What is STEAM?

STEAM Turku is a science and technology study path that combines early childhood education, basic education and upper secondary education to provide children and young people of different ages with a pathway to the world of science and technology. STEAM Turku aims to increase the attractiveness of the natural sciences and technology sectors in Southwestern Finland and to bring children and young people up as decision-makers facing the world's biggest challenges. STEAM comes from Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.

Background and history

In April 2018, the City of Turku signed a Technology Campus agreement with the higher education institutions in the region and Turku Science Park Ltd., with a focus on increasing the provision of technical education and research. The aim of the cooperation that commenced as a result of the agreement is for the higher education institutions in Turku to produce Bachelors of Science in Technology, Masters of Science (Technology), Masters of Engineering and professionals in seafaring for the increasing future needs of the region.

The STEAM Turku project is part of the overall contribution of the City of Turku to this cooperation. The City of Turku Education Division is responsible for implementing the project, but it links into the entire city’s industrial policy. 17 separate projects implemented across the sector or in individual service areas are fully or partly included in the STEAM Turku project. The project is funded by the City of Turku Central Administration and Education Division as well as various external financers (ESF, ERDF, EDUFI, Ministry of Education and Culture, etc.).

Objectives

  • to create a new education operating model for the City of Turku for increasing the attractiveness of science and technology
  • to build a science and technology path combining early childhood, basic and upper secondary level education
  • to offer direct paths to further studies and the Turku Technology Campus
  • to create new forms of cooperation between the Education Division, institutions of higher education, companies and other operators
  • to strengthen the demand for higher education in science and technology in Turku and Southwest Finland in the long term through broad cooperation between different levels of education
  • to develop new digital solutions, learning contents, learning materials and learning environments
  • to productise and disseminate the project’s results
  • to compile all projects of the Education Division that support STEAM work, to avoid overlapping functions and waste and enhance cooperation between projects
  • to support the achievement, establishment and spread of results and good practices and ensure the utilisation and dissemination of previous results as part of current development activity
    The different levels where STEAM Turku operates from local to national and international. The goals and aims are explained more in depth in the text above the diagram.