research arkistot - LUMA-keskus Suomi

StarT – Inspiring Learning Together Worldwide

10/12/2025

Lapset työskentelevät StarT-kerhossa. Kuva on vuodelta 2019.

Since 2016, StarT, created by LUMA Centre Finland, has grown into a global movement that transforms science, mathematics, technology, and sustainability education through creativity and collaboration. The name says it all: every child and young person can be a Star, and the T stands for teamwork. At its core, StarT is about learning together through projects and sharing ideas across borders to make education meaningful and exciting.

StarT ignites curiosity and creativity, empowering children, young people, and educators to imagine, design, and share projects that offer solutions to real-world challenges, guided by their own passions and questions. These projects often explore themes such as sustainability, climate solutions, and innovative technologies, encouraging learners to apply scientific thinking to issues that matter. Along the way, participants develop essential skills like problem-solving, communication, and collaboration.

From 2016 to 2022, the International StarT LUMA Competition brought together thousands of participants from more than 60 countries. Each year culminated in the International StarT Gala, a vibrant celebration of creativity and best practices, where young innovators and educators inspired one another. In addition, local LUMA Centres have organized regional StarT festivals with award ceremonies in Finland. Many of the projects and teaching practices are freely available in our open material bank.

Since 2023, StarT has expanded through the International StarT LUMA Science Clubs Programme, linking formal education with informal learning environments. These clubs, co-designed through research, offer children, teachers, and student teachers opportunities to engage in project-based STE(A)M learning beyond the classroom. StarT LUMA also inspires families: they are welcome to join the final club session and see their children’s projects. Read more from the LUMAT Journal.

An open online course on project-based learning supports teachers and educators with implementing clubs and projects that foster creativity, collaboration, and culturally sustainable practices. As highlighted in The Best Day I’ve Had in Ages – Learning Together in a Science Club, these experiences spark joy and curiosity, reminding us that science is a shared adventure.

Today, StarT is more than a programme; it is a community-driven platform for sustainable STE(A)M education, aligned with global goals and local needs. It invites everyone – students, teachers, and families – to become co-creators of knowledge and solutions. By fostering creativity and a sense of agency, StarT helps young people see themselves as active contributors to a better future.

StarT is a movement for learning together, shaping a world where science and collaboration lead the way towards sustainability. Whether through innovative school projects, inspiring teaching practices, or international networking, StarT continues to light the path for educators and learners worldwide.

Nowadays, the StarT LUMA Programme also serves as an international research and development initiative within the LUMAlab Gadolin. To date, several research papers have been published in this context, including:

Haatainen & Aksela: https://journals.helsinki.fi/lumat/article/view/1392
Markula & Aksela: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s43031-021-00042-x
Aksela & Haatainen: https://journals.helsinki.fi/lumatb/article/view/2780

For more information:
Director, Professor Maija Aksela, and Project Manager, Dr Outi Haatainen
LUMAlab Gadolin Hub

LUMA Stars – Inspiring young people to shape a sustainable future

03/12/202502/12/2025

LUMA Stars -klubissa vierailtiin laboratoriossa, jossa tulostetaan pieniä asioita petrimaljalle.

LUMA Stars is a novel programme that places young people at the heart of natural sciences and sustainability by showcasing research-based solutions for global challenges. It provides opportunities for youth to become familiar with scientific practices and to become active contributors to a better future through hands-on experiences in scientific work, collaboration, and creativity. By connecting students with research communities and dynamic learning environments, LUMA Stars opens doors to natural sciences in ways that are engaging, meaningful, and forward-looking.

Three Core Elements

Science Internships (Tiede-TET) Upper secondary students visit real research environments, gaining authentic experience and insight into scientific work. During the 2025–2026 pilot year, four students received scholarships and visited research groups monthly to explore topics aligned with their interests. These internships go beyond observation – they offer opportunities to ask questions, contribute ideas, and witness science in action.

LUMA Stars Club Once a month, young people take centre stage in a national online club streamed on YouTube. They share stories from their research visits to Kumpula Science Campus at the University of Helsinki and companies, creating inspiring content and engaging with peers across Finland. The club is youth-led: participants decide what to present and how to spark curiosity. Example themes of online clubs in autumn 2025

Green Supermaterials: Capturing and Using Carbon Dioxide (Professor Timo Repo’s research group)
Hydrogen Powered by the Sun: Catalysts Revolutionising Clean Energy (Professor Pedro Camargo’s research group)
Polymers in Medicine: 3D Printing for Implants and Drug Delivery (Professor Yinyin Bao’s research group)
Biomaterials for 3D Printing Human Tissues and Implants (Professor Robert Luxenhofer’s research group)

These topics reflect the cutting-edge research areas students explore and communicate to their peers. Collected feedback shows these sessions are not only exciting for students but also bring fresh perspectives to teachers.

LUMA Stars Camp 2026 Next summer, the programme culminates in a science camp focused on sustainability and innovative solutions. It will be a space for collaboration, creativity, and action, where ideas turn into projects and friendships flourish.

The challenges of sustainability demand new ways of thinking and acting. LUMA Stars responds by giving young people a voice and a platform to explore solutions. It bridges formal education and real-world science, fostering curiosity, confidence, and a sense of purpose. For many participants, this is their first step towards a career in science – or simply a deeper understanding of how they can make a difference.

LUMAlab Gadolin, part of the LUMA Centre Finland, organises the programme. It is embedded in its research and development programme, which seeks research-based, collaborative solutions to engage and inclusive learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The programme is led by Professor Maija Aksela, Director of LUMAlab Gadolin, and coordinated by Maikki Roiha, Doctoral Researcher at LUMAlab Gadolin. It is a collaborative program with various partners, e.g., UH Science Education Outreach (as part of LUMA Centre Finland), the Faculty of Science, the Department of Chemistry at the University of Helsinki, Helsinki Upper Secondary School of Natural Sciences, and the LUKEMA network.

Learn more: LUMAlab Gadolin homepage

Seventh Teachers’ Climate Change Forum in Hyytiälä – Explore photos and lecture materials

13/09/2024

The seventh international Teachers’ Climate Change Forum was held at Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station from 1 to 3 September 2024. Participants and teachers from seven countries enjoyed collaborative learning, interaction, workshops and daily lectures. This year’s topic was teacher–researcher collaboration. In traditional Finnish style, the participants had the opportunity to relax in a sauna, barbecue and hike in the forest together. The forum was organised collaboratively by the University of Helsinki’s Academic Outreach Network (part of LUMA Centre Finland) and the Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR).

The annual Teachers’ Climate Change Forum brings together teachers from all over the world to learn more about climate change and related research and teaching. First held in 2017, the forum is aimed at all teachers interested in climate education and develops their professional skills through versatile talks and workshops.

Co-design and climate education at Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station

The keynote speaker was Professor Ying-Shao Hsu of the National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU). She focused on co-design, an approach embracing all perspectives and engaging specialists in various fields.

“This type of climate education is fundamental to our country’s mission. Some of our multinational conglomerates collaborate with science educators,” she says.

It is important to communicate about climate change, related research and climate education to the general public as well. Ying-Shao Hsu explains that a broad consensus on climate issues is being sought in Taiwan too.

An enlightening and enjoyable experience for teachers and future generations

The feedback regarding the forum has been very positive. Topics of interest to the participants included the use of open data in teaching, collaborative discussion and design, and the enhancement of student motivation.

A group of general upper secondary school students and staff calling themselves Climate Warriors focus on engaging students as sustainability educators, establishing friendships, promoting a collaborative approach and using social media to resolve climate issues and increase climate awareness. Pictured, from left, teacher Jarmo Lehtinen, students Milla and Wilma, and teacher Merja Kuisma.

The forum organisers from the University of Helsinki are actively involved in climate education. From left, Specialist Topias Ikävalko, Online Moderator Juliana Friedrichsen, Doctoral Researcher Janina Taurinen and the forum’s deputy director, Senior University Lecturer Taina Ruuskanen. Missing from the photo is the forum’s director and founder, Professor Maija Aksela of the University of Helsinki, who is also Director of LUMA Centre Finland.

In Hyytiälä, the forum participants explored the wonders of the forest, forestry research and the effects of climate change.

Both teachers and younger participants appreciated the sense of community and the chance to learn in nature and exchange ideas.

Teachers and researchers enjoyed a visit to the SMEAR II research station and came away with a wealth of knowledge about forests and climate change.

In the photo, participants are getting ready for a nature walk led by Senior University Lecturer Taina Ruuskanen. Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station operates under the auspices of the University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry. The new international, multidisciplinary building visible in the photo was completed last year and nominated for the Finlandia Prize for Architecture 2024.

Workshops were held outside in a hybrid format, both on site and remotely. The programme in Hyytiälä included the creative generation of a vision for a sustainable future.

Event materials and lectures are available here. By creating a profile, you can easily log in and explore the latest climate education resources.

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Writer:

Jemima Unger, specialist in communication and community relations, LUMA Centre Finland (University of Helsinki)

International cooperation strengthens – new Memorandum of Understanding signed

19/03/2024

On Friday the 15th of February a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with Ilia State University in Tbilisi, Georgia. The cooperation concerns LUMA-activity (STEM-activity) in relation to the education of teachers and research. The agreement lasts over a five-year span.

”We learn from each other during international cooperation. The Memorandum of Understanding is an important opening to develop a science based new teacher education and teaching in schools. Together we are more!” says director, professor Maija Aksela, LUMA Centre Finland, University of Helsinki.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed at the end of the PRESS-project, which is a part of the Erasmus+ programme.

Our international model can be found in our E-books: In Finnish and in English.