A new adventure has begun! We have started implementing the project Virtuoz STEM Academy with the aim of strengthening our own capacities for the promotion of STEM fields among children and young people. The project under the number SF.2.4.06.04.0078 is being implemented with the support of the European Social Fund Plus, and the total value of the approved financing is 293,945.33 euros. The project will be implemented over a three-year period, and we are currently preparing for the STEM workshops that start in May through the development of activities!

Through the project, we will establish cooperation with several important partners from the educational sector, namely: four kindergartens (Budućnost, Kreativni dani, Mačak u čizmama and Vladimir Nazor), Dominik Savio Elementary School and the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb. This network of partners will enable us to have a strong connection with children of different ages and open up space for high-quality popularization of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

As part of the project, seven employees and volunteers of our association will participate in numerous trainings, study visits and conferences, which will contribute to their professional development and transfer of acquired knowledge in their further work. In parallel, employees of the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology will hold ten trainings and ten mentoring sessions for our team, as well as for partners from kindergartens and schools, thereby further strengthening the entire network of collaborators.

The results we want to achieve within the framework STEM Academy Virtuoso are extremely ambitious: we plan to organize as many as 360 STEM workshops during the project, which will be attended by around 900 children and students. In addition to regular workshops, we plan to organize a series of public events each year to bring STEM closer to the wider community. We will hold a total of 12 public events that will include setting up STEM stands, organizing exhibitions and conducting competitions, thereby further promoting the importance of STEM in everyday life.

We are looking forward to three years of intensive work, collaboration and the development of new opportunities for children, students and the entire community. We believe that Virtuoz STEM Academy to leave a lasting mark and open the door to future generations who will shape the world of knowledge and innovation.