News . Our Blog CONNECT International Conference on Open Schooling 2023: A Resounding Success Fostering Education Innovation

The CONNECT International Conference on Open Schooling (CICOS 2023) held in Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain, from July 6th to 7th, proved to be a resounding success, leaving a lasting impact on the education community. Organized by the CONNECT consortium, this scientific conference brought together practitioners, researchers, educators, and policymakers from all over the world to engage in a critical exchange of knowledge and debate on the latest innovations in Open Schooling educational practices.

With the event taking place in the esteemed Museo de la Ciencia CosmoCaixa, the atmosphere was charged with excitement and enthusiasm for exploring the potential of open schooling to revolutionize education. The CONNECT project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 872814, played a significant role in supporting the conference, underscoring its commitment to advancing the future of education through two key publications.

The CONNECT project book “Inclusive Open Schooling with engaging and future-oriented science: Evidence-based Practices, Principle & Tools” was launched in the conference – free download here

The Open Schooling Declaration was officially presented with the support of hundreds of  practitioners and advocates of the open schooling movement, who provided their signatures. You are invited to join this movement. Sign in here

“We received participants from Greece, Brazil, Spain, Belgium, Romania, Jamaica, United Kingdom, Ireland, Hungary, Netherlands, Portugal, Turkey, Denmark, Norway”

The conference revolved around four key objectives that were successfully met:

1. Reflect and Spread Open Schooling Practices: Through various presentations, workshops, and poster sessions, participants had the opportunity to delve into the practical applications of open schooling and its transformative effects on students and educators alike.
2. Overcome Barriers and Enhance Education Quality: Discussions centered on identifying challenges in adopting open schooling practices and brainstorming innovative solutions to enhance the quality of education.
3. Explore Open Schooling’s Role in Sustainable Development Goals: Experts explored how open schooling aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing its potential in empowering students to tackle real-world challenges and contribute to sustainable development.
4. Foster Global Collaboration for Open Schooling: The conference provided a platform for cross-projects collaboration, allowing stakeholders to share experiences and insights, ultimately strengthening the Open Schooling movement at local and global levels.

The conference’s keynote speakers, hailing from diverse educational backgrounds and regions, delivered inspiring talks that shed light on the impact of open schooling on students, educators, and society. The event’s parallel sessions and workshops allowed for interactive discussions, idea sharing, and problem-solving, fostering an atmosphere of collaboration and camaraderie.

Nine members of the OS Together network made significant contributions by presenting their open schooling projects funded by the European Commission.

One of the major highlights of CICOS 2023 was the presentation of high-quality abstracts by researchers and educators. Topics spanned various areas, including inclusion, socio-cultural awareness, sustainable development, and STEAM education. The abstracts showcased innovative practices that have the potential to revolutionize education systems worldwide.

Furthermore, the CONNECT International Conference placed a strong emphasis on digital and green innovation in education. Participants explored how technology and open educational resources can be harnessed to empower learners and bridge gaps in education, particularly in underserved communities.

The success of the conference can be attributed to the passionate and diverse community of attendees, which included educators, administrators, researchers, EU project practitioners, policymakers, and non-formal educators. Their collective commitment to advancing education, coupled with the exceptional organization by the CONNECT consortium, contributed to the event’s overall success.

As the conference concluded, participants left with new insights, invaluable connections, and a shared commitment to furthering the open schooling movement. The event proved that open schooling is not merely a theoretical concept but a practical approach that has the potential to break barriers and create a more inclusive, innovative, and sustainable future for education.

You can see now the main sessions of the conference in the YouTube channel of the project

DAY 1

DAY 2

You can also access the conference website here, and see the Presentations of the sessions as well as the Images gallery