STEAMBRACE, Bridging the gender gap in STEM education in Europe
Description
This project aims to bridge the current gender gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields by unlocking the potential of the STEAM (STEM + Arts) education approach for future European innovators, especially women. By creating the STEAM Alliance—a European network of educational institutions, cultural and creative industries, and technology enterprises—STEAMBrace will foster collaboration and drive innovative educational practices.
Central to STEAMBrace's mission is the development of tailored training programs for students aged 11-18, designed to bridge the gender gap and enhance creative and technical skills. The project will also launch the EU’s inaugural "STE(A)M Week for Future Women Innovators", highlighting the role of women in STEM and promoting inclusivity.
Beyond its educational impact, STEAMBrace is dedicated to creating lasting change by supporting rural development and promoting social inclusion. The project will generate policy recommendations to influence educational practices across Europe and engage in extensive dissemination activities to maximize its impact. By focusing on sustainable and inclusive practices, STEAMBrace aims to shape a more innovative and equitable future for STEAM education.
Basic information
Coordinator
EDELVIVES, https://www.edelvives.com/
Programme
Horizon Europe (programme-horizon-europe)
Project Acronym
Target groups
education authorities, policy makers, researchers, secondary school students, teachers, university students, university lecturers
Topic
Gender in STEM, Education
Start year
2024
End year
2026
Contact person
Juancho Pons, juancho.pons@edelvives.es
STEAMBrace will provide novel STEAM actions, solutions, and scientific findings with an interdisciplinary, inter-regional, and multi-actor consortium that will contribute to:
- Monitor the level of STEAM education in Europe;
- Boost networking and clustering among STEAM stakeholders;
- Develop cutting-edge STEAM activities and trainings for both students and educators;
- Deliver best practices, policy recommendations, handbooks, and follow-up plans for the sustainable reproducibility of the STEAM solutions;
- Provide a common digital networking platform for students and stakeholders to support EC ambitions (European Education Area, European Skills Agenda, Digital Education Plan, etc.).
STEAMBrace‘s actions will follow a multi-stakeholder approach, where CCIs (Cultural and Creative Industries) are drivers of creative-driven innovation ecosystems, combined with the active learning of students aged 11-18. This approach will help better understand the gaps and limitations of STEM education per country, age, gender, socio-cultural aspects, etc., and drive change towards a European sustainable, inclusive, and reproducible STE(A)M education system.
By promoting environmentally responsible, socially inclusive, and economically balanced education, STEAMBrace will positively influence the transition towards cultural and social cohesion across Europe.
Papers
The main activities to be carried out are:
- Develop the STEAM Alliance for Europe, a coordination network for stakeholders related to the STEAM approach.
- Establish the European baseline on STEAM education for students aged 11-18, mapping the gaps.
- Co-create sustainable and inclusive STEAM training activities for students aged 11-18, including VR and AR to engage students in pursuing STEM fields, especially female and rural students.
- Develop and implement the pilot of the EU STEAM Week (STE(A)M Week for Future Women Innovators), engaging STEM students in 7 countries, with special efforts on female students and rural areas.
- Design and implement the first STEAM contest, a national and EU competition between student squads.
- Develop and execute the 1st and 2nd STEAM Congress for stakeholders.
- Procure evidence of positive impacts of artistic approaches in STEM.
- Deliver a digital STEAM hub, a digital platform for participant networking for both students and stakeholders.
- Collect the best STEAM educational practices to ensure sustainable and inclusive STEAM procedures in schools.
- Deliver 4 follow-up STEAM boosting courses for secondary and VET educators.