The reason for the foundation of eucu.net – the European Children’s Universities Network -was a growing need for exchange in this specialized format of science engagement. However, eucu.net was not only oriented to enable the communication amongst experienced organizers to develop the programmes further but also to encourage newcomers to start their own initiatives. Both perspectives – the urge for quality enhancement and the idea to foster new establishments of Children’s Universities – were born out of the convincement of a group of people who believed that children have a right for curiosity and a good start to enjoy science.

2008 – the birth of our network

Everything started after ECFUN – the virtual Children’s University. At the final conference of this EU-funded project the plan for a non-virtual network for Children’s Universities was born. In further consequence, a consortium of multi-angled organizers coming from diverse backgrounds as universities, arts institutions and information technology – was assigned by the European Commission to coordinate the European Children’s Universities Network. From the very beginning of the network in 2008, the aim of the project was to stimulate bilateral cooperation and to create basic standards for the organization and implementation of Children’s Universities. Furthermore first attempts of an evaluation of the impact of such programmes were accomplished.
In the first phase of eucu.net contacts with 120 partners all over the world were established and amongst other publications and tools  the eucu.net white book – a reference guide on Children’s Universities was published.

EUCU.NET (FP7-SCIENCE-IN-SOCIETY-2007, #217810, 2008-2010)

Recognising the potential and achievements of the Children’s University approach, the European Commission supported the creation of a European Children’s University Network (eucu.net), initiated and coordinated by the Vienna University Children’s Office, with the aim of promoting the exchange of expertise between organisations and professionals. eucu.net has since been established as a non-profit membership organisation with more than 40 founding members.

2011 – the consolidation of eucu.net

The ongoing discussions about the diversity of Children’s Universities, the ever more important topic of social inclusion in science communication and many good of good practice examples were the reason why eucu.net was not discontinued after the EU-funding but re-founded as a membership organization in the year 2011.
The strategic objective of eucu.net is to support already consolidated Children’s Universities with fresh ideas and information and to foster the idea of equal access and better educational opportunities for children and young people. Having said that, our network is intended to increase interaction among member states and to extent existing practices in a professional and concerted manner not only in Europe but also on an international level.

Past and ongoing projects: professionalisation and internationalisation

In the following years, eucu.net was involved in a number of Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) under H2020 and Horizon Europe.

SiS-Catalyst was the first Mobilisation and Mutual Learning Action Plan (MML) in the field of education to be funded under FP7. The 4-year project involved a consortium of more than 30 partners and advisors from 23 countries, with the aim of developing mechanisms and tools to give children a role in the responsive development of science and academic research, and to help shape higher education with a clear focus on social inclusion.

(Reference: FP7-SCIENCE-IN-SOCIETY-2010, #266634, 2011-2014)

SciChallenge was a social media-based science competition for young people aged 10-20, which attracted almost 400 entries from 44 countries and generated more than 4 million interactions on social media channels. More than 600 participants had attended the final award ceremony in Vienna in July 2017. https://www.scichallenge.eu/

(Reference: H2020-SEAC-2014, #665868, 2015-2017)

PHERECLOS was a co-ordination and support action aimed at developing regional models of co-operation in education based on an open schooling approach. Based on the experience of Children’s Universities as incubators of change in education ecosystems, local education clusters will involve all relevant actors in a territory – be they universities, governmental and non-governmental organisations, enterprises or other knowledge providers. https://www.phereclos.eu/

(Reference: H2020-SWAFS-01-2018-2019, #824630, 2019-2022)

SHORE aims to increase ocean literacy by engaging students and teachers in the implementation of Mission Ocean objectives through activities and collaborative projects in schools. In this project, the project partners will develop training and educational materials and courses in line with the Blue Curricula for schools in the Baltic, Black, Mediterranean, Danube and Rhine Rivers. Participating schools will receive grants to support the implementation of their blue projects. The most outstanding school project will be awarded the title “Ocean Ambassador of the Year”. In addition to awarding grants, SHORE serves as a comprehensive resource hub and bridge between researchers, local stakeholders and schools in the regional areas. https://shoreproject.eu

(Reference: HORIZON-MISS-2022-OCEAN-01-08, #101112815 SHORE, 2023-2026)