Even though there are proven benefits of enhanced social, emotional and intercultural (SEI) competencies on an individual, classroom and school level these are so far not explicitly included in national educational policies across Europe (OECD, 2015). The HAND in HAND: project aims to provide a systemic tool in a form of SEI competence development program (for students and for school staff). The overall aim of the HAND in HAND project is providing equal opportunity in public education for an increasing number of immigrants and refugees, that can only be addressed in mutual collaboration between participating states (8 partners from 5 countries). Together with the research design of the HAND in HAND project, the paper will focus in more detail in the policy contexts in which SEI competences are being developed within participating member states. In order to get an insight to the specific national contexts shaping the recognition and implementation of SEI learning HAND in HAND Policy questionnaire was developed. and administered in five states involved in HAND in HAND policy experimentation. The questionnaire is designed in a form of open questions with three subsections: a) national and regional policies regarding SEI learning (8 questions with sub questions); b) policy-research literature on policy initiatives regarding SEI learning and its impact (6 questions with sub questions); and c) evidence-based evaluations and their implementations in the field of school education (6 questions with sub-questions). It is based on national reviews of formal national / regional policy documents, basic legislative documents and operational documents, statistical information, formal national reports to international networks and organisations and policy-oriented research studies. The aim was to develop an in-depth understanding of national and regional policy initiatives and their impact on promoting and mainstreaming SEI learning in school education. In the presentation, the first findings of the comparative analyses across five countries: Slovenia, Germany, Sweden, Croatia will be presented. These comparative policy insights and the results of implementation of the HAND in HAND SEI programmes in schools will examine, how schools and school systems in participating countries and across the EU can change, improve to better serve the diverse needs of their pupils and to succeed despite unfavourable odds and how they can better promote the social, emotional and intercultural competence of all pupils.

OECD (2015). Skills for Social Progress: The Power of Social and Emotional Skills. Paris: OECD Publishing. HAND in HAND policy questionnaire. Unpublished material.