Representatives from GeoCamp Iceland participated in the conference in the "Education of Tomorrow: Shaping Employee 4.0 in the World of New Technologies", organised by the INFOTECH Foundation in cooperation with the Białystok University of Technology and GeoCamp Iceland.
​
The conference, which took place on 29 November 2023, was part of the two-year project "Technologies of the future in today's school", which received a 217.000 EUR support from the EEA Grant funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

Among topics at the conference were discussed challenges and opportunities for future employees in Poland and Iceland in the era of automation, course development on vocational level on the "Basics of Programming", and the teaching curriculum for "Programming Secondary School".

The conference also offered an excellent opportunity for networking and exchanging knowledge and experience on the future of professional education in the digital era.

The past year we've been fortunate to participate in an EEA funded project on implementing STEM education in Croatian schools. In November 2023 the staff of GeoCamp Iceland - along with a group of teachers from primary schools and research centers in the Reykjanes region - attended a couple of open days in our partner schools in Croatia, including a very successful event at OŠ Josipa Kozarca in the town of Lipovljani. Great recpetion and hospitality of inspiring teachers and active students. #STEM #Lipovljani

The past year GeoCamp Iceland has partnered four primary schools in Croatia as part of an EEA funded project on implementing STEM education. As part of this project - the staff and experts on behalf of GeoCamp Iceland - took part in meetings, workshops and open days at Vladimir Nazor Primary School on 2 - 4 November 2023 in the town of Ðakovo located in the region of Slovania in Croatia. 

The goal of the meeting and events was to introduce with the activities achieved through the project. Teachers and students, involved in the project, organised workshops as part of twelve extracurricular activities where they displayed the application and use of innovative STEM teaching methods in their school.

Great event with engaged students and inspired teachers. #STEM #Ðakovo

GeoCamp Iceland participated in the EEA-funded project “Geothermal Activity in the Municipality of Lipik” in Croatia, from April 2022 to September 2023. This initiative, under the EEA and Norway Grants scheme, focuses on harnessing low-temperature geothermal fields in Lipik for sustainable development.

Project Overview

Lipik, renowned for its natural hot springs, presents significant opportunities for sustainable heating, agricultural innovation, and community energy solutions. The project’s goal is to tap into these geothermal resources to establish eco-friendly energy sources that benefit both the local community and the environment.
Leveraging its extensive experience in geothermal energy and environmental science, GeoCamp Iceland provided essential technical support and research capabilities, including consulting and insights on environmentally responsible practices, and advising on community-driven solutions to ensure the long-term sustainability of geothermal energy use, as well as educational and training support.

Knowledge Sharing and Cultural Exchange

The collaboration fostered a valuable exchange of knowledge and culture between Iceland and Croatia. GeoCamp’s team worked closely with local officials, researchers, and community members to understand Lipik’s unique geothermal characteristics. This partnership facilitated the development of adaptable and resilient geothermal solutions tailored to the region’s specific needs.

One of the main challenges was ensuring that geothermal resources could be harnessed in an eco-friendly manner. GeoCamp played a crucial role in designing solutions that minimize environmental impact while maximizing energy output. The project’s success has sparked interest in further exploration of geothermal fields in Croatia, indicating potential for new sustainable energy sources across the region

Impact on the Local Community

The project has positively impacted the Lipik community by increasing awareness of renewable energy sources and their benefits. GeoCamp’s demonstrations of geothermal applications for heating, tourism, and agriculture have inspired local stakeholders to envision a greener, self-sustaining future. Additionally, the initiative has laid the groundwork for new job opportunities in areas related to geothermal energy management and sustainable agriculture.

The completion of the Lipik geothermal project marks a significant milestone in GeoCamp Iceland’s international collaborations. The success of this initiative underscores the value of partnerships funded by EEA and Norway Grants in promoting renewable energy and sustainable practices. GeoCamp remains committed to future projects that share Iceland’s geothermal expertise, supporting environmentally responsible energy solutions across Europe.

For more information, explore articles on Moj Portal and Compas or view the project video on YouTube.

The final conference and teacher training activity in the EEA supported project "GEOCAMP - supporting geology teaching towards active citizenship" took place in the beautiful Ralsko Geopark in Czech Republic in July 2023. The project introduced new and innovative teaching programmes and methods in the field of the sciences and geology to prepare teachers for the challenges of the future and act in the interests of environmental protection.

The project was partnered by Ralsko Geopark and the Technical University of Liberec in the Czech Republic.

As part of the EEA funded project on implementing STEM education in Croatian schools, a seven person delegation on behalf of GeoCamp Iceland took part in a three day meeting in the SMART - BICC Project in Budinščina, Croatia on 19 - 21 April 2023.

During the meeting we had the opportunity to attend open day and workshops presented by students. Attending the visit from GeoCamp Iceland were Arnbjörn Ólafsson, Ólafur Jón Arnbjörnsson, Sigrún Svafa Ólafsdóttir, Álfhildur Leifsdóttir (Árskóli Primary School), Nada Borosak (Álftanesskóli Primary School), Gauti Eiríksson (Álftanesskóli Primary School) and Huld Hafliðadóttir (Husavik STEM Center).

The focus of GeoCamp Iceland in the STEM projects is to participate in capacity-building activities for teachers and other educational workers in the STEM field; working on pupil’s skills strengthening in the field of STEM; and participating in information and visibility activitie with experienced experts from Iceland, including lectures and workshops of defined activities. 

GeoSchool - GeoCamp Iceland participates with the Polish school Infotech and Bialystok University of Technology in the EEA funded project "EOG - Technologies of the future in today’s school". The main goal of the project to reduce economic and social differences within the European Economic Area and improve the quality of education by creating pilot courses of study in vocational education corresponding to the demand for IT specialists in the labor market.

In February 2023 we attended the fourth meeting in the project, which also included an open conference on the future technologies in education. Four participants on behalf of GeoCamp Iceland attended the meeting: Arnbjörn Ólafsson and Magdalena Maria Poslednik, as well as Dr. Tryggvi Thayer from the University of Iceland and Bjarndís Fjóla Jónsdóttir from Mixtúra - STEM Centre in Reykjavík.

As part of the conference programme, Dr. Thayer gave a presentation on Innovating Education and Magdalena Maria Poslednik on Educational Aspirations - Opportunities and Challenges for the Polish Community in Iceland. The conference was hosted by Bialystok University of Technology with attendence from both faculty and university students. 

During the open conference the Icelandic participants offered two presentations: “EduCamps and Design - Thinking as a tool of social innovation” and “Educational aspirations, opportunities and challenges for Polish community in Iceland”. You can watch recorindgs of the conference here.

GeoSchool - GeoCamp Iceland participates with the Polish school Infotech and Bialystok University of Technology in the EEA funded project "EOG - Technologies of the future in today’s school". The main goal of the project to reduce economic and social differences within the European Economic Area and improve the quality of education by creating pilot courses of study in vocational education corresponding to the demand for IT specialists in the labor market.

​The main focus of GeoCamp's participation is to support innovative education and teaching methodologies, as well as organise study visits for the group to Iceland. The first such visit took place in June 2022, where nine representatives from the Polish project partners had visits to both University of Iceland Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science and Gróska Creative Community.

Picture: Dr. Runar Unnthorsson, Head of Faculty