With the implementation of the project, we wanted to achieve: *Enhance students' key competences (digital competence: information and data literacy; communication and collaboration; digital content creation; problem solving) by developing a bespoke toolkit of learning resources on DATA science; *Enhance STEM teachers' competences in teaching data science as part of the ISCED level 2 curriculum by developing an online training course and training 30 teachers from Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Greece; *Support the professional development of teachers through targeted joint staff training in Portugal and by developing a training course for trainers and training 9 teachers to become trainers of other teachers on the topic of DATA science, thereby increasing and sustaining the impact of the project at national level and ensuring ongoing support for their colleagues on a regular basis. *Contribute to the modernization of STEM education and the promotion of the use of digital technologies in a creative and effective way by developing innovative resources for teachers and students, as well as by reaching out to 2500 education stakeholders across Europe by sharing and promoting the benefits of integrating data science into the classroom.
We applied for this project to address a critical need in STEM education at lower secondary level (ISCED 2): the lack of integration of data science in the school curriculum. As data becomes an essential part of everyday life and professional fields, students and teachers need to develop data literacy skills, including how to collect, analyze, and interpret data. However, most teachers do not have the necessary training and resources, as data science has not traditionally been included in teacher training or school textbooks, especially in Central and Eastern Europe. The project addresses this needs by providing innovative and practical tools for teachers, including professional training and ready-to-use educational resources. It supports the development of students' digital and transversal skills and contributes to the modernization of school curricula. Our motivation was to empower teachers, inspire students, and ensure that our education systems are better aligned with the requirements of the digital transformation and the future needs of the labor market.