zdi in Europe

zdi.NRW has developed into the largest and most successful MINT initiative in Europe since 2005. The focus has always been on the following success factors:  

  • Development and stabilization of regional structures and networks  
  • Community building  
  • quality of the programs  

Since the beginning of 2020, the zdi regional office has been actively involved at European level. zdi.NRW is a partner in the EU STEM Coalition. The EU-STEM Coalition is a Europe-wide network of national MINT platforms and promotes the European exchange of experience. This has been in place since 2020 to consolidate it ERASMUS+ project “towards a European STE(A)M Platform”. zdi.NRW brings in examples of good practice and learns about new approaches from other MINT networks in Europe. On the EU-STEM Coalition website, European colleagues report on their experiences, their motivation, their goals and challenges. 

Communication with the EU Commission, e.g. B. also asks for needs and good practices from the regions, is based on zdi.NRW's membership in the EU-STEM coalition.  

The interest of European educational actors in the structures, measures and financing models at zdi is growing. In this way we can share our knowledge, but also learn from other STEM initiatives in the EU. 

We would be happy to receive your suggestions, requests, questions and feedback – Please feel free to contact us

Information for partner organizations outside of NRW  

The zdi networks and zdi student laboratories offer a unique structure to bring young people into contact with MINT and deepen their knowledge if necessary. Content contexts were translated into new offerings with students and aspects such as digitalization, climate change, sustainability and gamification were included. 

zdi.NRW positions itself in online events at European level, for example together with the Brussels NRW state representation at the virtual discussion round "Future ahead: The role of the EU in supporting STEM initiatives and facilitating career choices of young people" with the Member of the European Parliament and the Chair of the Committee for Culture and Science in Parliament, Sabine Verheyen, as well as the Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, in February 2021. The Parliamentary State Secretary in the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry for Science and Culture, Klaus Kaiser, hosted a video message about the work of the zdi community offensive in North Rhine-Westphalia.  

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EU-STEM Coalition  

The EU-STEM Coalition is an EU-wide network to promote STEM education in Europe. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and is the equivalent of the German term MINT. 

The aim of the network is to find new ways for extracurricular MINT education together with educational institutes, business and science. Political actors are also involved in the network. This European platform aims to contribute to the networking of national and regional MINT networks in Europe and enable the exchange of good practice. In addition, taskforce groups will be formed to help create new STEM strategies, including at the national level. 

The zdi regional office has been part of the STEM Coalition since January 2020 and arranges contacts between individual zdi regions and other STEM regions in Europe. 

Do you have questions about the EU-STEM Coalition? Susanne Jakobs will be happy to help you.

EU funding programs | zdi Funding Atlas  

The range of European funding programs is enormous. And it is divided into different areas, such as research areas (HorizonEurope), education (ERASMUS and ERASMUS +), Regional Development (European Regional Development Fund), social (European Social Fund), promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises (COSME) as well as cross-border projects (Interreg).  

For individual conversations we are glad to be at service

 
Further information on European politics, but also best practice examples, projects and initiatives can be found here (information partly in English):  

  • Contact  for application advice and all application documents for ERASMUS + at the National Agency Education for Europe at the Federal Institute for Vocational Training (NA at BIBB) 
  • Project proposals and results from already funded projects the recherchier (ERASMUS+) 
  • European Schoolnet is a network of 34 European education ministries based in Brussels.  
  • School education Gateway is an online platform for teachers, school principals, researchers, teacher trainers, policy makers and other professionals working in school education - including early childhood education and care and vocational education and training. It presents measures and content in 23 languages. 
  • SCIENTIX is carried out by European Schoolnet (EUN) on behalf of the EU Commission and is intended to increase the attractiveness of scientific and technological professions for young people and to promote sustainable interaction between schools, research institutions, industry and civil society organizations.  

Contact persons: inside

Susanne Jakobs-Bohack