Empowering STEM Educators with Long-Term Forecasting Skills: Results from the FIT4FUTURE Project

The FIT4FUTURE project is an innovative initiative aimed at empowering STEM educators by enhancing their strategic long-term planning skills through the integration of Long-Term Future Scenarios (LTFS) into higher education curricula. This study presents the results of the piloting phase of the FIT4FUTURE project, which was conducted across four European countries: Denmark, Germany, Portugal, and Türkiye. The pilot involved extensive collaboration with higher education institutions in these regions, where the training programme and platform were tested in real-world educational settings. Educators were provided with access to LTFS tools, methodologies, and creative approaches such as science fiction prototyping, flash fiction writing, and trend analysis, all aimed at promoting forward-thinking in STEM education. The findings from the pilot reveal high levels of satisfaction among participants, with educators reporting significant improvements in their ability to incorporate long-term forecasting into their teaching practices. The programme was also found to have a positive impact on student engagement, with educators observing increased motivation, attention, and knowledge retention among their students. Additionally, the flexibility of the training programme allowed educators to tailor the content to their specific educational contexts, further enhancing its relevance and applicability.