Abstract:

In the current era, marked by increasingly urgent and complex environmental challenges, the need to revise and expand our approach to education becomes evident. In this perspective, the recent EU GreenComp study represents a reference framework for sustainability competences and an innovative opportunity to transform education into a powerful driver for social and environmental transformation. The Green Comp (Bianchi et al., 2022) aligns with the ambitious objectives outlined in the European Green Deal to overcome environmental degradation challenges and foster a fair and socially equitable transition.

Through the years, APRE, Agency for the Promotion of the European Research, gathered several experiences in innovative education methodologies and instruments, engaging hundreds of future changemakers, through the participation of the Projects Department in HORIZON EUROPE (HE) funded projects. This path is well illustrated by three running HE projects.

The GenB project tested innovative formats and developed concrete products and toolkits to raise awareness and educate students, teachers and multipliers on the circular and sustainable bioeconomy. Stakeholders have been engaged in “Living Labs” formats applied to classes of different age groups (from primary to secondary school). These labs are producing different games (role-play, career and board games) on the bioeconomy, underlying the importance of an interactive approach in education, in particular for STEM topics. Another format used in GenB is the Ambassador: selected through a European open call, more than 70 people from 6 to 30 years old are being trained in bioeconomy concepts and opportunities, as well as supported in taking the role of agents of change.

The STE(A)M Learning Ecologies project aims at promoting science education as part of local community development, through an “Open Schooling” and interdisciplinary STE(A)M approach. The pilot project in Italy brought together students, teachers and stakeholders (research centers, international organizations, and industries), involving them in a learning path on sustainable development, circular economy and active citizenship. Through a Living Lab format, students have co-created three learning products, using arts-based, tinkering and project-based methodologies. In this perspective, the school is becoming promoter of a change addressing solutions for local challenges related to environmental sustainability.

The RuralBioUp project is developing a catalogue of innovative training, coaching and mentoring activities that can be provided to regional bioeconomy actors implementing small-scale bio-based solutions. The project is also facilitating knowledge transfer and exchange of best practices among rural and bioeconomy actors. Targeting individuals who already possess a certain level of skills, the trainings aim at empowering trainees with expertise, practical knowledge and tools to encourage the advancement of bioeconomy in the European rural areas, as well as allowing them to become replicators of this knowledge among their respective communities.

All the aforementioned innovative education methodologies (Living Labs, Ambassador programs, Open Schooling, STEAM and training activities), supported by a creative and multi-stakeholders approach coming from APRE’s EU projects expertise, are proving effective in empowering people of all ages to become proactive agents of change for a more sustainable Green transition.

Keywords:

Horizon Europe projects, green transition, changemakers, innovative education, bioeconomy.