On 17-18 September 2025, a workshop at the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) in Graz brought together over 30 participants – teachers, researchers, and education experts – from 27 European countries. They gathered to explore and provide feedback on lesson plans, design principles, and a teacher’s guide developed within the project CLILMat: CLIL teaching materials for 21st-century competences, led by Lies Sercu (KU Leuven, Belgium).

The materials produced in the CLILMat project support teachers and learners by linking Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) with the development of 21st-century competences such as critical thinking, collaboration, and digital literacy. Grounded in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the lesson plans encourage students to explore pressing global issues while developing both subject knowledge and language skills.

During the workshop, participants shared classroom experiences, provided constructive feedback, and exchanged perspectives from diverse contexts. Insights were collected through questionnaires and the collaborative CLILMat padlet, giving the project team valuable input for refining the resources to ensure their adaptability and practical relevance across Europe.

The workshop highlighted the importance of cross-European cooperation in shaping innovative approaches to education. The updated resources will be made freely available as open-access materials towards the end of 2026.

Eva Olsson for the CLILMat team

• CLILMat project website “CLIL teaching materials for developing 21st century competences” (2024-2026) available in English, French and German: www.ecml.at/CLILteachingmaterials