With a public announcement, Germany’s Federal Education Minister Anja Karliczek gives the go-ahead for the establishment of a nationwide STEM networking center that will function as a central point of contact in Germany in the future: “MINTvernetzt”. Through the exchange, advice, and practical tips, “MINTvernetzt” aims to help create better STEM education opportunities for children and young people.

The handover of the funding certificates by Federal Education Minister Anja Karliczek on May 18 marked the start of the establishment of the central “MINTvernetzt” office. MINTvernetzt is intended to bring together the numerous initiatives and players working to promote STEM education in Germany and to pool research findings. In addition to the MINT clusters, another central project of the MINT action plan is thus entering the implementation phase. The Federal Ministery of Education is providing 12 million euros for a period of up to eight years to finance the STEM-networking-center.

“MINTvernetzt” is being set up by an alliance of the Körber Foundation, the National MINT Forum, the Stifterverband, matrix gGmbH and the Chair of School Education at the University of Regensburg. The associated office will be located in Hamburg.

“MINTvernetzt” for more effectiveness in STEM education

There are numerous initiatives and actors that are implementing projects to strengthen STEM education in Germany with great commitment. “MINT-Vernetzt” offers a common platform to all already active and future actors in STEM education. To share their knowledge, to network with other partners from science, business and politics, but also from school education. The knowledge gained is shared with the general public in the sense of an open innovation project. This results in new impulses, more sustainability and more effectiveness for STEM education.

Gender sensitization

“MINTvernetzt” also aims to support the realization of even better educational opportunities for children and young people, addressing more diverse target groups. One focus of the STEM-networking-center is therefore on gender sensitization, i.e. the targeted sensitization of STEM-activists and -engaged persons for the special needs of girls and young women. To this end, MINTvernetzt continues the networking of partners in the “National Pact for Women in STEM Professions” and develops the work further together with the partners.

Networking with STEM Clusters and STEM Research

The STEM-networking-center will also involve STEM clusters in its networking work. With around 40 STEM clusters, the Federal Ministery of Education is supporting the nationwide expansion of extracurricular STEM education opportunities for children and young people. 22 regional STEM alliances have already started their work. Details can be found at: The STEM Clusters.

MINTvernetzt also aims to promote the transfer between science and practice. With this in mind, the networking center will process findings from STEM research, which the Federal Ministery of Education is intensifying with further funding.

STEM E-Platform

MINTvernetzt will set up a demand-oriented e-platform to enable IT-supported networking of STEM actors and digital forms of collaboration. A STEM-Data-Lab within the e-platform will provide statistical data, studies and research results.

Source: Press Release, 18.05.2021 MINT-Vernetzungsstelle

Picture credits:

@ Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany

@ Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Deutschland

By Helliwood