in case the participants come from the labour market or business area). Therefore, more topics are combined in each session, in order to create a course adapted to the participants' needs and to the objectives of the projects the participants receive the grant from. In this respect, each group of participants chooses a topic (not the course title), as the final course title will include the key words mentioned in the topics chosen by the participants, but it will be more complex.

In order to enhance social, cultural and professional interactions between participants, the participants and trainers have the lunches together, and the participants have also breakfast together, to complement the formal learning activities with an informal interaction. 

The courses organised by Quarter Mediation are held in Assen, the Netherlands. This venue was chosen as being the most appropriate for the defined learning objectives and learning strategies  used. The venue is accessible on foot from the train station in Assen, that is in its turn easy accessible by train from Amsterdam international airport and from the other international airports in the Netherlands (e.g. Rotterdam, Eindhoven).

The most convenient airport is Amsterdam airport (Schiphol). From Amsterdam airport the participants have to take a train to Assen. There are 2 trains per hour (a direct train at past 05, and at past 35 a train that has to be changed once). The train station is located in the same building with the airport. The train ticket can be bought at the airport, from the train tickets offices. You just have to follow the signs to the train; when buying the train tickets you can ask for explanations regarding the platform from where you can take the train (usually the trains to Assen depart from platform 1 or 2).

In the Netherlands you buy the train ticket on a route, for a certain day, but you don't need to know in advance the time of departure; this because you can use the ticket on that route, all day long, in almost any train type (exception international trains, and sometimes Arriva trains). The name of your end destination is Assen.
If you buy the train ticket from a ticket office or from a machine at the airport, please keep in mind to validate it before entering the platform (validate = show at the yellow machines before entering the train platform). When you buy the ticket you can ask the staff at the ticket office to print for you the timetable of the train (it is free of charge, but it is provided only at request) and - in case you have to change the train - where and when you would have to do this.

Please keep in mind that in the Netherlands there are not trains in the night (e.g. the last train from Amsterdam airport to Assen is departing from the airport at 23:05). 

The course venue is appropriate for the number of involved participants, complies with the relevant health and safety standards, is accessible to persons with disabilities, and has the most appropriate and up-to-date technology (Wi-Fi included) and logistics.

As the course provider, Quarter Mediation developed a clear inclusion and non-discrimination policy for all its adult education courses. First of all, we make sure that the recruitment process is diverse and inclusive for participants, by avoiding any bias in the selection process. In this respect, anybody from the target group is welcome to register and attend the course, the selection being based on the principle “first come, first served”. Participants with disabilities and/or special needs are also welcome to attend the course.

Quarter Mediation makes the course materials accessible to all participants on a communication platform available to the registered participants, and the materials are provided in various formats (e.g. pdf, ppt, videos, links, photos, infographics).

Quarter Mediation  recognises the importance of language accessibility, therefore all course materials and instructions are provided in English. A translation in other languages is not provided, but in case a group of participants from the same organisation/country includes people with different English language proficiencies, one person from that group will be allowed to help the others with translations into and from English.

Any digital tools or platforms used in the course are accessible to all participants, individuals with disabilities included.

As the course organiser, Quarter Mediation encourages inclusive communication among participants, promotes active listening, respectful language, and open dialogue while discouraging any form of discrimination or harassment.

Quarter Mediation also incorporates diversity in its course content, by integrating  diverse perspectives, including case studies, and examples that reflect a variety of cultures, backgrounds, and experiences.

Quarter Mediation’s courses offer flexible learning options to accommodate diverse learning styles and needs, as we provide both synchronous and asynchronous activities and allow extended deadlines for assignments when necessary.

During the course discussions, the facilitators who are trained to ensure respectful and inclusive interactions are ready to intervene if any discriminatory behavior is observed. Moreover, participants are encouraged to be allies to each other, to show respect for diverse perspectives and backgrounds, and to foster a sense of community and mutual support.

The diversity within the group is celebrated and recognized, the unique contributions and experiences that each participant brings to the course being highlighted during the course.

The course venue, the accommodation and the restaurant where the course meals will be served as a group, are chosen to be accessible to people with special needs and to individuals with disabilities. Furthermore the restaurant caters to a variety of dietary preferences for lunch, and the breakfast is organised as a buffet (so people can choose what to eat based on their needs and preferences).  

During the course the participants are given the opportunity to share their opinion about their experience. The feedback should be used to improve the future sessions, as well as to improve the participants’ teaching methods. 

The course provider also offers the possibility of complaints and establishes a clear and confidential mechanism for participants to report instances of discrimination, harassment, or exclusion. Such reports will be taken seriously and solutions for solving the issue will be promptly sought in a constructive and fair way. 

Quarter Mediation keeps in contact with the participants also after the end of the course, and provides guidance to them at request, on further steps that they can take to follow-up and build on the outcomes of the course.

All participants have access to the course materials, as at the beginning of the course they will be invited by the course organiser to join an online non-public communication platform where the course provider will share materials related to the course and where the participants are also encouraged to share their best practices. The access to the non-public communication platform is kept active for at least 2 weeks after the end of the course, so the participants will have the necessary time to study all the course related materials.

Moreover, Quarter Mediation can offer at request guidance to facilitate the transfer of acquired knowledge and competences into practice at the participants’ institutions.

Attendance certificate
An attendance certificates is provided to all participants that attended the course in tis entirety. The attendance certificates include: the name of the participants, their organisation and country, the title of the course, the session dates, the venue, the name of the course provider, the name and the signature of the legal representative of Quarter Mediation. 

Europass Mobility Certificate
At request, Quarter Mediation also provides the Europass Mobility Certificate as one of the European recognition instruments. 

In case the Europass Mobility Certificate is required in the project the participants receive the grant from, the procedure of issuing the Europass Mobility Certificate is the following:
•    the applicant organisation requires the course organizer to issue an Europass Mobility Certificate for its participants;
•    the applicant organisation sends Quarter Mediation one template document per participant, in electronic format, in Word, with the information filled in only in the cells (1) to (13) (see the sections Holder of the document; Issuing organization; Sending partner).
•    Quarter Mediation, the course organiser, fills in the rest of the sections so - in case the participant will acquire new competencies and/or will improve the existing ones - it will finalise the document by filling in the rest of the sections.
•    Quarter Mediation provides the participant with the relevant document in the last day of the course, after the evaluation session.

As the Europass Mobility Certificate includes the competencies the participants gained during the course, such a document can be delivered only after the course ends.

The course organizer (Quarter Mediation) is the first to sign the Europass Mobility documents (after the course ends, the participants and the legal representative of participant’s organisation will also have the opportunity to sign the Europass Mobility documents). 

The Europass Mobility Certificate must be required from the course organizer before the course, also in case the participant requires an online Europass Mobility Certificate. Also in this case, the participant must follow the procedure listed above.

Quarter Mediation provides the Europass Mobility Certificate only in English, only at request, and only if the participants attended the entire course, were actively involved in the course activities, and improved their competencies and skills.