Commission endorses EU STEM Education Strategic Plan
The STEM Education Strategic Plan proposes new 2030 EU-level STEM targets :
- The share of students enrolled in STEM fields in initial medium-level VET is at
least 45%; at least 1 out of 4 students are female - At least 32% of HE students are enrolled in STEM; at least 2 out of every 5 are
female - At least 5% of students enrolled in ICT PhD programmes; at least 1 out of 3 are
female
The EU STEM Education Strategic Plan will be guided by three key objectives, of
which each comprises a set of measures:
- LEAD: Anchor STEM as a strategic pillar in the EU’s education and skills policy
- LEVEL UP: Build a stronger and more inclusive EU STEM talent pipeline
- LIFT: Advance women in STEM and inspire future innovators
Measures and initiatives in the field of education and training
| Initiative/Measure | Goals | Launch Time |
| Set up a European STEM Executive Panel at top business/ political/administrative level
|
Provide industry feedback on skills needs across industrial sectors strategic issues including curriculum modernisation, innovative teaching and content, and embedding academic-business cooperation in STEM education | 2025 |
| Utilising the Eurograduate survey, the European Skills Intelligence Observatory and the European Data Space for Skills | Better anticipate sector-specific skills needs to improve STEM skills intelligence based on international indicators and benchmarks | 2025 |
Measures and initiatives specifically in higher education
| Initiative/Measure | Goals | Launch Time |
| Working towards a European degree for engineers | Building on the European Universities Alliances and ongoing Erasmus+ pilots, considering the needs of employers | tbd |
| Support the development of joint education programmes (Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral levels) and specialist training for strategic STEM sectors | Addressing employers’ needs in VET and HE education, leveraging the skills academies and the European Universities Alliances | tbd |
| Provide dedicated training on innovation, entrepreneurship and IP management to 200 000 STEM higher education students, academics and staff | Address employers’ needs in HEI
|
tbd |
Further measures and initiatives in the field of education and training
| Initiative/Measure | Goals | Launch Time |
| Develop a STEM competence framework for all learners at all stages of education and a taxonomy of STEM skills within the ESCO classification | Promote future-oriented STEM curricula and skills assessment framework in schools, VET and tertiary education | 2026 |
| Pilot STEM education centres for school education, including VET schools across the EU | Improving how STEM is delivered and experienced in primary and secondary education | tbd |
| Launch the STEM Tech Talent Induction | Attract more students from diverse backgrounds to STEM studies in secondary education, VET and tertiary education and to STEM careers. involving role models and entrepreneurs that will be implemented by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) | tbd |
| Launch the European Advanced Digital Skills Competitions | Engage young European people in cutting edge digital technologies by providing societal, technological or industry challenges, drawing on existing competitions such as the International and the European Cybersecurity Challenges | tbd |
| Develop joint transnational programmes and short courses leading to microcredentials in strategic STEM sectors, as identifed in the Competitiveness Compass, through the Centres of Vocational Excellence and European Universities alliances | Address employers’ needs in VET and tertiary education
|
By 2028:
Training on innovation, entrepreneurship, and IP management |
| Promote upskilling and reskilling through bootcamps, short courses delivered by formal VET and higher education institutions leading to micro-credentials, and platforms for digital immersive learning and training | Address employers’ needs in VET and tertiary education;
Creating innovative opportunities for lifelong learning |
tbd |
| Pilot STEM Skills Foundries in Strategic Sectors | Involving companies to mentor young student entrepreneurs, in cooperation with vocational education and training providers and with higher education institutions | 2026 |
| Proposal for ‘STEM capacity building’ | STEM capacity building for educational institutions in enlargement countries and other EU priority partner countries | 2026 |
Measures and initiatives in higher education and research
| Initiative/Measure | Goals | Launch Time |
| Pilot a ‘STEM Specialists Fellowship’
|
Attract top international STEM experts from diverse backgrounds to EU higher education and research institutions as well as EU-supported public-private partnerships working in key strategic sectors
|
tbd |
Further measures and initiatives in the field of education and training
| Initiative/Measure | Goals | Lauch Time |
| ‘Girls go STEM’ initiative | Attract more girls and women to STEM | 2025 |
| ‘Stem Futures’ and organise European STEM Week | Identify and share inclusive and successful STEM education practices | 2026
(2026: focus in 2026 on most successful practices for girls and women in STEM) |
| Showcase and exchange good practices and foster mutual learning on attracting and supporting girls and women in STEM apprenticeships | Engaging with companies, research institutions, research and technology organisations and other stakeholders as part of the European Alliance for Apprenticeships initiative | tbd |
