Experimental kit for MINT: Creative education at the Erasmus high school!

Experimental kit for MINT: Creative education at the Erasmus high school!

On September 12, 2025, the time had finally come: Steffen Bockhahn, the Senator for Youth and Social Affairs, Health, Schools and Sport, handed over the first of four experimental cases to the Erasmus-Gymnasium in Lütten Klein as part of a ceremonial event. These suitcases are part of the NORDMINKT project, which aims to sustainably improve education in the fields of mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology (MINT). At a time when MINT skills are more in demand than ever, this project brings a breath of fresh air to education.

But what exactly is behind these experimental cases? The idea is to give students low-threshold, playful and creative access to scientific and technical educational opportunities. In the future, extracurricular projects will also benefit from the suitcases, which are to be procured comprehensively by 2027. The project is supported by well-known cooperation partners, including the University of Rostock and the Institute for Biomedical Engineering (IBMT) at the Rostock University Medical Center. The funding for this comes entirely from the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space.

A contribution to MINT education in Germany

STEM education is of enormous importance, especially in a context where skills in mathematics, computer science, science and technology are essential for tackling contemporary challenges such as climate change, the energy transition or fighting diseases. How education-research.digital highlights, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is taking action to promote research projects to improve MINT education in Germany. With a budget of 10 million euros, 13 practice-oriented research projects are being worked on, which will run over three to five years.

Creating a common understanding of high-quality STEM education is also in the BMBF’s crosshairs. These include projects such as MINT-SDL21 and GeNIUS, which serve to promote MINT skills in schools and daycare centers. In addition, numerous studies have already been completed to examine the effectiveness of MINT funding.

Current challenges and opportunities

Another aspect is the underrepresented position of women in academic STEM fields. Statistics show that the proportion of women among new students in the STEM field has increased from 31% in 2002 to 35% in 2022. However, there is still a lot of work to be done, especially considering that the proportion of women filing patents in 2019 was just 13%. With initiatives such as “MissionMINT – Women shape the future” and Girls’ Day, the BMBF is committed to cliché-free career orientation and the visibility of innovative women.

So mark the day: The first experiment kit was handed over and marks an exciting step in STEM education. Collaboration between school and extracurricular activities will be further strengthened to promote creative solutions to the challenges of our time. Stay tuned – there is a lot to discover! You can also find out more about the MINT action plan and the current educational landscape in Germany on the website Federal Ministry of Education and Research read up.