Winners

Germany – ‘European CNC Network – Train for EUROPE’

In November 2006, the ‘Train for Europe’ project was launched by BBS TGHS Bad Kreuznach as the coordinating school. It is the largest COMENIUS school partnership funded by the EU, in which over 1,500 trainees from 24 European countries worked together to design a locomotive and carriages based on the ‘Airbus’ principle. Each carriage represents a country. The ‘Train for Europe’ has a track gauge of 90 mm, a length of approx. 8 metres and runs on a 12-metre-diameter rail track. Three meetings were held in Albi (France), Ivrea (Italy) and Barcelona (Spain) to coordinate the project. In June 2009, the ‘Train for Europe’ was successfully tested at a final meeting in Bad Kreuznach (Germany) and Geel (Belgium). Media outlets such as SWR, ZDF and SAT.1 covered the event. The highlight was the presentation at the European Parliament in Brussels. The project impressively symbolises European cooperation and the European idea.

Bulgaria – Engineering Competition (BEC – BEST Engineering Competition)

The BEST Engineering Competition brought together young Europeans from 11 countries with different cultures, temperaments and languages. It was organised by BEST Sofia (Board of European Students of Technology) with the aim of opening up young scientists to new ideas while preserving their identity. Twenty-one participants from 150 applicants were divided into five multinational teams and had to solve challenging tasks, such as designing a robot that collects scrap and waste and uses environmental energy. The event took place at the Technical University of Sofia, with over 100 students and company representatives as guests. In addition to the technical tasks, participants were offered cultural activities, including a trip to Plovdiv and an international evening. The competition showed how European cooperation and cultural diversity can lead to great achievements and strengthen the European spirit.