Label OI

How did it begin?

In order to enhance the experience of each institution, the DDEC* of Loire-Atlantique based in Nantes, created in 2016 the Label « Etablissement Ouvert à l’International » (Educational Institution Open to the International).

Indeed, this Label is aimed at pushing the institution to create new European and international projects for the pupils. This team project is intended for all our pupils from primary to high school.

The validation is delivered by an official commission composed by the DDEC*, headmasters (certified with the Label), and the French rectorate. They all grade the relevance of the application.

In 2021, our Label has been spread nationally in order for all Catholic pupils and members of the school community to have equal chances through all France. It is since called Label "Ouverture Internationale" (International Openness).

Ensure equal opportunities

In France, Catholic middle school and Catholic general high school are almost all in an international dynamic (student exchange, twinning...).

However, Catholic primary and vocational high school have more difficulties to develop European and international projects. In French Catholic education, we believe that no pupils nor members of a school should be left aside. So, in order not for them to feel left out, the DDEC* of Nantes created two Erasmus projects called a Consortium:

• One Consortium, for the Catholic primary schools: Schools 44 Abroad.

• And one Consortium, for the Catholic vocational high schools: EURO MOV'.

Today there are 71 schools certified in Loire-Atlantique.