​Last week, the vibrant city of Gothenburg hosted the 1st European STEAM Congress at Svenska Mässan, held on February 4-5, 2025. The event brought together an inspiring consortium of educators, researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders, all united by a shared commitment to shaping the future of STEAM education.

This dynamic congress, organised by STEAMbrace project, served as a platform for collaboration and innovation, where participants explored emerging trends, shared best practices, and brainstormed solutions for advancing STEAM learning across Europe. The event was an incredible reminder of how vital it is to create inclusive, interdisciplinary, and impactful learning experiences in STEAM education.

From thought-provoking discussions and expert-led presentations to hands-on workshops and student showcases, the congress highlighted the importance of making STEAM education more inclusive, interdisciplinary, and impactful.

A major highlight of the event was the showcase of student-led projects from across Europe, which demonstrated the power of STEAM education in inspiring creative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. The creativity and innovation of these student projects were truly inspiring and reinforced the transformative potential of STEAM in shaping a better future.

STREAM IT was proud to be part of this groundbreaking event, contributing to key discussions on advancing gender equality in STEAM fields.

Workshop:
Gender Perspectives in Education: Insights and Practices from the Nordics
Hosted by Anne-Charlotte Joubert & Ariunzaya Munkhbat from Wonderfund AB, this interactive workshop provided educators with the tools to implement gender-sensitive teaching practices. The session fostered a rich exchange of ideas on how to create more inclusive learning environments in STEAM. Participants left with actionable strategies to support gender equality in their classrooms and beyond.

The congress was a particularly exciting opportunity for Katalin Oborni, STREAM IT’s project coordinator, to meet with Juancho Pons Vega the coordinator of the STEAMBrace project for the first time in person. This face-to-face meeting strengthened the partnership between the two initiatives and opened doors for future collaborations and joint activities. It was also the first time the STREAM IT research results were presented to a live audience, allowing for valuable discussions with other experts and practitioners in the field.

1. Teacher Support is Essential: One of the most impactful takeaways was hearing directly from teachers about the creative ways they are engaging young girls in STEAM subjects. It reinforced the belief that supporting teachers is critical—not just by providing new ideas for teaching, but by helping them address and counteract gender stereotypes in the classroom.
2. Common Goals Across Europe: Despite the varied educational systems across Europe, the congress demonstrated that we can find common ground in our pursuit of making STEAM education more gender and diversity-inclusive. This shared goal is one that transcends national borders and provides a unified vision for the future of education.

In conclusion, the 1st European STEAM Congress was a resounding success, providing an invaluable space for collaboration, learning, and growth. It highlighted the immense potential for STEAM education to drive positive change, and it reinforced the importance of working together to create more inclusive, innovative, and impactful learning experiences for all students, especially girls and women. We look forward to continuing the conversations and efforts sparked at this event, and we are excited to see where these partnerships and ideas will take us in the future!

A special thank you to the STEAMbrace team for organising this very fruitful event. We look forward to more discussions and collaborations towards our common journey of empowering learners, fostering creativity, and building a stronger STEAM community across Europe.