From December 2nd to 7th, representatives of Latvian Innovation Centers (IC), together with Norwegian colleagues from the Trondheim Science Center participated in an exchange visit to Croatia. During the trip, participants explored the operations of several regional science centers, shared Latvia’s experience in working with talented youth and discussed opportunities for future collaboration.
The visit began with a tour of the regional science center RaSTEM in Šibenik. Representatives from Daugavpils Innovation Center, Ventspils Science Center VIZIUM, the Space Cognition Center in Cēsis, and Science and Education Innovation Centre in Liepaja alongside their Norwegian colleagues learned about the projects and achievements of the Šibenik center and discussed best practices. A particularly valuable experience was the visit to the STEM garden of Meterize Elementary School and the outdoor STEM learning classroom of Juraj Dalmatinac Elementary School. These visits provided IC representatives with the opportunity to not only observe but also actively engage with various STEM-related exhibits.
As the visit continued, Latvian and Norwegian representatives visited the Adriatic Regional Science STEM Center in Split to learn about its educational programs and opportunities. Presentations and discussions addressed topics such as building systems to support talented children and the challenges of establishing the science center in Split. Creative workshops were also held, with contributions from representatives of Croatia’s Ministry of Regional Development, Ministry of Education and Science, and the Croatian Education Agency.
IC representatives also attended the regional education and innovation conference ENTER in Split. One of the central themes of this year’s conference was the work with talented youth and fostering their potential. During the event, alongside representatives of the Croatian education system, Latvian science centers and the Trondheim Science Center presented their systems for supporting talented children, as well as the activities, opportunities, and achievements of their respective innovation centers.
Overall, the Latvian and Norwegian innovation center representatives highly appreciated the experience and insights gained during the exchange trip. The well-organized activities, visits to various educational centers and discussions provided an in-depth look at Croatia’s regional educational programs and helped identify opportunities for collaboration in education.
The experience of Latvian innovation centers inspired Croatian representatives in planning future development projects and strengthening international cooperation in the education sector. This exchange trip clearly demonstrates the high capacity and expertise of Latvian innovation centers in the STEM field, which can serve as a model for similar initiatives in other countries.
The experience exchange trip of Latvian innovation centers and the Norwegian Trondheim Science Center to Croatia was organized within the framework of the Bilateral Cooperation Fund of the European Economic Area and Norway Grants program.
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