European coordination network and activities to embrace a sustainable and inclusive STEAM educational system: the blend of artistic and creative approaches in STEM education, research & innovation

Project Information

STEAMbrace

Grant agreement ID: 101132652

DOI

10.3030/101132652

EC signature date 6 November 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 31 December 2026

Funded under

• Culture, creativity and inclusive society

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 2 884 085,75

Coordinated by

CASA EDELVIVES
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - STEAMbrace (European coordination network and activities to embrace a sustainable and inclusive STEAM educational system: the blend of artistic and creative approaches in STEM education, research & innovation)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The project to bridge the gender gap in STEM education in Europe
The STEAMbrace project aims to address the existing gender gap within fields by leveraging the potential of STEAM education. The project seeks to empower future European innovators, with a particular focus on encouraging participation among women. STEAMbrace wants to break boundaries and build bridges – literally – by establishing a European-wide alliance: the STEAM Alliance for Europe.


This project is not just about some run-of-the-mill educational activities, but about bringing together creative thinkers and evidence-based strategies to create a STEAM education methodology inclusive, sustainable, and socially impactful. To achieve this thrilling challenge, a diverse consortium of experts (including Cultural and Creative Industries, or CCIs) have teamed up to drive forces in innovation. The STEAMbrace project will collaborate with educational institutions and students between 11 and 18 years old to uncover the gaps and limitations in traditional STEM education. From country-specific training activities to empowering young women and rural students, the STEAMbrace aim is clear: to revolutionize STEAM education across Europe.

Facing the future
OBJECTIVES

1
Set up the STEAM Alliance for Europe, the coordination network for STEAM education in Europe
2
Unravel the gaps in STEM education in Europe per country, age, gender, socio-cultural aspects,
3
Co-create and test STEAM training activities for 11-18 years old students to boost STEM studies & creative skills
4
Set up the preparatory actions towards the first STEAM week
5
Implement and monitor the pilot of the EU STEAM week: “STE(A)M week for future women innovators
6
Ensure the sustainability and reproducibility of project outcomes through solid exploitation activities
7
Maximize the project impact via strong dissemination and communication activities & clustering activities

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The first year of STEAMbrace started timidly and stretched while the engine was getting temperature to run at full speed and made steam the power to make its partners run.
After a KoM in Zaragoza where all the partners got together and planned the first months, all the project management guidelines were designed and shared. Special attention was given to the use of information of children and its anonymity with the permission and consent from parents, following all the EU regulations. Besides, although STEAM education is not just a question of girls and women, there is a pivotal component of gender issues in STEAMbrace as we are using the soft skills associated with STEAM education to improve the role of girls and women in the STEM fields.
Much of the work done in the first year has been dedicated to three main points:
1. Setting the baseline of STEM fields and STEAM education in Europe, thanks to the deep analysis of the previous scientific bibliography. The state of the art has proven most of our previous theories, the ones that made us choose this topic for the project, but have also refined some of our concepts. This has been a huge influence in the next point.
2. Co-creation of STEAM activities for formal (schools) and non-formal (museums, etc) education. This process was not only the idealization of the activity but also writing the guides and the age parameters or the list of materials.
3. Establishment of the STEAM Alliance for Europe with all the statutes, mission and vision and the search for members. The inauguration of the office in Zaragoza was a very good PR event, though in 2025 already, with the city council of Zaragoza, the regional government of Aragón, the University of Zaragoza, ITA (Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón) or Fundación Ibercaja, as well as several entities related with STEAM education. This was made under the frame of 11F, the international day of women and girls in science, which enlarged the impact of the event, the project and also our objectives in gender issues.
4. And finally, though this has taken place in the second year, the STEAM Congress that was held in Göthemburg; Sweden, with experts in STEAM education and everything related to equality of men and women in science, thanks to our partner WiTEC.
5. The first annual meeting was held in Zagreb, Croatia, hosted in November 2024 by EFZG, and helped us prepare the STEAM Congress and all the activities for the second year.
The development of STEAMbrace is keeping the consortium very busy but also very active. It’s a very challenging project but also very exciting: education is such an important foundation of the European society that we all feel that we are achieving something. The consortium is working hard and enthusiastically so we are very confident that the results will come.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The main result is the co-creation of the STEAM activities for formal and non-formal education. This has been properly defined and characterized.
At the same time, though this has taken place in the second year, one half of the first year of the project has been to prepare and organize the first STEAM Congress that took place in February 2025 in Gothemburg, Sweden.
Finally, another key result this first year has been the STEAM Alliance for Europe and the contacts with stakeholders from all over Europe and the synergies that we have shared and other EC financed project related to STEAM education.