Conference on the Future of STEM in Europe

On February 29th, the EU STEM Coalition hosted a gathering of approximately 80 stakeholders deeply involved in STEM education and policymaking at the North Rhine-Westphalia Representation Office. The conference featured a comprehensive program, including presentations of best practices, engaging panel discussions, and ample networking opportunities.

The primary objective of the conference was to unveil the STEM Memorandum, a comprehensive document outlining the EU STEM Coalition's visionary ideas to enhance STEM education. The key focus areas included:

1. Expanding Reach and Impact: By leveraging existing large-scale national and regional program infrastructure, the coalition aims to enhance implementation and scale-up efforts.
2. Promoting Flexibility: Advocating for a facilitatory, bottom-up approach to increase impact and adaptability, addressing diverse local, regional, and national needs within the Member States.
3. Inclusive Initiatives: Placing a heightened emphasis on fostering inclusivity within STEM programs and policies.

The conference kicked off with an opening address by Ms. Beatrice Boots, the director of the EU STEM Coalition, followed by a video message from Commissioner Illiana Ivanova, underscoring the crucial role of STEM graduates for the European Union. Mr. Jan Jambon, Minister-President of Flanders, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of collaborative learning to achieve the shared mission of boosting STEM graduation rates. Subsequently, he was presented with both the STEM Memorandum of the EU STEM Coalition and the STEM Memorandum of the Flemish STEM platform.

Highlighting exemplary STEM initiatives across Europe, members of the EU STEM Coalition showcased their impactful work during the conference. Zdi.NRW shared insights into their remarkable network of education labs, Astra presented their teacher-centric approach to science education, Innobasque discussed the success of their STEAM Euskadi network, Ciencia Viva emphasized the significance of Science centres, and LUMA Centre Finland provided a glimpse into their research-based solutions for mathematics, science and technology education to inspire children and youth and to support teachers’ everyday work and lifelong professional development. More information about all initiatives can be found here.

The conference featured two insightful panel discussions. The first, attended by professionals from industry, research, and society, underscored the critical need for a sufficient number of STEM graduates across various sectors. Participants called for the widespread dissemination of best practices showcased by EU STEM Coalition members throughout European organizations.

The second panel discussion, attended by EU policy officials, highlighted STEM education as a priority for the Commission and other EU institutions, such as the Committee of the Regions. The Commission expressed openness to collaborative suggestions and sought to enhance cooperation among different Directorates-General (DGs) working on STEM-related topics.

Francoise Chombar, chair of Melexis and the Flemish STEM platform, eloquently concluded the meeting by summarizing the event and capturing the collective enthusiasm to further elevate STEM education on the European agenda.