European Challenges in Sustainability by Biotechnology Erasmus Project

Project Title

European Challenges in Sustainability by Biotechnology

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Environment and climate change; Energy and resources; Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment

Project Summary

Experts predict an increased tendency of skill gaps within the young generation in the upcoming years. Encouraging high school students at the age of 16 till 18 to consider a career in STEM related occupations, pursuing higher levels of study and acquiring technical skills through effective teaching and learning are important elements of any strategy aimed at addressing skills needs.
The strategic partnership aims to develop and exchange good practices in the field of sustainability by biotechnology for students at secondary level. The partnership will work together to produce innovative learning materials for practical experiments in the biotechnological production of biohydrogen, bioelectricity and biopolymers.

For the sustainable production processes of biohydrogen, bioelectricity and biodegradable polylacticacid and polyhydroxybutyrate we will work out a lab-procedure done in professional fermenters or fuel cells with the goal of optimizing the product concentration or amount of electricity. We will also develop a low cost, self-made version of a fermenter and fuel cell for schools who don`t have the professional lab equipment. So we are fostering both the bioscience aspect and the technology aspect of modern biotechnology.

Furthermore, we try to figure out how an energy mix which follows the EU Strategy 2020 could look like under ethical and sustainable aspects. On the basis of professional knowledge acquired in the project, students will be able to evaluate social ethical issues critically with the help of tools we developed together. Those tools try to structure the decision process for coming to a reflected evaluation in future social questions promoting the active citizenship of our students.

Only motivated and self-reliant people can bring a complex project to success. Therefore professional, inter cultural and above all personal exchange is required, which is realized by the aforementioned learning and experimental workshops. All in all 72 transnational activities and 96 transnational learning, teaching and training mobilities are planned in this complex project with the goal to support the EU Strategy 2020 by biotechnology. So the three laboratory workshops as well as the energy discussion combined with an ethical discussion about a sustainable energy mix in Europe in the future are central to the project. The jointly created resources are tested and evaluated through the practical experiments and the ethical decision finding process will be guided by educated student mentors in international teams. The evaluated teaching lab modules are implemented in the science lessons and disseminated to teacher lessons in the home countries. In panel discussions, students will be able to compare the aims of EU with those of each country and should discuss the results and explain why in different countries the approach to energy sources is different.

The resources will foster the provision and the assessment of key-competences including basic skills and transversal skills, in particular project management skills, languages, digital skills and inter cultural competence. The learning outcomes will support the transition from study into employment by giving students essential technical and professional skills required to enter the STEM labour market on each level of qualification. The short term benefit of the project will allow students involved in the learning activity, some from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, to gain experience abroad in an academic context, enhance their language, practical and transversal skills to improve their further study and employment prospects.

The project achieves various effects and provides long lasting benefits. All involved students gain a higher linguistic and technical language competence , reduce prejudices and practice in tolerance. By communicating via modern media, ICT competences are strengthened. Scientific and technical competences are deepened through mutual learning by the specialists. The expected impact for the schools involved is to share ideas and good practice. Last but not least, the international profile of the schools is raised.

The project results will be in form of documentation/teaching units and will be made available on schools´ websites and eTwinning platform. Additionally, there will be a range of measures to inform about the project and maintain its long term impact via social media, press releases and teacher workshops. Over the longer term the project results will be expected improvement in student results, increased retention and more science related higher education and employment destinations. Long lasting sustainability of the project could be reached with the support of the Chemical Industry (FCI) like in the former projects through the supply of borrowable experimental sets to the interested teachers all over Europe.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 173759 Eur

Project Coordinator

Johanna-Wittum-Schule & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Kollegium Kalksburg
• Fényi Gyula Jezsuita Gimnázium és Kollégium
• 2 PEIRAMATIKO GENIKO LYKEIO ATHINON
• TURK EGITIM VAKFI INANC TURKES OZEL LISESI
• Niels-Stensen-Gymnasium
• Lycée Léopold Sédar Senghor
• Thisted Gymnasium STX og HF