ECB

Following the success and reach of inGenious, the largest investment to date in STEM education in Europe, CSR Europe, the European Business Network for Corporate Social Responsibility, has joined the initiative.

CSR Europe, the European business network for corporate social responsibility, has joined forces with 41 key players in STEM education to encourage more young people to choose STEM careers through inGenious. inGenious – coordinated by European Schoolnet - is a partnership between major industries and Ministries of Education to increase the European science capital and strengthen the innovation pipeline from school. The members include education authorities, 17 multinational companies, associations and research centres, to form the pan-European platform for school-industry collaboration on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Education.

CSR Europe’s contribution will certainly help foster greater collaboration between school and industry on STEM studies and careers, particularly by focusing on breaking down gender stereotypes. inGenious members work together with European teachers to provide real-life context to science in class, as well as career orientation and support, and to ensure STEM education is relevant to employability skills young people need.

During its first two years of activities, inGenious has involved an increasing number of private organisations and schools from all over Europe, and collected results on its impact. Based on evaluation from two pilot exercises, which have involved so far over 12,000 pupils across Europe, making science class fun is not enough: even students who like science do not consider it as a potential career choice. But pupils exposed to career-related information and role models on STEM are 20 per cent more inclined to positively consider to pursue further studies and a career in science. 

“Expanding the network of partners involved in inGenious will not only enable the project to identify best forms of collaboration between school and companies but also to mainstream innovative practices and take them to scale to offer high quality career activities in schools across Europe” explains Marc Durando, European Schoolnet’s Executive Director.

CSR Europe began working with inGenious  on activities at the start of this school year.  A new toolbox related to gender-related stereotypes in the labour market will soon available in the inGenious catalogue of resources.

“Education is increasingly at the heart of CSR programmes in Europe as companies understand their role in nurturing young talents and in supporting competitive and skilled communities. InGenious is directly related to CSR Europe’s STEM project which is part of our European Business Campaign on Skills for Jobs. Participating in inGenious will help our members get involved in designing effective solutions to STEM talent gaps threatening Europe, and we look forward to new initiatives furthering achievements so far” comments Stefan Crets, CSR Europe Executive Director.