The STEAM NEXT STEP Academy aims to establish a Europe-wide platform for prospective and practising teachers and school administrators who would like to integrate effective STEAM methods – i.e. approaches from science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics – into their teaching. The project thus responds directly to key educational policy challenges and helps schools make learning more practical, creative, and socially relevant. The project builds on a previous project from 2015-2018, which was also coordinated by the University of Bayreuth. The kick-off marks the start of this ambitious collaboration and lays the foundation for a shared vision, coordinated implementation and long-term impact in European teacher training through STEAM. After all, teachers are the most important multipliers for future generations.
The consortium:
1. University of Bayreuth – Germany (coordination)
2. University of Cyprus – Cyprus
3. Høgskulen på Vestlandet – Norway
4. University of Malta – Malta
5. University of Linz – Austria
6. Ellinogermaniki Agogi – Greece
7. NUCLIO – Portugal
8. Science View – Greece
9. Maggioli – Italy
10. Ministério da Educação, Ciência e Inovação – Portugal
Associated partners:
1. MINT-EC – Germany
2. Chania Directorate of Primary Education – Greece
"If we want the next generation to act creatively, critically, and responsibly, we must empower the teachers who educate them," says Prof. Dr. Bogner, project manager at the University of Bayreuth. "With the STEAM NEXT STEP Academy, we are creating a European platform that shares knowledge, deepens skills, and sustainably develops teacher training."
The project is based on key international and European educational policy frameworks, including the European Commission's STEM Education Strategic Plan (2025), UNESCO's four pillars of learning (learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be) and the Curricular Priorities for Educational Futures (UNESCO, 2021). The three-year budget amounts to €1.875 million.
