Reggio Emilia’s “Scuola Diffusa” at the European Parliament as an example of innovative education

Reggio Emilia continues to set the standard in education on the international stage. From May 26 to 28, a delegation of administrators, teachers, and school leaders is in Brussels at the European Parliament to participate in the conclusion of the European “Widespread School” project, which has been carried out over the past three years by our city as the lead partner, along with the twin cities of Zadar (Croatia) and Girona (Spain), and Espoo (Finland).

The project was developed by the Municipality of Reggio Emilia with the support of Fondazione E35 and carried out in collaboration with the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (DESU Department) and Fondazione Reggio Children,

Launched in Reggio Emilia as a pilot project during the pandemic and active from 2023 to 2026 as part of the Erasmus+ program (KA220 – Cooperation Partnerships in School Education), the project aims to promote “Widespread Education” by rethinking the relationship between schools, the local area, and the educational community. The approach promoted by the project goes beyond the idea of merely occasional educational activities outside the classroom and instead proposes a systemic vision of education, in which museums, libraries, parks, cultural institutions, civic spaces, and local organizations become an integral part of the educational experience of children and young people. Over the course of the three-year project, the European partnership carried out research, training, co-design, and experimentation activities in the four participating countries (Italy, Croatia, Spain, Finland), developing tools and methodologies to innovate teaching in primary and lower secondary schools through widespread education practices.

“Being present in Brussels, alongside all the public institutions and organizations involved in education and schools in our region, is of great value: it allows us to share related experiences and projects, open up new avenues for debate and reflection on the role of education in Europe, and work to forge new international partnerships—not only by sharing our experience, but also by building new approaches together,” emphasizes Marwa Mahmoud, the city councilor for Educational Policy, who concludes: “We wanted to involve the three key players of the Reggio Emilia Approach—Officina Educativa and Unimore—to affirm the value of Reggio Emilia’s educational system in Europe and around the world.”

Participation in the event provided an opportunity to promote the role of education and partnerships between schools and communities in innovating educational policies and quality, both in primary and lower secondary schools and in early childhood education.

In particular, the Reggio Emilia delegation participated in the final event of the project “Widespread Education: Sharing the Responsibility of Learning Together as a Community,” coordinated by Unimore, which facilitated a discussion on educational policies and the main challenges currently facing education systems. Particular attention was given to the role of cities and local educational ecosystems in promoting quality, inclusive education capable of connecting formal and non-formal learning through partnerships between schools, cultural institutions, local authorities, and communities.

On the sidelines of the event, the delegation from Reggio Emilia took part in several meetings with the Committee of the Regions, the Italian Mission to the European Union, and the City of Ixelles to present Reggio Emilia’s education system—from early childhood through university—as a whole and to explore prospects for European Union policies and investments in the field of education.

The visit, organized by the City of Reggio Emilia, was coordinated by the E35 Foundation in close collaboration with the Emilia-Romagna Regional Office in Brussels and included representatives from schools and preschools, Officina Educativa, the Reggio Children Foundation, Reggio Children srl, Unimore, and the city’s comprehensive schools that participated in the project.

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