House of European History - Post B: Learning and Outreach team

As the voice of citizens, the European Parliament stands for European democracy. DG Communication (DG COMM) amplifies its message of the Parliament to reach every corner of Europe. We help connect Members of Parliament to the people they represent, and we communicate what the Parliament is, what it does, and what it stands for. When Parliament speaks, we make sure it’s heard.

We are committed communication professionals coming from various professional and academic backgrounds.

A project of the European Parliament and part of its visitor offer, the House of European History (HEH) is academically independent. The HEH aims to become the leading museum about transnational phenomena, which have shaped our continent. 

Our transnational collection, our exhibitions and our programmes provide unexpected and inspiring experiences. Through outreach and partnerships, we aim to strengthen the European dimension in debating, exhibiting and learning about history. A place for encounters and exchange, the House's multi-faceted interpretation of the past builds bridges to questions relevant for today's Europe.

You will be working in the Learning & Outreach team, alongside 9 people dealing with all the aspects of museum education, public programming, and events. 

The Learning & Outreach team helps bring the content and perspectives of the House of European History to life in creative, engaging and accessible ways. 

Its programmes explore the complexity and diversity of European history, encourage the exchange of ideas and invite visitors to question assumptions and consider different perspectives.

The museum connects Europe’s past with questions facing Europe today. Its learning programmes aim to create meaningful experiences in which visitors can actively engage with history, develop their own perspectives and enter into dialogue with others. The House of European History provides a distinctive space in which people of different ages, backgrounds and experiences can encounter European history together. Through its exhibitions, workshops, events and educational activities, the museum encourages curiosity, critical thinking and a deeper understanding of Europe in all its complexity.

Read more of the HEH on: https://historia.europa.eu/en

During your five months traineeship, you will work primarily on the development and evaluation of learning offers for secondary school students, teachers and museum educators. A key area of involvement will be the further development of the Conversation cards, new learning offer for secondary school students visiting the museum independently with their teachers. The approach uses historical objects and dilemmas to encourage students to discuss different perspectives, make collective decisions and determine how they move through the exhibition.

Following the testing of the first prototype, you will contribute to analysing and integrating the findings into the next stage of development. You will help identify what works, what needs to be adapted and how the findings can inform the final educational concept and format.

You will also contribute to the next phase of the Hope Manifesto, developed following the HEH international teacher conference History and Hope: Learning for Change (https://historia.europa.eu/en/learn/hope-manifesto). The project explores how hope can be used as an educational approach in history education and museum learning. In this next phase, we will work with teachers and museum educators to understand how they use hope in their practice and what impact they observe on learners. You will help engage practitioners, collect and analyse evidence, and explore ways of documenting and evaluating these practices. 

Throughout the traineeship, you will work closely with experienced colleagues and engage with teachers, museum educators and other professionals in the field. You will have opportunities to contribute your own insights and ideas while developing practical experience in museum learning, educational research and programme development.

In these projects, you will mainly work on:

• Analyse feedback and evaluation findings and help translate them into recommendations for learning programmes;
• Contribute to the development of museum learning approaches and materials;
• Conduct educational research and support the collection and analysis of evidence;
• Engage with teachers, museum educators and other educational professionals;
• Contribute to workshops, meetings and, where relevant, events involving educators;
• Carry out research from a museum education and audience perspective.

Other tasks you might be involved in:

• Assisting with outreach to cultural, educational and other relevant organisations on local and international level;
• Preparing presentations and training materials on request;
• Helping with other tasks on request.

We need someone who is:

• Passionate about Museum Education and Learning: You are interested in creating meaningful learning experiences for young people and educators through dialogue, participation and critical thinking;
• Curious and Research Minded: You are interested in how learning programmes are developed, tested and improved through research and evaluation;
• Organised and Proactive: You can work independently (also under tight deadlines), take initiative and actively contribute to the work of the Learning team;
• A Strong Communicator and Team Player: You communicate confidently with different audiences and enjoy collaborating and contributing within an international and multidisciplinary team. 

Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s or  Master’s degree, or advanced studies, in Museum Education, Museum Studies, Education Sciences, Heritage Studies, Public History, History or a related field - you have obtained/will obtain a university degree (level 6 of EQF or higher) at least three months before the starting date of the traineeship; 
• A strong interest in museum education and formal learning;
• An interest in educational research, evaluation and participatory learning; relevant practical experience is an asset;
• Fluent in English, oral and written; additional languages, particularly French, Dutch or German, are an asset. 

The European Parliament is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. We welcome all candidates, regardless of their geographical, racial or ethnic origin, political or religious beliefs, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, civil status, or family situation.