Creativity and Critical Thinking Course for Teachers on Erasmus+
A hands-on creativity and critical thinking course for teachers and education staff: lateral thinking, visual stimuli, questioning and debate, non-formal activities and digital tools to help your students tackle complex, open-ended problems. 100% fundable by your Erasmus+ grant and run by an accredited provider — accredited by the Italian Ministry of Education, holding an Erasmus+ accreditation and ISO 9001 certified. We handle all the Erasmus+ paperwork, from preparation to dissemination, so you just book your flights.
“This course was active and packed full of great activities that I feel prepared to use as soon as I am back in the classroom.”
- Next session 15/11/2026 · see all dates →
- Level All levels · English B1+
- Certificate Erasmus+ and Europass
- Where Bologna, Palermo, Tenerife, Athens, Porto, Zagreb
What is an Erasmus creativity and critical thinking course?
An Erasmus creativity and critical thinking course is a fully-funded professional development programme, delivered abroad under Erasmus+ Key Action 1 (KA1), that helps teachers and education staff encourage students to become more creative and to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. While we prepare students for real-world careers and 21st-century challenges, we can forget to create spaces where everyone brings out the best in themselves. This course builds your confidence with techniques and methods based on experiential learning, so your students can take on complex, open-ended challenges in a constantly changing world.
Below you’ll find who it’s for, what you’ll be able to do, how the week is run, why teachers rate ELA 5/5, and how your Erasmus+ grant covers it all. With ELA you get a genuine guarantee of quality — full compliance with Erasmus+ quality standards, real networking with peers, and end-to-end support from enrolment to the dissemination of your project — plus skills you learn in a practical way and can use as soon as you’re back.
Who it’s for — and who it’s not
This course is designed for teachers and trainers of every level (primary, secondary, vocational, adult and higher education), and educational and non-teaching staff (educational and career counsellors, school psychologists, headmasters, school management and administrative staff) — including training centres and NGOs. Participants come from all Erasmus+ eligible countries and should already hold an Erasmus+ grant for KA1.
A single session may bring together teachers from different school levels — part of what makes the networking so valuable.
It’s probably not the right fit if…
- you’re looking for a purely theoretical course — this one is active: you practise every activity before you design your own;
- you don’t have, and aren’t applying for, an Erasmus+ grant;
- your English is below B1 — you don’t need to be a native speaker and our trainers actively help, but you need a working level to take part and collaborate;
- you mainly want to plan and assess student projects → Introducing Project Based Learning in the Classroom is a better fit.
Teaching strategies for creativity and critical thinking: what you’ll be able to do
Strategies, tools and ideas tailored to your students — tried out in the group before you take them to class.
Spark creativity
Use creativity challenges, lateral thinking techniques and visual stimuli to strengthen imagination and motivation.
Train critical thinking
Run questioning, reasoning and debating activities and non-formal group exercises that foster higher-order thinking.
Design a creativity lesson
Design and deliver your own creativity lesson or workshop, with creative ways to assess learning.
Your Erasmus+ week, day by day
Below is the standard indicative programme, personalised on participants’ needs and professional profiles. You can arrive the day before the course starts and leave the day after it ends, for smoother travel. Tap a day to expand.
Day 1 — Welcome & introduction
- Participants’ arrival
- Course introduction
- Schools’ and institutions’ presentations & best-practice sharing
- Walking tour of the host city
Day 2 — Creativity & critical thinking basics
- Team-building exercises
- Needs and expectations evaluation
- 21st-century skills: the importance of developing and reinforcing innovation skills
- Overview of creativity and critical thinking: key concepts and principles
- Reflections on current teaching practices and styles
Day 3 — Lateral thinking & experiential learning
- Creativity challenges to discover the benefits of and barriers to creativity
- Understanding and practising lateral thinking techniques
- Creativity-based pedagogies and experiential learning activities to foster students’ motivation, participation and collaboration
- Cultural activities in the host city
Day 4 — Visual stimuli & the creative process
- The power of visual stimuli to strengthen imagination and creativity
- Understanding the creative process, person and environment
- The power of ICT tools to target and stimulate creativity and critical thinking
- Optional cultural visit outside the host city
Day 5 — Critical thinking in practice
- Understanding critical thinking skills
- The importance of questioning, reasoning and debating
- Practising group exercises and non-formal activities to foster higher-order thinking skills
Day 6 — Creative assessment & your own workshop
- Tools and guidelines for assessing and validating learning in a creative way through non-formal activities
- Designing and delivering your own creativity lesson or workshop to apply in class, using creativity skills and tools
- Farewell dinner
Day 7 — Follow-up, certification & departure
- Discussion of future cooperation and planning of follow-up activities
- Exchange of best practices and experiences
- Course round-up and final evaluation
- Validation of learning outcomes and certification ceremony
- Additional training session tailored to specific needs
- Participants’ departure
Pick your Erasmus+ date and European city
Courses run throughout the year in Bologna, Palermo, Tenerife, Athens, Porto and Zagreb — so you can match your mobility to your school calendar and choose the destination you’ll love.
We keep each session small on purpose — limited places per date, so the group stays collaborative and the trainer can follow everyone. Some dates below may already be fully booked: once a session fills up we can’t add participants. If a date is confirmed or open for enrolment, pre-register now to hold your place while your paperwork is finalised — pre-registration doesn’t commit you, it just keeps your seat until you confirm.
A confirmed session is guaranteed to run: it is never cancelled.
All courses are hosted and delivered by local Academies accredited by Erasmus Learning Academy and legally established in the country where the course takes place, in full compliance with Erasmus+ requirements and quality standards.
| Location | Starting Date | Ending Date | Status | Pre-registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenerife | 01/11/2026 | 07/11/2026 | Confirmed | Hold your spot — free |
| Bologna | 15/11/2026 | 21/11/2026 | Confirmed | Hold your spot — free |
| Tenerife | 24/01/2027 | 30/01/2027 | Open for Enrollment | Hold your spot — free |
| Bologna | 14/02/2027 | 20/02/2027 | 2 more participants to confirm | Hold your spot — free |
| Palermo | 07/03/2027 | 13/03/2027 | 2 more participants to confirm | Hold your spot — free |
| Zagreb | 18/04/2027 | 24/04/2027 | 2 more participants to confirm | Hold your spot — free |
| Tenerife | 25/04/2027 | 01/05/2027 | 2 more participants to confirm | Hold your spot — free |
| Bologna | 16/05/2027 | 22/05/2027 | Open for Enrollment | Hold your spot — free |
| Palermo | 27/06/2027 | 03/07/2027 | Open for Enrollment | Hold your spot — free |
| Tenerife | 18/07/2027 | 24/07/2027 | Open for Enrollment | Hold your spot — free |
| Bologna | 08/08/2027 | 14/08/2027 | Open for Enrollment | Hold your spot — free |
| Palermo | 03/10/2027 | 09/10/2027 | Open for Enrollment | Hold your spot — free |
| Zagreb | 03/10/2027 | 09/10/2027 | Open for Enrollment | Hold your spot — free |
| Athens | 17/10/2027 | 23/10/2027 | Open for Enrollment | Hold your spot — free |
| Porto | 24/10/2027 | 30/10/2027 | Open for Enrollment | Hold your spot — free |
| Tenerife | 31/10/2027 | 06/11/2027 | Open for Enrollment | Hold your spot — free |
| Bologna | 21/11/2027 | 27/11/2027 | Open for Enrollment | Hold your spot — free |
Why teachers choose this Erasmus+ creativity course
Designed around what matters most to Erasmus+ teachers: quality, simplicity and real classroom value.
100% Erasmus+ quality standards
Fully compliant with Erasmus+ quality standards and accredited for KA1 — your mobility is in safe, recognised hands.
We make Erasmus+ effortless
From the invitation letter to the Mobility Agreement and certificates, we prepare your documents and guide every step — so you sleep easy.
Sharing with fellow colleagues
Exchange ideas, share best practices and innovate together with educators from across Europe.
Practical, never just theory
Hands-on activities and group work — you build materials you can reuse, with the participant at the centre, not the trainer.
Support through to dissemination
We stay with you after the course too: dissemination video, articles and help sharing your Erasmus+ project.
Trusted & accredited
Recognised by the Italian Ministry of Education, ISO 9001 certified, 4.9/5 on Trustpilot and 5/5 on Google.
Teachers who took this Erasmus+ course, in their words
“This course was active and packed full of great activities that I feel prepared to use as soon as I am back in the classroom. Martina brought a calm, and enjoyable atmosphere and was very well prepared, as well as adept at manipulating her content to suit our needs. I would definitely recommend this course to any teacher thinking of taking it.”
“My Erasmus+ experience was really great. I’ve learned new creativity skills and I’ve already used some of them in my school. I met a nice group of teachers from others countries and I could share my experiences with them. I discovered a new country – Tenerife and I was excited with Teide volcano. Our tutors were well prepared and very pleasant.”
“I did the Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Problem Solving course in Palermo. Giulia and Daniele were amazing! The course was super engaging and a lot of fun. I can’t wait to pass on the information and activities to my coworkers and help foster creativity at my school. (…)”
Methodology, approach & learning outcomes
Methodology & approach
Our methodology is highly practical and participant-centred, in line with Erasmus+ quality standards: real-job examples, case studies, simulations, learning-by-doing, group and peer activities, and best-practice exchange among participants. Daily wrap-ups and brief evaluations keep the programme tailored to your group, and the multinational training team gives the course a genuine European dimension.
About the programme
This Erasmus+ course gives you different strategies, tools and ideas, tailored to your needs and realities, to inspire students’ creativity and motivation through innovative, interactive teaching methods based on experiential learning. You practise creativity challenges, lateral thinking, visual stimuli, questioning and debate, and design your own creativity lesson or workshop — while sharing practices with teachers and trainers from across Europe.
Learning outcomes
- Understand the differences between formal, non-formal and informal learning and the basic principles of non-formal education
- Broaden your knowledge of the principles of creative and critical thinking
- Practise activities and games that shape creative and critical thinking
- Engage and motivate students to collaborate effectively and develop problem-solving skills
- Develop and deliver experiential activities tailored to your students’ realities
- Get to know and practise ICT tools that stimulate creativity and critical thinking
- Exchange good practices with fellow colleagues and the course trainers on creativity-based pedagogies
- Network with individuals and organisations working in education across Europe
Every course is built to fit 100% within your Erasmus+ grant.
Everything that comes with your Erasmus+ place
We’re with you all day
A real person on chat before, during and after your mobility — questions answered fast.
Built to be Erasmus+ funded
Eligible for KA1 grants and designed to fit within your funding.
Flexible by design
Change dates or details easily — we keep restrictions to a minimum.
More than a classroom
Coffee breaks, networking meals and cultural moments are part of the experience.
An Erasmus+ compliant certificate
Includes the learning outcomes and every element your National Agency needs — plus the Europass Mobility document when your school opts in.
Dissemination made easy
A wrap-up video and help telling the story of your Erasmus+ project.
Why teachers trust Erasmus Learning Academy
One of Europe’s top Erasmus+ training providers since 2013, with 3,000+ teachers trained every year, 12,000+ in total, and top reviews on Trustpilot and Google. We support you through the whole journey — enrolment, documents, the course itself, and dissemination of your Erasmus+ project.
Real reviews from Trustpilot & Google
Life at our Erasmus+ courses
The trainers who guide your Erasmus+ course
These are some of our main teacher trainers across our European destinations. Behind every course there’s also a wider team of trainers, educators and administrative staff who support your Erasmus+ mobility from enrolment to dissemination.
Erasmus Learning Academy across the EU’s official platforms
Explore our funded projects, organisation profiles and eTwinning network on the European Commission’s official platforms.
Erasmus+ Projects
School Education Platform
EPALE
eTwinningHow Erasmus+ funding works — and what it costs
Erasmus+ is an EU programme that covers 100% of your teacher training abroad. Here’s how the grant works, and how our prices are built to fit within it.
What is Erasmus+ KA1?
How much money does Erasmus+ give?
Who is eligible?
How does the application work?
Is it really free?
What it costs
Teachers, trainers, headmasters and any other staff of education organisations are eligible for an Erasmus+ grant that covers all the costs of attending our training courses — travel, board and lodging, cultural activities and all fees. Our courses are tailored to be fully funded by Erasmus+, with different options to ensure the best comfort and quality at a price that stays within the grant.
We offer our courses in two packages. The Standard Package brings together training and accommodation in the same hotel, with breakfast, coffee breaks, networking meals (full board in Bologna) and cultural visits provided by us and fully covered by Erasmus+ funding — you just book your international flights. If you prefer to book your own room, the Essential Package (no accommodation) includes everything except accommodation and meals. We recommend the Standard Package: staying where the course takes place makes logistics, networking with fellow participants, safety and timing much easier.
The Standard Package costs EUR 1,415 in Bologna, EUR 1,235 in Palermo and Zagreb, EUR 1,265 in Tenerife, EUR 1,215 in Athens and EUR 1,335 in Porto. This price includes the course fee, certification and support fee, accommodation in a single room, breakfast, 2 coffee breaks per day, full board (in Bologna) or 3 networking meals (in the other locations), a walking tour in the venue’s city and a sum-up dissemination video.
You can stay in a single or a double room — whichever you prefer — and we can also arrange accommodation for people or relatives accompanying the participants.
Sending several colleagues? One contact, every document.
You coordinate your school’s Erasmus+ mobility on top of a full timetable. We take the paperwork, the logistics and the follow-up off your desk — for one teacher or for your whole staff.
- One dedicated contact person for your whole group, from enrolment to dissemination
- Every document your project needs: Mobility Agreements, invitation letters, detailed programme, certificates, Europass Mobility on request — and anything else your National Agency asks for
- Several sessions in the same week, so more colleagues can go at the same time — up to 3 per organisation in each session, so every group stays genuinely international
- Waiting for project approval? Pre-register now and cancel at no cost if your project is not approved
- Free rescheduling up to two months before the course, a flexibility many providers don’t offer
Email us about your group → (info@erasmuslearningacademy.eu)
Practical details
Language & accessibility
Held in English (B1+ recommended). Most participants are non-native speakers; clear language, written materials and peer support make everything accessible.
Food, accommodation & accompanying people
We cater to specific dietary needs (vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free and more). We can also arrange accommodation for accompanying people and family members — spots are limited, so pre-register early to secure yours.
How many funding days to request
We recommend requesting 9 days of individual support — 7 for the course plus 2 for travel — so you can plan your stay with more flexibility and enjoy every cultural activity, from the first day to the last.
Cancellation & reschedule
Choose our fully refundable option and we refund everything if you cancel. With the standard option you’re still covered: free rescheduling at any time for force majeure (serious illness, family emergencies), and no fee for reschedules requested at least 2 months before the course.
Is this creativity and critical thinking course right for you?
Do I need to be a “creative” person?
Does it work for any subject and age group?
What will I take home for my lessons?
Your Erasmus+ course questions, answered
How do I know this is a high-quality Erasmus+ programme?
My English is B1 — will I manage?
Is the course practical or theoretical?
Can I bring a partner or family member, and do you handle special diets?
Is there an official certificate?
What about paperwork and documents?
Do I need a visa or an invitation letter?
Do you have any accreditation?
What makes a course certificate valid for Erasmus+?
How can I be sure a course is really Erasmus+ compliant?
Is the course provider legally established in the country where the course takes place?
What if my National Agency asks for specific extra documents?
Are your courses fully funded by Erasmus+?
Why choose the Standard Package?
Can I pre-register now and confirm later?
Can I book accommodation through you?
What’s your cancellation and reschedule policy?
- Force majeure (serious illness, family emergencies): free rescheduling, whatever the timing
- Cancellation at least 4 weeks before the course: 80% refund · at least 7 days before: 50% refund
- Rescheduling (requested by email) at least 2 months before: free · at least 15 days before: 20% fee · at least 48 hours before: 40% fee
Can a colleague take my place if I can’t travel?
Do you provide a signed contract and an invoice?
Still have questions?
Talk to a real person about funding, dates or paperwork — we usually reply within a day.
Book with confidence: your booking is protected
Your Erasmus+ project doesn’t have to be approved yet. These are the booking terms on every ELA course.
- Book before your project is approvedIf your Erasmus+ project isn’t approved, you cancel for free.
- Nothing to pay to pre-registerPre-registration only holds your place. The invoice comes after the agreement with your organisation.
- Fully refundable optionWant zero risk? Ask for the fully refundable option when you book: if you cancel at least 48 hours before the course, you get all your money back.
- Free name changes, any timeIf a colleague can’t travel, change the participant’s name for free, even without notice.
- Free reschedulingEven without the fully refundable option, moving to another date is free if you let us know at least 2 months before the course. With later notice you can still reschedule, for a small fee.
- 80% back if you cancelCancelling is rare, but if you must: tell us at least 4 weeks before the course and you get 80% of the cost back.
- Free rescheduling for force majeureIf force majeure, as defined by the Erasmus+ rules, prevents your mobility, rescheduling is free, whatever the notice.
- No late-registration feeRegistering close to the start date? There’s no penalty for booking late.
Pre-register today: free and non-binding
Pre-registration commits you to nothing — it simply holds your place while we confirm the session and prepare your Erasmus+ documents.
Need your Erasmus+ coordinator’s OK first, or want a colleague to join you on the same course? Share it with them by email →
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