Stem for Future

New Erasmus + KA2 programme to develop greater awareness of STEM career opportunities among young people

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

STEM for future (‘A stem for the future’, but also ‘STEM for the future’) aims to develop a greater knowledge and culture among young people of new career opportunities enabled by technology, with training initiatives to enhance their STEM skills through non-traditional teaching methods.

The objectives of the project are:

1. To develop and test a method for improving the STEM skills of young people approaching the end of upper secondary school to support their future study and career choices;
2. to develop an evaluation methodology to recognise the knowledge and skills acquired through the above experience and to measure the impact on the participants
3. to promote the exchange of experiences, good practices and results, and to develop guidelines for the transfer and replication of training activities in different EU countries.

The project involved about 100 students in the last years of upper secondary education, mainly from non-technical/technological backgrounds, on the threshold of an important choice for their future.

The project is structured as follows:

1. Planning and implementation of 4 national camps and 1 international summer camp to introduce young people to STEM disciplines and guide them towards relevant future studies and careers (involving 100 students);
2. Develop a step-by-step process of evaluation and revision of the educational activities, leading to the definition of a methodological format for STEM learning from a gender perspective;
3. To construct and describe experiences, good practices and impact evaluations to produce recommendations and guidelines for teachers to replicate the tool in other territories;
4. To design and define a methodological tool for evaluating the competences and impact of STEM training;
5. Activate a mutual learning process between the partners, enabling them to consolidate and extend their competences in implementing innovative training and guidance pathways for young people.
6. To facilitate and develop a network (schools, training institutions, universities, NGOs, companies and associations) that promotes the advancement of young people in STEM education and careers.

Partners in Italy, Estonia, Portugal and Spain developed a method for planning and conducting STEM camps. In addition, a tool to assess the impact of such activities on students’ future choices. Finally, a set of guidelines and recommendations for implementing STEM policies in upper secondary schools to enable the replicability of the pilot actions carried out within the Project and their possible incorporation into the curricula of other schools in partner countries and elsewhere.

The project also includes teachers and trainers among its target groups to ensure the use and dissemination of the products and results. Through the use of the tools developed in the project and the involvement of teachers, the project contributes to the renewal of school curricula. It could include modules to approach STEM subjects and, at the same time, the adjustment of the teaching methods and contents.

This kind of change can also increase the attractiveness of the school’s educational offerings, both at the entry level – towards the families of potential new students – and at the exit level – towards the families of potential new students, as well as outgoing -to universities and the world of work.

Activities

Project results

Partners

The project, approved by the Italian National Agency INDIRE, 2021-1-IT02-KA220-SCH-000034362), involved the following five partners: IFOA – Istituto Formazione Operatori Aziendali (IT); UNIMORE – Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia (IT); Saaremaa Gümnaasium (EE); EDUGEP – Concepção, desenvolvimento e Gestão de projectos de natureza educacional, social e cultural LDA (PT); CIPFP Misericordia – Centro Integrado Público de Formación Profesional Misericordia (ES)

Related pages

• “Stem for Future” page – Estonia
• “Stem for Future” page – Spain
• “Stem for Future” page – Portugal
• “Stem for Future” page – Italy, Unimore
• “Stem for Future” page – Italy, IFOA

Contacts