In Italy, the educational project “ESERO” – European Space Education Resource Office, promoted by European Space Agency (ESA) in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (ISA), aims to freely train primary and secondary school teachers of scientific subjects with dedicated insights on space conquest and exploration.

This call is open to public entities and research organizations, both public and private; small, medium and big companies; profit and non-profit foundations, associations and organizations. The deadline for the selection of the eligible entities is 30 December 2020.

Started in 2006, ESERO uses space as a stimulating context for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education and learning.

Space itself is not a school subject, but it can be a suitable environment to provide real models of contemporary scientific methodology application, interdisciplinary collaboration, access to state-of-the-art scientific data, structure and professional roles in the field of STEM.

Under the coordination of ESA and ISA in Italy,  and with the support of a wide range of national organizations active in the educational and space sectors, the project aims to stimulate and form a community of educators, who are the main bridge to reach the students.

The project’s main goal is to create an impact in young students to contribute to attracting them to technology and science studies and carriers, in particular in the space sector, and educate new generations in critical and autonomous thinking as an important social value.

ESERO offers an annual series of national or regional training sessions for both primary and secondary school teachers. These are offered in collaboration with national partners who are already active in STEM education. Teacher training events are, wherever possible, officially accredited as part of continual professional development qualifications.

Currently ESA has established sixteen ESERO national offices which cover eighteen countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden and UK.

By SGI