GIFT-The magic of knowledge

European countries have not developed a uniform system to support gifted students. This varies from country to country being often neglected, invisible and left to be taken care of by individual teachers. Instruction in public mixed classes often proves discriminatory for the gifted students who most often need challenges and be offered advanced content and complex learning methods to challenge their intellectual curiosity and exceptional problem-solving abilities across a broad range of disciplines. The project‘s scope is to ensure fair education alternative learning opportunities for all gifted high school students in 6 European schools, for a period of 2 years by using a highly participatory project-centred approach. The main objectives are: 1)to increase the number of gifted students who would like to enter competitions by 5% in 2020 as a result of creating a challenging and intellectually demanding environment for gifted students in 5 domains: Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Chemistry and languages; 2)to develop gifted students’ professional, personal or social skills by using inquiry based learning and ICT tools to support and stimulate the creative potential in and outside the 6 schools, by broadening their horizon with 5 experiential opportunities in special learning and teaching conditions not available in a single institution; 3)To offer teachers opportunities to exchange views, new curricula approaches and innovative teaching methods and to create 1 guide presenting methods of instruction for gifted students that will lead to students' integration and commitment in and outside school, ensuring success. At a concrete level, at least 1 web magazine for students to present their projects, 6 school project fairs, 1 teaching guide and 5 virtual resource rooms for each domain, created using ICT tools. In this context, the project creates opportunities for the highly intellectual students to collaborate with students of similar abilities and interests. The target group is formed of highly intellectual 14-19 year old highschool students from 6 European countries interested in self-development, and self-promotion. The methodology uses clustering students in groups of high achievers who have similar interests and offering experiential activities through various methods. The mixture of activities will develop competencies and skills such as being able to read, understand, integrate, and critically evaluate research texts to independently develop mini-projects, as well as using ICT for research, communication and presentations skills. By using open or enhanced forms of teaching such as workshops, project work, study visits the projects creates an extended curriculum of challenging learning tasks which allow advanced guidance of interests, self-development and dealing with a subject in depth. Learners are given freedom of choice and personalized learning goals related to subjects, but also guidance and professional assistance. Positivity and impact is developed at all school levels: students, teachers, school and other stakeholders. All high schools with similar needs could benefit from the results. Firstly, other teachers from outside the partnership instructing gifted students might be trained to use the methods and activities. Secondly, the methodological guide is open source, therefore freely available for consultation. Local universities will benefit from having contact with top skilled students they might attract to enroll or involve in future projects. The local community will gain skilled and well prepared citizens. Possible future partners might benefit from from the experience in Erasmus+.