Making science fun and fascinating for children

The VUB Children's University is aimed at third grade students and teachers at Dutch-speaking primary education in Brussels. It mainly concerns Brussels schools that have many equal educational opportunities students. This way, we strive to knock down the barriers and help children discover at an early age how fun and fascinating science can be. Through workshops on our campus and in schools, we work to inspire the next generation of researchers today.

Fast forward to:

For whom and by whom?
How?

For whom and by whom?

2022_Groepje kinderen met stalen in de hand_Kinderuniversiteit_VUB

Third grade students

It is imperative that we as a university invest in our future students and guide and support them, with particular attention for the most vulnerable. We deliberately do this from an early age. Because it is specifically then that children possess a tremendous degree of wonderment and curiosity, crucial capacities when it comes to science and technology.

The younger we introduce Brussels children to science and VUB, the lower the threshold to higher studies. That is why we work to inspire our future students to study or work in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) field early in their school career.

Third grade teachers

We are building a sustainable, structured network of third grade primary school teachers in Dutch-speaking schools in Brussels. These schools have a significant proportion of GOK students.

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GOK stands for equal educational opportunities. GOK students have a mother without a secondary school diploma or receive a school allowance.

2022_Docent deelt haar kennis aan de kinderen_Labo_Kinderuniversiteit_VUB

VUB doctoral students

VUB doctoral students are role models for the target groups of VUB Children's University. They knock down the barriers and help children from primary education in Brussels discover how fun and fascinating science can be. In this way, they are supporting the teachers.

How?

  • Supporting teachers

We provide the teachers of these Brussels schools with extra tools to shape their science lessons.

  • Communication skills of doctoral students expanded

In this project, VUB doctoral students are being trained in scientific communication with children. We train them to creatively communicate their knowledge through interactive workshops. They do this adapted to the level of children in the third grade of primary school.

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