STEAM thinking is a process which promotes collaboration between the Arts, Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Its direct relation, STEM thinking (prioritising Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, only), has typically been understood as a way of delivering the skills required for high-tech, high-value jobs, and so seen as critical to economic prosperity. Increasingly, this position has been expanded to incorporate the benefits that ‘artistic’ practice can provide. In particular, approaches that favour clear application of creativity and imagination, in combination with more typically understood STEM skills such as numeracy and analysis, are considered to be routes to deeper insight and more transformative innovation.

Whilst arguments for supporting STEM are well rehearsed, STEAM, is becoming more and more prevalent in the HE sector. This is not only as a way of ensuring that students acquire the multitrans- and inter-disciplinary skills required for the future jobs market, but also to increase intellectual curiosity and, through collaborative approaches, to prime them in developing solutions to multiaspect global challenges.
Whilst a number of approaches to multi-, trans- and inter-disciplinary learning currently exist, to date, no comprehensive scheme has been developed to identify the specific effectiveness of HE STEAM approaches. The STEAM INC project seeks to address this, and the rising importance of STEAM in HE.

Aims and objectives

Identify points of intersection across current European HE STEAM approaches and develop a collaborative definition of HE STEAM
Produce methodologies for the implementation of STEAM thinking in HE education, policy and engagement
Create an evaluation framework for measuring the effectiveness of STEAM processes in HEIs and HE partner organisations

Start project: 01-10-2019
End project: 31-08-2022
Funding: Erasmus+
Website: http://www.steaminnovation.org/

Partners

Birmingham City University (lead partner), UK
Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, UK
Trinity College, Science Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
Aalto University, Finland
University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Dresden Technical University, Germany
Ars Electronica, Austria

Disclaimer: The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.