On Thursday 17 September, during a meeting of the Committee on Education, Culture, Sport and Youth, the project "Strengthening STEAM ecosystems by linking formal and non-formal education (STEAMFLOW)" was supported in the framework of the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. The project aims to strengthen and modernise the STEAM education ecosystem by promoting cooperation between formal and non-formal education, innovation and sustainable knowledge exchange.
In the project Riga will perform the functions of the leading partner, ensuring the overall management of the project, financial management, communication and publicity activities, coordination of cooperation between partners, preparation of consolidated reports, communication with the programme administration institution, as well as monitoring of the quality and deadlines of the project results.
“Riga has a special role to play in this project: we are a leading partner in international cooperation, which will bring together educational institutions and STEAM partners across the Baltic Sea region. Our aim is to create an environment in which students learn about mathematics, natural sciences, technology and engineering not only in lessons, but also in practical terms, by experimenting, solving real problems and collaborating with universities, researchers and industry professionals. At the same time, the project will give teachers the opportunity to exchange experiences and use new learning resources. There are already many strong STEAM initiatives in Riga, and this project is an opportunity to connect them into a more unified ecosystem and at the same time take over the best experience from our international partners," says Laima Geikina, Chair of the Education, Culture, Sport and Youth Committee of the Riga City Council.
The STEAM approach combines science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics to create interdisciplinary learning and practical problem solving. The implementation of the project will also provide an opportunity for Riga to cooperate with international partners, to exchange experience and knowledge in the field of STEAM education, as well as to promote the introduction of new solutions and cooperation models in the municipal education ecosystem.
The total budget of the project is 261 950 euros, while the part of the Riga municipality project is 71 701 euros. Of this, €59,751 comes from the Erasmus+ programme. For the implementation of the project, Riga Municipality will provide EUR 11 950 in pre-financing and EUR 11 950 in co-financing.
The information was prepared by: Sintija Placinska, Project Coordinator of External Communication Department of Riga Municipality, e-mail sintija.lukjanska@riga.lv