School Education: Stem Education Centres

European policy experimentations are transnational cooperation projects that involve developing, implementing and testing the relevance, effectiveness, potential impact and scalability of activities to address policy priorities in different countries. By combining strategic leadership, methodological soundness, and a strong European dimension, they enable mutual learning and support evidence-based policy at European level.

Themes and priorities (scope)

This topic would aim to support a gradual establishment and development of transnational collaborative partnerships and networks of STEM Education Centres to strengthen and/or build up local and regional STEM/STEAM learning ecosystems for educational innovation and social inclusion. Such ecosystems should respond to different cultural and educational contexts and varying, specific needs in each EU country, while building on existing structures and initiatives where available, or creating new ones. The Centres should be guided by the community-based learning concepts such as the whole school approach [1] or an open schooling [2], and align with the latest advances in STEM fields e.g. linked to the green and digital transitions, based on research; they should promote a systemic approach in STEM and STEAM education, e.g. with aggregated pedagogical standards, monitoring of learning outcomes, and professional development of educators, going far beyond a simple provision of quality STEM and STEAM education teaching and learning.

By fostering collaborative partnerships and networks operating at multiple levels (local, regional and transnational), the Centres will support European-wide cooperation; through bringing together and empowering STEM ecosystems from across Europe, the Centres will contribute to reducing existing disparities in STEM and STEAM education provision among countries and regions. This would enable educators, educational institutions, policy makers, higher education institutions, researchers and industry and their ecosystems to innovate, share and scale good practice in a long term, sustainable efforts.

More information about this topic is available in the Call for proposals European policy experimentations (ERASMUS-EDU-2026-POL-EXP).

[1] A whole-school and whole-system approach represents an important precondition for educational reform and practice that emphasises the interconnectedness of all components—"interacting subsystems”—within the educational ecosystem (Cefai et al., 2021, p. 10). At the school level, it involves the collective responsibility of teachers, administrators, students, parents, and the entire educational community (including non-formal and informal education providers) but also the alignment and coherence of governance, planning, teaching and learning, and assessment practices. This ensures that all parts of the school operate synergistically to create a cohesive and supportive learning environment promoting academic success of all learners. At system level, this implies a collaborative effort between policymakers, educational agencies, businesses, and relevant stakeholders (e.g. active civil society organisations, universities, social services) at all levels of governance. However, it also involves fostering internal coherence within and across policies, practices, and resources to ensure that reforms are systemic and sustainable (Hopkins et al., 2014). It acknowledges that improving education outcomes requires collaboration and coherence across the entire system, not just within schools but in the broader socio-political context that surrounds education.

[2] Open Schooling is an approach that focuses on interdisciplinary STEM-based collaboration between schools and their wider communities. External stakeholders, such as science centres and museums, enterprises, research institutions, parent associations. etc. work together with teachers and students to address relevant societal challenges, contribute to community development, and promote active citizenship, while delivering the curriculum. Open schooling offers students the opportunity to learn together in real-life settings. This approach is supported by various initiatives, such as the Open Schools for Open Societies, Schools as Living Labs, Make it Open, Road-STEAMer, STEAM Learning Ecologies, MULTIPLIERS and others. See also Science Education for Responsible Citizenship (Expert Group report to the EC, 2015).