Die ECU-Kommission Schulschach

Summary

ECU EDU 2018 – 2022

Members of the commission

  • Jesper Bergmark Hall (Chair)
  • John Foley (Secretary)
  • Alessandro Dominici
  • Alexander Kostyev
  • Pep Suarez
  • Philippe Vukojevic
  • Walter Raedler
  • Christine Zoppas
  • Yonne Tangelder
  • Maria Tamkovich
  • Veli Ozan
  • Ferenc von Maurer
  • Christos Pilalis

The basic idea of the work of the commission

  • The idea of the commission has been to support the different federations, organizations, projects, and individuals working with CiS in Europe.
  • We have not come with the “only way” and “the only material” for CiS, but have been supporting the good stuff that are out there.
  • We want to take CiS in Europe to a new level and implement chess as a tool for developing social and intellectual skills.

Summary of the 4 years. What have we done?

  • We have listened to and gathered ideas and concepts for CiS around Europe and the world
  • We have invented and developed ECU courses for teachers an instructors
  • Given ECU courses and given out School Chess Teacher Certificates
  • Developed courses for online use
  • Supporting and arranging London School Chess Conference
  • Given out the Newsletter for CiS First rank in seven languages
  • Arranging monthly discussion Group Meetings for teachers and instructors
  • Leading a worldwide survey on CiS
  • Given consultancy to federations and organizations on CiS
  • Been arranging fund raising events
  • Created a platform for how to run projects
  • Been supporting the European school chess team tournament
  • Been part in Erasmus+ projects
  • Castle
  • CGS
  • CHAMPS
  • INFINTE
  • Given support to and given recognition to Alcala University
  • Given support to the creation of several projects, like a platform for minigames
  • We have tried to cooperate with FIDE and FIDE Education commission
  • Been a spider in the net: support to organizations, projects, and individuals

Evaluation

We are proud of the work that we have done. With small finances we have managed to bring CiS to a new level in Europe, by putting up a reference courses with an attached certificate system. We have been part of developing several different methods for teaching CiS. Due to that a lot of the work have been done voluntarily we sometimes have been delayed with our work, and sometimes lacked the stability that a professional organization with employed people have got.

We have sometimes lacked the possibility to promote all the good things with CiS in Europe and the work that we have done.

Due to covid we have lacked to have physical meetings the last wo years.

Advice to the next commission

It is time for the commission to make a stand. We now have experiences of the best methods for CiS and set-ups for school tournaments. The following years the commission should promote these and try to establish them in several countries in Europe to make benefits of the joined efforts.

The new commission should spend time and effort on promotion. There should be a plan for how to reach and persuade ministers of education and keypersons in the school systems of the countries of Europe.

If possible, there should be a Europe wide school chess tournament, that could be brand of the commission an could join the forces.