After the pilot edition in 2020 and the great success of the first event of the new edition in Turin last February 10, Future Days and Next-Land arrive in Bari on Tuesday, March 7, thanks to the support of Enel Cuore, the non-profit organization of the Enel Group.
Future Days, Bari
At Porta Futuro, 330 students from schools IC Clementina Perone - Carlo Levi, Scuola Media Statale G. Carducci and IC Japigia 1 explored thè most̀ innovative professional opportunities that the area offers, through direct experience and contact with entrepreneurs and testimonials from the corporate world. In a meeting inspired by the business speed date formula, Porta Futuro was populated with professionals from the following companies: Brainpull, Build you, Enel, Fleetsave, Hypernova, Marketing Movers, Stellantis, Vodafone.
Next-Land
Launched in October 2022 and running through 2024, the Next-Land project aims to accompany 2.500 secondary school boys and girls on their path to growth and choice of higher education. An unprecedented educational route charted thanks to the cultural contribution and active participation of researchers, museum educators and entrepreneurs, who have decided to invest in the future and support together the young men and women who are a very valuable resource in these territories. After a series of STEM workshops, classes are confronted with interlocutors who can help them understand the connection between studies and technical-scientific careers: the Future Days, three major events (Turin, Bari, Naples) in symbolic places for innovation and research.
The activities co-designed ad hoc by the Polytechnic University of Turin, the University of Naples Federico II, the University of Bari Aldo Moro, the Polytechnic University of Bari and the National Institute of Nuclear Physics Section of Bari and Turin, and with the support of Cooperativa Social Lab (Bari) and Cooperativa La Locomotiva (Naples)aim to enhance the positive perception of STEM subjects.
Next-Land takes place not only in universities but also in 20 museums, from a STEAM perspective, valuing the experience of co-design between museum educators and researchers. Thanks to the synergy between school, university, museum and business, this long-term educational solution aims to accompany families and adolescents living in the suburbs of Italian metropolises in a process of common growth. With a view to building the educating community and fighting the gender gap starting from their own context of reference.
"Next-Land was born in Turin in the neighborhoods of Barriera di Milano, Aurora and Lucento with the aim of offering a somewhat unique pathway to learning about STEM subjects. They learn math in museums or put on a lab coat and enter chemistry labs at university. With the Future days they meet, the business world, start-ups, very young people who tell how they have also managed to achieve themselves through a profession. Next Land's ambition is to make students understand that it is not where you are born that determines your future, but your skills, strength and tenacity. We try to get this message across, especially to girls. In these days where we celebrate women we have a duty to break down the dream gap, they can feel free to think about their future even while studying science subjects. The strength of Next Land is the network of funders, partners, institutions and the world of teachers who with us face the daily growing challenge of making school a beautiful and inspiring place to grow up," says Caterina Corapi, managing coordinator of Next - Level.
"Supporting the Next-Land project means giving young people, who represent the future of the country, the opportunity to approach through an innovative teaching method STEM subjects to explore their skills and express their talents to the fullest" says Filippo Rodriguez, Managing Director of Enel Cuore "For Enel Cuore this is a fundamental step that enriches the knowledge base of the new generations that must have fair access to study and the opportunity to carry out experiences that add value to the educational path; only in this way is it possible to strongly counter the phenomenon of school dropout in Italy."
The numbers of the project
12 schools - 122 classrooms - 2500 students - 244 teachers - 1098 workshops
4670 hours of STEM education - 5 funding bodies - 7 research organizations - 29 researchers -
20 museums - 200 moms
30 guidance counselors - 20000 hours of guidance - 60 companies
Bari's numbers
3 schools - 16 classes - 328 students - 64 teachers - 288 workshops
1312 hours of STEM education - 3 universities and research organizations - 7 researchers -
2 museums - 60 moms
The Method
Next-Land is a system action, which is grafted on three main cornerstones: STEAM methodology, tailor-made educational proposal and engagement of the educating community. The STEAM methodology, promoted by European policies as the main educational strategy for the next generation, sums discovery of STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) and creative and cultural approach, fostering the development of the person and talents. The tailor-made educational proposal is the result of a process of listening to teachers' educational needs and support, in which university researchers and museum educators also participate. In a joint planning table, a path of experiences designed ad hoc is thus built.
For male and female students, these workshops become an opportunity to discover the cultural heritage of their city and look at Mathematics, Science and Technology through the lens of fun and complex thinking, transcending the limits of the single discipline.
Next-Land is supported by the Intesa Sanpaolo Benefit Fund, Enel Cuore Onlus, Fondazione Vodafone Italia, Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and Fondazione CRT, in collaboration with the Piedmont Region and Obiettivo Orientamento Piemonte, under the patronage of the cities of Turin, Bari and Naples, and will continue for the last Future Days event in Naples on Wednesday, March 15, at the City of Science.