StarT main prize: a memorable trip to Finland 

The three best project teams and the three best practices in StarT are awarded the International LUMA StarT Award each year. For the teams that are awarded the International LUMA StarT Award 2018, a trip to Finland is a part of the main prize. It includes breathtaking Finnish landscapes, insight into the Finnish culture and education, as well as wonderful opportunities to network and learn more! The costs of the trip for the awarded teams will be covered by LUMA Centre Finland as a part of the prize.

The unforgettable award trip: “This visit to Finland is an inspiration for our further work”

In 2017 the MTA-SZTE Science Education Research Group, Faculty of Science and Informatics US, from Hungary, was one of the three teams that was awarded the International LUMA StarT Education Award 2017 for their collaboration of education and teacher training programme through StarT. This is what they said about their award trip to Finland:

“The organizers treated us with exceptional kindness and love during our stay. We were offered varied and interesting programmes that could be changed according to our wishes and the weather. Sightseeing in Helsinki was a great experience! We got to know the downtown of Helsinki, its main tourists’ sights, learnt about Finnish people and culture. We also gained experience on the teaching of sciences in Finland. We met teams from other countries (teachers and students as well), and through talking to them we collected knowledge about their educational system and their science education. The StarT project brought closer people from several sides of the world. What we all had in common was the commitment to science education and the responsibility for children. This was a great opportunity to learn from each other, to collaborate with different nations and to make friendly international relationships.

Science education and teacher training is exemplary in Finland so it is worth knowing and experiencing. A great opportunity for this is the participation in LUMA StarT. Besides the Finnish examples you can get other international models and ideas, build international professional connections.

We are thankful for the great days, for the attention and kindness of the organizers. This visit to Finland is an inspiration for our further work.”

You can check out this Hungarian team’s best practice video and the other nominees of International LUMA StarT Award 2017 here.

Ready to report your project? Please report here before the 18th of February 2018. All reports will be considered by the StarT jury in selecting the winners for the International LUMA StarT Awards 2018!