In the last week of November 2019, BEPS International School and Professional Women International (PWI) Brussels launched a new partnership to promote and consider how we teach Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts (including Design) and Mathematics (STEAM) to our future generations. This will enable us to create a powerful bridge between experts from both industry and education. Our partnership will promote a future STEAM generation which will be gender-balanced and inclusive.
A team of experts visited BEPS Secondary School to share their journey through the world of STEAM. The first of their workshops was led by two of PWI Brussels Advisory Board members: Geert Maesmans, Global R&D Director at Cargill and Cristina Vicini, Owner at Vicini Strategy. The session focused on working for a Sustainable Bioeconomy World. The experts took the students through the design process used within Cargill’s R&D teams. The students used these tools and the items they were given to explore the subject of meat replacements.
As our students are familiar with inquiry and design cycles, using them in their learning, they were able to quickly phrase hypotheses, design tests and begin to gather evidence using real tools from industry.
“The great thing about the project is that it started from our BEPS MYP curriculum, with the help of our PWI partners we linked it to STEAM in business and industry. By the end of the first workshop we already have ideas to refocus certain elements of our curriculum we hadn’t imagined previously. It is a really unique way to develop curriculum.” – Andrew Mitchell MYP Coordinator.
“Our hope is that the power of diversity and inclusion that we see in BEPS International School’s classrooms continues into our future workplaces. The leaders and experts who are part of PWI Brussels are engaged and committed to encourage the next generations to embrace STEAM not only for education and career choices, but as a mindset and way to stay curious about the world we live in” – Michelle Vilar, PWI Brussels VP Leadership & STEAM Program Co-Director.
BEPS Secondary School and PWI Brussels will continue their partnership through the delivery of learning sessions into the spring term and beyond. They will aim to continuously improve the way gender-balanced STEAM leadership and learning are brought into the classroom.
About BEPS International School :
Established in 1972, BEPS International School is situated in beautiful buildings in the heart of one of Brussels’ most desirable areas, close to the Bois de la Cambre and the University (ULB).
We offer the inquiry learning approach through the International Early Years Curriculum, the International Primary Curriculum and the implementation of the Middle Years Programme from the International Baccalaureate® (IB). Students’ learning experiences encourage them to develop the 21st Century skills required to become lifelong learners and responsible Global citizens.
www.beps.com
About PWI :
Professional Women International (PWI) is a Brussels based membership association, part of the PWN Global network, where we help professional women grow and succeed and thereby aim to accelerate more gender balanced leadership. Our membership includes leaders, across diverse industries, experiences and cultures, of which many are ‘STEAM’ professionals who have developed their education and professional careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts (including Design), or Mathematics. We boost STEAM women’s creativity and circle of influence beyond their own functional area, enabling them to raise their visibility and value perception in our society. To learn more, please visit www.pwi.be