Parsberg, Germany | 20–21 January
The STEAM NEXT STEP Academy project officially launches with its Kick-off Meeting taking place on 20 and 21 January in Parsberg, Germany, bringing together leading European organisations committed to transforming teacher education through innovative STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) approaches.
Responding directly to the challenges identified in the European Commission’s STEM Education Strategic Plan: Skills for Competitiveness and Innovation (2025), the STEAM NEXT STEP Academy aims to establish a pan-European STEAM Academy for pre-service and in-service teachers, as well as school leaders. The project focuses on equipping and upskilling educators with the competences needed to effectively apply STEAM approaches in educational practice and professional life, supporting Europe’s broader education transformation.
STEAM NEXT STEP aspires to ensure that every teacher, regardless of subject area or professional experience, can actively contribute to and benefit from this transformation. By providing educators with tools, knowledge, and competences to integrate STEAM meaningfully into teaching and learning, the project promotes inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education that respects and upholds EU values. Teaching and learning are envisioned as more engaging, interactive, and responsive to the needs of local communities.
Aligned with the Erasmus+ Teacher Academies initiative, the project places strong 
emphasis on networking, collaboration, and community building. Through a combination of virtual, physical, and blended mobility actions, as well as dedicated networking events, STEAM NEXT STEP will facilitate experience sharing, exchange of best practices, and the development of sustainable communities of practice across Europe. These actions will enhance teachers’ professional development while reinforcing the European dimension of teacher education.
The project embraces key international and European policy frameworks, including the European Commission’s STEM Education Strategic Plan (2025), UNESCO’s four pillars of education (learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together, and learning to be), and the Curricular Priorities for Educational Futures (UNESCO, 2021). In doing so, STEAM NEXT STEP aims to position itself as a leading initiative for STEAM integration in education, acting as a European and global laboratory of ideas, contributing to policy dialogue, setting standards, and building long-term capacity in teacher education.
Integrating STEAM into education systems is widely recognised as essential for preparing learners for the demands of contemporary society. However, STEAM NEXT STEP highlights that the decisive factor for successful integration is the continuous professional development of teachers. Well-prepared educators, capable of working across disciplines and applying innovative methodologies in the classroom, are at the core of sustainable and impactful STEAM education.
The STEAM NEXT STEP consortium brings together 10 full partners from 8 European countries, alongside 2 associated partners, combining strong expertise in STEAM education, pedagogical research, teacher professional development, and large-scale educational innovation. The consortium includes organisations from Germany, Cyprus, Norway, Malta, Austria, Greece, Portugal, and Italy, ensuring a broad geographical and cultural coverage and a strong European added value.
The Kick-off Meeting in Parsberg marks the starting point of this ambitious collaboration, setting the foundations for shared vision, coordinated implementation, and long-term impact in European teacher education through STEAM.
The Partnership:
- UNIVERSITAT BAYREUTH – Germany (Coordinator)
- UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS – Cyprus
- HOGSKULEN PA VESTLANDET – Norway
- UNIVERSITA TA MALTA – Malta
- UNIVERSITAT LINZ – Austria
- ELLINOGERMANIKI AGOGI – Greece
- NUCLIO – Portugal
- SCIENCE VIEW – Greece
- MAGGIOLI – Italy
- MINISTERIO DA EDUCACAO, CIENCIA E INOVACAO – Portugal
Associated Partners:
- MINT-EC – Germany
- Chania Directorate of Primary Education – Greece