As part of the project “Continuing Development of Children and Youth through the STEM Field – NARASTEM”, staff from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Rijeka visited the Josip Juraj Strossmayer Water Institute. The aim of the visit was to raise awareness of the importance of environmental protection, facilitate the exchange of knowledge and connect the scientific research community with educational institutions on current issues of sustainable development and natural resource management.

The Institute is dedicated to the research, development and application of expert solutions in the fields of water conservation, environment and climate change. Its mission is to ensure the sustainable management of water resources, based on scientific knowledge and innovation and on the conviction that educating young people is the key to preserving the environment. For this reason, the Institute actively involved in projects that combine science, education and social commitment. Cooperation with higher education institutions such as the Faculty of Technology at the University of Rijeka strengthens the Institute’s role in building a society that understands and respects natural processes and resources.

Thanks to this cooperation, the staff of the Faculty of Engineering gained an insight into our current research directions and examples of good practises in environmental protection, which they will incorporate into their educational activities and the promotion of STEM within the NARASTEM project. Such an exchange of knowledge and experience will help to develop an interdisciplinary approach to education and empower students and pupils to face future challenges in the fields of ecology and technology.

The NARASTEM project is being implemented in partnership with the APOLD Rijeka and Plavi Rast associations, the Vladimir Gortan, Turnić and Eugen Kumičić primary schools, the Rijeka Technical School and the schools of electroindustry and crafts in Rijeka. A total of 250 STEM workshops are planned, covering topics such as ecology and sustainable development, electromobility, renewable energy sources, Industry 4.0 and 3D technologies. More than 750 primary and secondary school students will take part in these workshops.

With these activities, the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Rijeka reaffirms its commitment to the development of technical education based on science, practise and social responsibility.