The FabSchoolNet general objective is to create a new model of educational network and a new way of thinking about the goods fabrication, by applying “learning-by-doing” & “hands-on” activities in student classes, encouraging them to participate more intensively, in a corporate workflow, from concept, design, prototyping, fabrication and marketing, with the support and participation of the Small-Medium Enterprises. Furthermore, the project aims to develop and implement a training program with three modules, based on the latest modern technologies and tools used in STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics), such us educational robotics, 3D printing and mobile technologies using augmented reality (AR) applications. The modules approach will be enriched with elements and themes in the field of Entrepreneurship Education, encouraging participants (teachers, students, etc.) to develop this new way of thinking and to act dynamically in a global market economy. The training programs will be finalized with various competitions / challenges, which aim to encourage participants to consult the real business environment so that they can acquire the ability to think and develop models and ideas closely related to the real market, using their own knowledge, skills and abilities. The activities developed within the project aim to involve the participants at all levels, from conception, design to product realization.

The project came from a strong transnational initiative with a significant multidisciplinary experience, with partners from five European countries: Lithuania, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria and Romania. The consortium is represented by a strategic partnership between research institutions - Centro Nazionale delle Ricerche - Istituto Tecnologie Didattiche (CNR - ITD) Palermo, Italy, academia - "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati, Romania, high-school environment: Siauliu Didzdvario gimnazija from Siauliu - Lithuania, 2 EPAL TRIKALON from Trikala - Greece, Varnenska morska gimnazia "Sv. Nikolai Chudotvorec" from Varna - Bulgaria and business environment - Fablab Palermo, Italy. The transnational approach will provide the participants to deal with different cultures, thinking and producing new ideas in a wide global market context. The brainstorming phases within the international network created in the project will be followed by phases in which participants can design – make – refine – implement their own idea. The final goal is to stimulate connections between trainees and the real market, redefining business skills to “think globally to act locally”.

The FabSchoolNet project addresses one Erasmus + horizontal priority and two sectoral priorities in the school education field. The horizontal priority is related to open and innovative practices in a digital eraby means that the learning materials developed in the framework of the project will be delivered in an open format. And to develop innovative approaches to education, in which the new technologies will play a key role. Amongst the sectoral priorities, the FabSchNet project focuses in supporting schools to tackle early school leaving (ESL)and educational disadvantageby introducing the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) approach in education. The arts are critical components to innovation and incorporates, where appropriate, the artistic and design-related skills and thinking processes to student-learning of the STEM disciplines.

The project started in November 2018 and will be implemented for 24 months.

The duration of the project has been extended for a further 12 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and will therefore end on 31th October 2021.