This project aimed to promote key competences in sustainability and renewable energy in school education, focusing on students aged 10-14 and their teachers. Our aim was to develop an innovative course on solar thermal energy, combining theory, practice and adaptable digital tools. Our specific goals comprised To increase knowledge about climate change and renewable energy, especially in the school environment where these topics are underrepresented. Develop students' STEM, project planning and stakeholder engagement skills. Create high quality educational resources. These include a comprehensive curriculum, learning units, an online process guide and a solar planning tool. Promote the active participation of school communities, teachers and families in the energy transition. Foster transnational cooperation, sharing approaches and resources at European level to address global energy challenges. The ultimate goal was to empower young people as active citizens, ready to contribute to sustainable development and a cleaner and more efficient energy future.
It was our belief that sustainable development was key to the future of our school and educational community that led us to apply for this European Strategic Partnership programme. In particular, we identified key needs in the school in relation to environmental awareness, the transition to renewable energy and practical sustainability education. These needs included a lack of resources to effectively teach about clean energy, the need to integrate sustainable solutions into the school's infrastructure, and opportunities to foster international collaboration on global challenges such as climate change. We focused the project on solar energy and how it could help address these needs. This enabled the installation of practical resources such as solar panels, the promotion of more sustainable infrastructure, the development of a curriculum, teaching units, etc. It also enhanced active learning by providing students and teachers with tools to understand and apply clean energy solutions in STEM projects. This project was a crucial step in transforming our school into a sustainable model with a lasting impact on the educational community.