European society needs an innovative science education which shall enable todays' and tomorrows' citizens to play a more active role in the Research and Innovation process, and to set young students on career paths in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The EDU-ARCTIC project has developed a programme for secondary schools, dedicated to engaging students in STEM education through Arctic and polar research. EDU-ARCTIC, an EU H2020 funded project from May 2016 until July 2019, focused on using Arctic research and knowledge as a vehicle to strengthen science education curricula and to encourage interest in STEM among secondary school students, aged 13-20 years, by providing an innovative and attractive educational programme and tools, accessible to schools all across Europe and beyond.
The Arctic is an area of opportunities and threats with its vast, harsh, intriguing and picturesque environment. It is home to millions of people and peoples of numerous ethnic origin and culture, hoping for a good and sustainable live for them and their generations to come. It´s environment is fragile yet extremely diverse and colourful. Due to its richness of natural resources and other economic potentials, such as the opening of new shipping routes and tourism, the Global economic interest is raising. Advanced understanding of the regions impact on the Global climate is also furthering scientific and political interest. In order to understand and minimize the threats and allow for sustainable utilization of the region’s resources for the Global welfare we need to transform Arctic knowledge into skills.
Awareness on environmental issues and climate change is rapidly raising Globally, making the encouragement of STEM careers very relevant and impactful. To facilitate the foreseen need for increased and enhanced knowledge and skills among Europeans on Arctic related issues in the near and distant future the EDU-ARCTIC project has produced educational material, tools and educational approaches and established lasting links between the research and education communities.
The EDU-ARCTIC project developed and initiated a mix of different tools to bring a fresh approach to teaching STEM subjects, including: 532 online webinar lessons; a “citizen science” environmental monitoring program; three teacher training seminars; online “Polarpedia” portal in 17 languages with up to 486 terms and three students Arctic competitions through which six teams of students and teachers got the rare opportunity to visit the Arctic. Students have been provided with unique possibilities to get to know different research disciplines and the understanding of scientific research and careers.
An important objective of EDU-ARCTIC was to permanently increases the number of girls pursuing STEM careers. This has been approached by using methods and language sensitive to gender issues. The participation of girls in the Arctic Competitions is an indication that the objective has been met and highlighted by the Arctic Explorer Game App, based on a competition entry by a Faroe Islands female student. Lastly, the project has built the competences of teachers in STEM fields.
Based on the positive and strong impact of the project and its highly favourable outcomes, the partners have all agreed to support and pursue the sustainability of EDU-ARCTIC and its replications. This includes an MoU between the partners, identification of new partners of strategic importance and the exploration of existing or possible financing schemes through public and private financing. First steps in the replication of the projects result have already been taken by project partners, including through participation in INTERACT lll, application for EEA funding and discussions with other networks in and outside of the EU.
