ICSE – International Centre for Stem Education

ICSE FACTORY AT THE EXCITE CONFERENCE IN WARSAW, POLAND
2025-06-03 - 2025-06-05
At the Ecsite Conference 2025, the Deep Dive “Open Schooling in Action: Building Lasting Partnerships for Educational Innovation” brought together educators, researchers, museum professionals, and community members for an engaging four-hour session on the future of Open Schooling in Europe.
Co-hosted by seven EU-funded projects, including the ICSE Science Factory, within the Open Schooling Together (OSt) community, the event showcased how collaborative approaches can harness the power of STEAM education to address societal challenges. By fostering innovative, interdisciplinary practices, the initiative aims to build stronger connections between schools and society, paving the way for lasting educational transformation.
🌐 Learn more: https://icse.eu/reported/open-schooling-in-action/

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The ICSE Science Factory Convention, Freiburg, Germany
2025-06-26
On June 26, 2025, the International Centre for STEM Education (ICSE) at the University of Education Freiburg hosted the third ICSE Science Factory Convention under the theme “Opening Up Schools, Shaping the Future.” The event brought together teachers, researchers, and students to explore Open Schooling, STEM innovation, and transdisciplinary collaboration. Highlights included a keynote by Prof. Dr. Thomas Seifert on climate change and forests, inspiring student-led projects from Rotteck-Gymnasium Freiburg, and creative workshops such as Designing Jigsaw Lamps and Molecular Cuisine. A lively panel and World Café capped the day, sparking new partnerships and fresh visions for the future of education.
🌐 Learn more: https://icse.eu/reported/opening-up-schools-shaping-the-future/
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III National STEM Conference, Lisbon, Portugal
2025-06-28
Among other things, presentation of the OSA run by teachers who participated in the teacher training program.

https://icsesf.ie.ulisboa.pt/iii-conferencia-nacional-stem/

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ICSE Science Factory: Interactional Challenges in Open Schooling Practices
2025-08-26 17:00 - 18:30 (Europe/Copenhagen)
The ICSE Science Factory team member will present a paper on “Interactional Challenges in Open Schooling Practices” at the 16th Conference of the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA 2025) in Copenhagen, Denmark.
https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/event/73500/submission/694
SESSION DETAILS
S07.06 – Argumentation and Critical Thinking in Science Education: Exploring Effective Approaches

Rysensteen Bygning 83 Lokale BI
17:00-18:30
Tuesday, 26 August 2025

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European ICSE Science Factory Conference
2025-11-08 - 2025-11-09
The European ICSE Science Factory Conference will take place on November 8-9, 2025, in Istanbul, as part of the 6th International STEM Education Conference. The conference is organized in collaboration with the International Centre for STEM Education (ICSE) and Hacettepe University as part of the ICSE Science Factory project.
The conference will explore the intersection of sustainability, health, and digitalization in STEM education, emphasizing how emerging technologies, health-related advancements, and sustainable practices can be effectively integrated into teaching and learning. Participants will engage in discussions, workshops, and presentations that address the evolving role of STEM education in shaping a sustainable and technologically advanced future.
We want to hear what you have to say! Please help us spread the word on the conference by circulating the call for proposals in your networks. We look forward to your contributions and will happily welcome you to the beautiful city of Istanbul.
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1h4teachers: Teaching Beyond Borders
2026-04-15 16:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Berlin) | https://icse.eu/event/1h4teachers-teaching-beyond-borders-international-classroom-cooperation-in-stem-and-other-subjects-practical-insights-for-teachers/
International Classroom Cooperation in STEM and Other Subjects in Open Schooling
Practical Insights for Teachers
How can international school partnerships be designed in a meaningful, sustainable, and pedagogically sound way? How can online collaboration foster subject knowledge and also lead to authentic language use and real intercultural learning?
This practice-oriented online professional development session offers concrete insights into how digital collaboration can evolve into a high-impact international learning experience. Based on a partnership between Maya Schools (Türkiye) and Immanuel-Kant-Gymnasium (Germany) in the Open Schooling project ICSE Sciene Factory, the session provides hands-on examples, tested strategies, and honest reflections from implementation of such an Open Schooling approach.
The event is open to STEM teachers, language teachers, and all educators interested in interdisciplinary and international collaboration.
About the Session
This session presents a practice-based case study of an international STEM Open Schooling partnership developed with students from different age groups and educational contexts. Participants will gain insight into:

How the collaboration was initiated and structured
How English and STEM teachers worked together across countries
How subject learning and language learning were meaningfully integrated
How digital collaboration was organized effectively
How challenges were addressed constructively

The session supports teachers who wish to:

Combine subject learning and authentic language use
Design manageable and impactful international (STEM) projects
Foster interdisciplinary cooperation within their own school
Promote intercultural awareness and global competence
Build sustainable international partnerships

Session Highlights

Introduction: Background of the schools involved and how the collaboration began
Our Collaboration in Practice

Pedagogical rationale and learning objectives
Preparing and supporting students in presenting STEM content in English
Overview of four successfully implemented online Open Schooling projects

From Online to Onsite

Organizing a face-to-face meeting in Istanbul
Designing and implementing a joint workshop
Strengthening learning outcomes through direct cultural exchange

Challenges and Lessons Learned

Managing different English proficiency levels in STEM contexts
Coordinating across time zones and school systems
Addressing technical and organizational challenges

Format

Online via Zoom
Duration: 1 hour (1h4teachers format)
20-30 minute input session
Interactive “Ask the Expert” discussion
Free of charge

All participants will receive an official certificate of attendance after the session.
Why Attend?
By the end of the session, participants will have:

A clear framework for initiating international (STEM) Open Schooling collaborations
Practical strategies for interdisciplinary teamwork between language and subject teachers
Concrete examples ready to be adapted to their own teaching context
Inspiration and confidence to implement sustainable international projects

Join us to explore how international STEM Open Schooling collaboration can evolve from a digital exchange into a transformative, cross-curricular learning experience.
About the Speaker
Katharina Kaltenbach from Germany is the site manager of the Tuttlingen Student Research Center, an extracurricular educational institution for gifted students in STEM subjects. She is also the representative for gifted education and ESD at Immanuel Kant Gymnasium Tuttlingen and is responsible for two UNESCO certifications at the school.
Gülşah Semiz is the head of ELT department at Maya Schools and also serves as an educator at the Teachers First Foundation in Ankara, a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting teachers’ professional development and improving the quality of education.
About the Project
This session is part of the ICSE Science Factory (ICSE Factory), funded by the European Union, that strengthens Open Schooling by building cross-sector partnerships between schools, researchers, businesses, and community organisations in Germany, Portugal, Croatia, Cyprus, and Turkey. Through local conventions, public science fairs, and real-life problem-solving activities, communities are actively involved in collaborative science learning that connects classrooms with societal challenges. The project promotes scientific literacy, lifelong learning, and greater interest in science careers – especially among girls and women – by making science relevant, inclusive, and locally embedded.
Registration: https://zeeg.me/icse/1h4teachers
Registration is now open!
We are excited to see you there and contribute to shaping the future of STEM education in Europe together!
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1h4teachers in STEM: Inspiring STEM Pathways through Interactive Career Talks
2026-05-18 17:15 - 18:15 (Europe/Berlin) | Online
How to Bring Authentic Role Models and Meaningful Career Conversations into Your Classroom
How can schools inspire young people to imagine themselves in STEM pathways? How can career guidance move beyond static presentations and become a meaningful learning experience that challenges stereotypes, builds confidence, and broadens horizons?
This practice-oriented online session introduces the concept of Interactive Career Talks (ICaT), developed and implemented in the Horizon Europe project ICSE Science Factory. The format rethinks traditional career talks: instead of one-way presentations, students engage in authentic dialogue with role models from science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Speakers share personal journeys, real challenges, motivations, setbacks, and the societal relevance of their work. Students are invited to ask questions, reflect, and connect careers with their own interests and aspirations.
The session is designed for teachers who would like to organise motivating and realistic career conversations in their own schools, whether in STEM subjects, careers education, or interdisciplinary projects.
About the Session
Participants will gain practical insight into:

What makes an Interactive Career Talk different from a traditional guest lecture
How authentic role models can strengthen students’ motivation, science identity, and career awareness
How to select and prepare speakers from research, industry, or the wider community
How to create an open atmosphere that encourages student questions and dialogue
How to address stereotypes and make STEM careers visible to diverse learners
How to organise manageable formats with limited time and resources
Lessons learned from implementations across five European countries

Why Attend?
By the end of the session, participants will have:

A clear framework for organising Interactive Career Talks in their own context
Practical strategies for identifying suitable speakers and preparing students
Ideas for low-threshold formats that fit everyday school life
Inspiration for widening participation in STEM pathways, especially among underrepresented groups
Concrete examples that can be adapted immediately

Format

Online via Zoom
Duration: 1 hour (1h4teachers format)
20–30 minute input session
Interactive “Ask the Expert” discussion
Free of charge
Certificate of attendance for all participants

Who Should Join?
This session is open to:

STEM teachers
Careers guidance staff
School leaders
Teacher educators
All educators interested in widening participation and future-oriented learning

Join Us
Discover how a simple conversation with the right role model can open new perspectives, challenge assumptions, and help students see that STEM careers may also be for them.

Registration: Sign up now!

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Educating the Educators Special
2027-06-09 - 2027-06-11 | PH Freiburg, University of Education Freiburg, Kunzenweg 21, Freiburg im Breisgau, 79117, Germany
To honour Prof. Dr. Katja Maaß’s 60th birthday, we are organising the international conference Educating the Educators: Research Perspectives in STEM Education (ETE Special) in Freiburg on 9–11 June 2027.

The conference will focus on three areas:

Real-World Applications in STEM Education
STEM Education in the Digital Era
Diversity in STEM Education

Keynote speakers will be:

Prof. Dr. Alan H. Schoenfeld (UC Berkeley)
Prof. Dr. Gabriele Kaiser (University of Hamburg)
Prof. Dr. Knut Neumann (IPN Kiel)
Prof. Dr. Michèle Artigue (Paris Diderot University)

To stay up to date and find out about news regarding submissions, registration and the programme, you can sign-up for our bi-annual Newsletter or visit the Event website.

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