GeoCamp Iceland has joined a new Erasmus+ project, REPower, aimed at strengthening vocational education and training in renewable energy across Europe. The project officially started with a kick-off meeting in Skjern, Denmark, where partners from Denmark, Italy, Ireland, Turkey and Iceland came together to align expectations, roles and the road ahead.

REPower is a two-year collaboration running from late 2025 to 2027. Its focus is practical and straightforward: to equip vocational teachers and students with relevant, applicable competences in renewable energy systems. Rather than focusing on narrow specialisation, the project emphasises capacity building, hands-on learning and the connection between education and real-world energy systems.

At the heart of the project is the development of a shared renewable energy curriculum, supported by training materials, digital learning tools and pilot activities in vocational schools. These elements are designed to work together, combining classroom learning, online resources and face-to-face training to support both teachers and students.

GeoCamp Iceland’s contribution to REPower focuses on geothermal energy. Iceland’s energy system, shaped by geology and decades of applied experience, provides a strong foundation for practical learning. Within the project, GeoCamp will lead the development of training materials and host an international hands-on training programme in Iceland, bringing together teachers and students from partner countries.

This training will take learning out of the classroom and into the field. Participants will work with geothermal concepts in practice, linking theory, digital tools and site-based learning. The aim is not only to transfer knowledge, but to build confidence and competence in teaching and learning about renewable energy in a meaningful way.

For Reykjanes, participation in REPower strengthens its role as a living laboratory for education, innovation and renewable energy. The region offers a unique setting where energy production, geology and community life intersect. Through this project, local knowledge and experience will be shared internationally, while new ideas and perspectives are brought back into the region.

REPower also places strong emphasis on quality, innovation and sustainability. Digital materials, including interactive and immersive tools, will support learning and ensure that project results remain accessible beyond the project lifetime. Dissemination activities and a shared digital platform will help spread results across vocational education networks in Europe.

As the project moves forward, GeoCamp Iceland looks forward to working closely with its partners to turn plans into practice. REPower is about more than renewable energy technologies; it is about people, skills and preparing the next generation for a changing energy landscape.

Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark continues to strengthen its educational network as Fjölbrautaskóli Suðurnesja has now officially received recognition as a UNESCO School. With this milestone, there are now four UNESCO Schools within the Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, marking important progress in regional collaboration around sustainability, global citizenship, and place-based learning.

Stóru-Vogaskóli in Vogar was the first school in the region to receive UNESCO School status in spring 2025. It was followed by Háaleitisskóli on Ásbrú later that summer, and Leikskólinn Gimli in Reykjanesbær in October 2025. Fjölbrautaskóli Suðurnesja now joins this growing network, spanning preschool, primary, and upper secondary education.

To mark the occasion, Sigrún Svafa Ólafsdóttir, Project Manager at GeoCamp Iceland and coordinator of the UNESCO ASPnet project in Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, visited the newly recognised UNESCO Schools within the Geopark to present them with the publications Reykjanes I and Reykjanes II, along with other educational materials published by the Geopark. These resources are designed to support project work connected to local nature, culture, and heritage.

Sigrún Svafa’s role within the Geopark is part of a formal cooperation agreement between Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark and GeoCamp Iceland, which is responsible for managing and coordinating the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet) within the Geopark. Through GeoCamp Iceland, she leads the educational development work, supports schools throughout the application process, and serves as the main liaison with the United Nations Association of Iceland.

Since the first introductory meeting in September 2024, around 18 preschools, primary schools, and upper secondary schools within the Reykjanes area have begun working towards UNESCO School status. The initiative was launched in cooperation with Suðurnesjavettvangur and has since developed into a structured support framework for schools interested in integrating UNESCO values into their daily teaching and learning.

The UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet) has been active internationally since 1953 and today includes nearly 10.000 schools in 180 countries. Participating schools commit to embedding United Nations themes and working actively with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals across their curricula and school culture.

While the original aim was to support schools in working more effectively with the Sustainable Development Goals and to improve access to meaningful educational projects, the benefits have gone further. The ASPnet initiative has strengthened schools’ connections to the Geopark, encouraged collaboration across school levels and municipalities, and helped establish a dynamic professional learning community for educators throughout the region.

The next key milestone in this work is the UNESCO Schools Education Camp (Menntabúðir), taking place on 2 February at Gerðaskóli in Garður. The event is open to educators from all school levels and will focus on sharing ideas, showcasing projects, and building connections across the network. On this occasion, astronomer Sævar Helgi Bragason will also visit Reykjanes to introduce educators to the educational opportunities linked to the total solar eclipse on 12 August, which will be visible from the peninsula.

GeoCamp Iceland and Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark warmly congratulate all newly recognised UNESCO Schools on this important achievement and look forward to continuing this shared journey of educational development, collaboration, and sustainability-focused learning in Reykjanes.

On 19 January 2026, ten educators from across Suðurnes came together at Gerðaskóli in Suðurnesjabær for an inspiring professional development workshop focused on creative and inclusive teaching methods. The event was organised by GeoCamp Iceland as part of the European ACADIMIA project, which promotes innovative approaches to teacher education and creative learning environments across Europe.

Teachers from Gerðaskóli, Háaleitisskóli, and Akurskóli primary schools, as well as Tjarnarsel kindergarten, participated in the afternoon workshop, exploring new ways to strengthen student engagement, inclusion, and creativity in the classroom.

The training introduced two innovative educational approaches that are being developed and shared through the ACADIMIA network. The first session focused on SBL – Strength-Based Learning, a method that encourages students to shape their own learning pathways based on their strengths and abilities. The approach provides flexible assessment frameworks that allow students to progress through observation, imitation, creativity, and originality while supporting diverse and multicultural classrooms.

The second session introduced CLEAR – Creative Learning Approach, where drama, storytelling, role-play, and creative expression become central tools in teaching and learning. Participants explored how creative methods can be integrated across subjects in compulsory education, combining curriculum content with theatre techniques, body language, collaborative storytelling, and experiential learning.

The workshop was led by educators Sara Ross Bjarnadóttir, Sigrún Svafa Ólafsdóttir, Ragnheiður Alma Snæbjörnsdóttir, and Freydís Kneif Kolbeinsdóttir, who shared practical examples and hands-on activities with participants throughout the afternoon.

Events such as this reflect the growing emphasis within the ACADIMIA project on empowering teachers with methods that support inclusion, participation, creativity, and student wellbeing. By bringing together schools from across the Reykjanes region, the workshop also strengthened local collaboration and professional exchange among educators working towards more engaging and student-centred learning environments.

GeoCamp Iceland continues to play an active role in connecting international educational innovation with local schools and communities through outdoor learning, STEAM education, and teacher professional development initiatives.