The project’s first Stakeholder Launch Event attracted 167 registrations from across all partner countries, with more than 100 people joining the live session.

18 June 2026 — The European Erasmus+ project TINKERVERSE – SkillBuilders Lab: Tinker, Discover, Learn! successfully held its first Stakeholder Launch Event, bringing together a vibrant international community committed to advancing inclusive, creative and accessible Maker Education across Europe.

Interest in the event exceeded expectations. A total of 167 stakeholders registered from every country represented by the project partners, and more than 100 participants attended the live online session. The audience included teachers, school leaders, teacher educators, universities, makerspaces, educational organizations, researchers, policy makers and other professionals interested in hands-on and STEAM-based learning.

The event was organized by NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, leader of Work Package 6, which is responsible for communication, stakeholder engagement, dissemination, community-building and the long-term sustainability of the project’s results. The strong participation demonstrated the growing European interest in Maker Education as a way of helping children and young people develop creativity, digital competence, foundational skills, collaboration and problem-solving through meaningful, hands-on activities.

From a European vision to practical action

During the event, participants were introduced to the vision behind TINKERVERSE: creating a transnational network that connects schools, universities, makerspaces and educational communities and makes high-quality Maker Education available to learners aged 3 to 15.

The consortium presented the project’s European partnership, which brings together nine organizations from eight countries and is coordinated by the University of Burgos, Spain. Partners explained how their combined experience in education, research, teacher training, innovation, inclusion and community development will contribute to building a stronger European Maker Education ecosystem.

The session also offered a guided overview of the project’s main areas of work and the practical results that schools and educators can expect.

These include:

• Researching and validating effective Maker Education practices from different European contexts.
• Developing a shared European learning framework and progressive learning pathways for children aged 3–15.
• Designing and piloting inclusive, interdisciplinary and age-appropriate maker activities.
• Creating a Mobile Maker Station to bring hands-on learning to communities with limited access to infrastructure.
• Developing blended training for teachers and educators, supported by open resources and recognized micro-credentials.
• Building a multilingual digital collection of activities, pedagogical guidelines and assessment resources.
• Establishing a European community of practice connecting educators, makerspaces, researchers, policy makers and supporting organizations.

Particular attention will be paid to multilingual, vulnerable and low-resource settings, ensuring that the project’s activities can be adapted to different educational systems, cultural contexts, learner needs and levels of technological access.

Stakeholders as active contributors

The launch was designed not simply to present TINKERVERSE, but to begin an ongoing conversation with the educational community.

Participants were invited to contribute through an interactive Padlet addressing two central questions: “What are the most important elements of high-quality Maker Education?” and “What should be considered when developing inclusive Maker Education?” Their responses will inform the project’s research, activity design, training resources and future pilot actions.

The live question-and-answer session also generated valuable discussion about how independent makerspaces, schools and existing European networks can contribute their expertise, share proven practices and become involved in the project’s future activities. This exchange reinforced one of TINKERVERSE’s central principles: the project will be developed with stakeholders, not simply for them.

 

Building a sustainable European community

Over the coming months, stakeholders will be able to follow TINKERVERSE through its website, newsletter and social media channels, including LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky. Further stakeholder events, workshops, training opportunities and regional activities will also be announced throughout the project website and newsletter.

All major educational resources developed by the consortium will be openly available and adapted for use in different languages and contexts. The project’s ambition is to ensure that its network, tools and learning opportunities remain accessible and continue to grow beyond the formal project period.

With 167 registrations and more than 100 live participants, the first Stakeholder Launch Event marked an important step towards a connected and collaborative European community in which every child can have the opportunity to tinker, discover, create and learn.

About TINKERVERSE

TINKERVERSE – SkillBuilders Lab: Tinker, Discover, Learn! is a European Erasmus+ project focused on strengthening foundational, creative, digital and problem-solving skills through inclusive Maker Education. It brings together universities, schools, teacher-training organizations, makerspaces, research bodies and public authorities to develop, test and share innovative learning activities and practical resources for educators and learners across Europe.

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