Complete Report Released – Academia-Industry Alliance: Joint Efforts in Science Education

The Royal Irish Academy (RIA)-ALLEA Joint Efforts in Science Education Forum took place on 20 November, 2013. Since the initial release of the summary of the forum discussions, contributions have been added with further reports on the state of science education in numerous European countries.

The first part of the report focuses on the forum, which brought together industry and education partners to discuss existing and identify future potential collaborative efforts to enhance maths, science and technology education and student experiences in Ireland, with reference to existing and emerging European initiatives in this space. The second part of the report encompasses the contributions of numerous ALLEA Working Group Science Education members, who offer detailed reports on science education efforts and challenges in their respective countries. Now available as a complete document, the report provides a comprehensive look at the current challenges of adapting European school curricula to investigation-based teaching methods and the need to simultaneously build an academia-industry alliance to further the progress of science education in Europe.

Please click here to read the full report.

The open session on Academia-Industry Alliances also relates to previous activities of the ALLEA Working Group Science Education and follows up on a comprehensive report written upon request of the European Commission and entitled “A renewal of science education in Europe – views and actions of national academies”. In the report, the Working Group details the views and actions taken by European Academies to advance the renewal of science education and maintain the passion for science and technology among the youth. Building alliances with the business world is seen as an important step towards these objectives.

The Royal Irish Academy (Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann) was founded in 1785 and is Ireland’s academy for the sciences, humanities and social sciences. The Academy provides expert advice, manages research projects, publishes books and journals and sustains a library. Election to membership of the Academy is the highest academic honour in Ireland and the Academy has currently approximately 460 members.