The Erasmus+ project No 2018-1-BG01-KA201-047998 "Creating an Innovative Platform of Communication and Teaching in a Digital Society" is based on the assumption that the teacher  is the key figure in the educational process whose skills and competences are decisive for the quality and effectiveness of education. Most of the countries in the world face serious issues in this regard. Among these are : 1) shortage of teachers ( especially young instructors) because of low economic incentives, hence low prestige of the teacher's profession and  ineffective  government policies;  2) inadequate  professional qualification of a considerable number of teachers; 3) insufficient motivation to upgrade  professional qualification.
   Against this background  the proposed project aims:
          1) To develop innovative, ICT based, methodology for enhancing the intercultural  competences and skills of both teachers and students;
         2) To stimulate collaboration between the participating countries through exchange of good practices;
         3) To upgrade the level of English language proficiency of the participants;
         4) To strengthen the profile of the teacher's profession and thus increase motivation  for lifelong learning;
         5) To encourage school-local authorities partnership.
         The project team  consists of  seven different  institutional partners (schools,  an NGO, and two regional departments of education) from Bulgaria,  Malta, the Netherlands, and Turkey . Thus the project includes organizations that operate in diverse socio-economic, cultural and educational contexts. The target group  is made up of about 50 English language instructors and  30 pupils. In addition, the project will reach about 100  teachers and pupils from schools not involved in the project, stake-holders and the broader public.
        The project involves the following main activities:
       - developing an innovative platform of communication;
       - training sessions for teachers and pupils;
       - mobility activities;
       - meetings with stake-holders;
       - summer schools;
      -  mobile exhibition;
       The project is based on an innovative method of teaching English  and aims to  hone the intellectual, intercultural and interpersonal skills of the participants and broaden their cultural horizons and critical thinking. The goals  will be achieved through development and discussions of  interdisciplinary topics chosen from a wide range of fields: science, humanities, art,politics, cultural studies, and public life.  Discussions will be conducted in English  and moderated by prominent  specialists in teacher training, language teaching, inter-cultural communication, and experts in the respective thematic field.  Special emphasis will be placed on interactive participation in class and use of ICT. The participants will be given various assignments, oral and written, and at the end of the training the acquired knowledge and skills will be evaluated by tests.
     The  following results will be  achieved during the project:
   - creating a  new platform of communication  
   - developing an innovative methodology of teaching and learning English;
  -  designing new teaching materials;
  -  establishing partnerships with schools, regional educational authorities and NGOs that are  not members of the consortium;
  -  exchanging good practices among partners.
   The project activities will have both short-term and long-term impacts. Short-term, they will result in enhanced teaching and learning skill of trainees, higher motivation to work and upgrade their professional qualification, heightened intercultural sensitivity, stronger partnerships; long-term, engagement of schools outside the project; more active involvement of regional authorities in 
intercultural  education.   
     In the middle of the second project year the project team will draw up a Sustainability Plan with clearly defined actions and responsibilities. After the end of the  EU funding, all partners we will continue to maintain  active contacts.  The following activities will be sustained:  maintaining the innovative platform for three additional years; training sessions; open lessons; ongoing communication with local, regional and national educational authorities.  We also plan to organize another summer school for pupils and teachers and therefore we intend to  approach foundations and other possible sources of financial support.
     The new methodology, the productive communication and  valuable exchange of good practices with our partners will be  the basis for  creating an innovative intellectual product. It will be made available online, on CDs or in a printed form. The intellectual product will be interactive  and could be periodically updated and enriched both in terms of form and content to include new hot topics from various fields and fresh approaches in tackling them.  We plan to apply for funding to finish the intellectual product.