MEDEA Awards Organising Committee announce 8 MEDEA Finalists. The overall winner will be announced during the MEDEA Awards Ceremony on 4 December 2009 in the Hotel InterContinental in Berlin (alongside Online Educa Berlin).

This year the competition attracted 254 entries from 39 countries which was a significant increase in entries compared to last year. Entries this year came in from all types of organisation including professional production facilities, schools, audio-visual departments of universities, training providers, public authorities, public service broadcasters and content providers.

The aim of the annual MEDEA Awards is to encourage innovation and good practice in the use of media in education. Their purpose is to recognise and promote excellence in the production and pedagogical design of media-rich learning resources at all levels of education, and to highlight good practice in the use of media and video in the classroom. Take a look at the 2008 show reel which features short extracts from the work of the 6 MEDEA award winners in 2008.

The MEDEA Awards have expanded this year with two new awards, the MEDEA Award for Creativity and Innovation and the European Collaboration Award. The MEDEA Award for Creativity and Innovation, set up to coincide with the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009 will specifically award creative and innovative use of media by educators and learners. The European Collaboration Award in educational media production and use will recognise excellent productions and projects that come about as a result of European cross-border collaboration.

The MEDEA Awards 2009 are now open for submissions of entries and deadline of wednesday 30th September, 12 PM (midnight).