As part of its Forward-Looking Cooperation status, the STEAMonEdu project comprises specific tailor-made actions aiming to develop a policy influence toolkit and establish a structured framework in order to promote STE(A)M Education in the key policy making environments. In this perspective, a series of Capacity Building sessions have been developed, addressing the major pillars of advocacy practice and aspects of policy making, to provide the partners with concrete tools and methodologies to exert pressure in the most relevant environments and maintain the attention high and on the spot on STEAM Education and practices.

Due to its expertise in policy influence activity, ALL DIGITAL has been responsible for the planning and delivery of the Capacity Building sessions. These are 90-min workshops held every Thursday, with the participation of all project partners and both internal and external speakers.

The first session on 29 October, chaired and delivered by ALL DIGITAL’s CEO, Renato Sabbadini, focussed on providing the most relevant tools and a broad overview on advocacy practice and on the key aspects and actors of policy making activity. The second part of the session was then dedicated to an open dialogue between partners, based on the comparison of STE(A)M Education policies in different Member States, using the output of an internal Questionnaire compiled by the parties. This set the foundations for the future sessions which will explore more in detail the relevant tools and methodologies to conduct advocacy at European, national, regional and local level.

The second capacity building session was dedicated to Effective advocacy practice to influence policy at European level and welcomed the participation of Brikena Xhomaqi, Director of the Lifelong Learning Platform, who offered a valuable contribution based on first-hand experience, on the tool, methodologies and activities conducted at European level, to achieve a significant impact in the relevant policy-making environments.

The session was complemented by the contribution of Prof. Achilles Kameas from Hellenic Open University and project coordinator, who shifted the discussion towards STE(A)M Education and the current standing of STEAMonEdu,  It included a SWOT analysis and a detailed assessment on the role of the Educator, in the teacher-trainer-tutor context, as designer and creator of processes, then orchestrator and manager, coordinating procedures and outcomes, and ultimately as an active community member, able to influence others.

The next capacity building session is scheduled for 19 November and will focus on successful advocacy practices at regional/local level.