CONNECT · Project

Online Platform Helping Schools Build Science-Industry Partnerships at Scale

otherTestedTRL 6Thin data (2/5)

Most kids lose interest in science because school feels disconnected from the real world. CONNECT built a way for secondary schools to partner with local companies and universities so students work on actual science problems — not just textbook exercises. Think of it as a matchmaking service between classrooms and workplaces, with an online platform that makes it easy for teachers to set up these partnerships. The goal is to get more young people — especially from disadvantaged backgrounds — excited about STEM careers by showing them what scientists and engineers actually do every day.

By the numbers

consortium partners involved

countries where the model was tested

total project deliverables produced

platform development iterations (baseline, launch, final)

30%

industry partner ratio in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies investing in STEM talent pipelines and schools trying to modernize science education face the same challenge: school-industry partnerships are expensive to set up, usually one-off events, and rarely reach disadvantaged students. There is no scalable, curriculum-embedded system for connecting classrooms with real science professionals and enterprises. This leaves corporate STEM outreach programs fragmented and schools struggling to make science relevant to students' future careers.

The solution

What was built

CONNECT built a fully functional online platform (developed through 3 iterations: baseline, launch, and final improvement) that supports school-enterprise-university partnerships for science education. The project also produced an open schooling model with gamification elements designed to be embedded directly into secondary school curricula, along with 20 deliverables covering methodology, evaluation, and implementation guides.

Audience

Who needs this

EdTech companies building school-industry collaboration platformsCorporate CSR managers running STEM outreach and talent pipeline programsEducation ministries and school district administrators modernizing science curriculaScience centers and museums developing school partnership programsEducation consultancies advising on curriculum reform

Business applications

Who can put this to work

EdTech and e-Learning

SME

Target: EdTech platform providers developing school-industry collaboration tools

If you are an EdTech company looking to expand into school-enterprise partnership solutions — this project developed a fully functional online platform tested across 7 countries that connects schools with science professionals and enterprises. The platform went through three development cycles (baseline, launch, final improvement) and could serve as a proven foundation or acquisition target for your product portfolio.

Corporate Training and CSR

enterprise

Target: Large companies running STEM outreach or workforce pipeline programs

If you are a company investing in STEM talent pipelines or corporate social responsibility programs — this project created a tested model for embedding enterprise-school partnerships directly into curriculum rather than running them as one-off events. The approach was validated across 10 partner organizations in 7 countries, offering a replicable method to structure your school engagement programs.

Education Services and Publishing

any

Target: Curriculum developers and education consultancies serving school districts

If you are an education consultancy or curriculum developer helping schools modernize science teaching — this project produced a ready-to-use open schooling model with gamification elements that embeds participatory science into the core curriculum. It was tested with secondary schools across multiple European countries and includes tools for involving families in the learning process.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt the CONNECT platform?

The project was funded as a Coordination and Support Action (CSA), meaning outputs are typically openly available. The online platform went through three development iterations and is accessible via the project website. Specific licensing terms are not detailed in the available data — contact the coordinator for commercial reuse conditions.

Can this scale beyond the original pilot countries?

The model was tested across 7 countries (Brazil, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Romania, UK) with 10 consortium partners, suggesting good cross-cultural adaptability. The online platform was designed for broad access, though scaling would require local adaptation of curriculum integration approaches.

Is there intellectual property I can license?

As a CSA project, CONNECT focused on coordination and methodology rather than patentable technology. The online platform and pedagogical model are the main IP assets. Based on available project data, open access is likely the default, but commercial platform reuse terms should be clarified with the coordinator EXUS Software.

How does this fit with existing school IT systems?

The CONNECT online platform was built as a standalone web-based tool with progressive feature additions across three deliverable cycles. Based on available project data, integration with existing school management systems would need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

What evidence exists that this actually improves student outcomes?

The project aimed to increase students' interest and confidence with science by embedding science-action gamification projects in the core curriculum. With 20 total deliverables produced over 3+ years across 7 countries, evaluation data exists but specific outcome metrics are not detailed in the available summary.

Who built the platform and can they provide ongoing support?

The platform was developed and coordinated by EXUS Software, a Greek SME specializing in software development. With 3 industry partners (30% of the consortium) including 2 SMEs, technical capacity exists within the consortium for continued development and support.

Consortium

Who built it

The CONNECT consortium brings together 10 partners from 7 countries, with a 30/70 split between industry and academic/research organizations. The coordinator is EXUS Software, a Greek SME, which adds commercial perspective to what is primarily an education-focused project. With 4 universities and 2 research organizations providing scientific credibility, and 3 industry partners (including 2 SMEs) contributing practical know-how, the consortium is well-suited for developing and testing an education platform — though it lacks the heavy industry presence you would want for rapid commercial scaling. The geographic spread across Southern Europe, Northern Europe, and Latin America suggests the model has been stress-tested across diverse educational systems.

EXUS SOFTWARE MONOPROSOPI ETAIRIA PERIORISMENIS EVTHINISCoordinator · EL
UNIVERSITATEA VALAHIA TARGOVISTEparticipant · RO
GLOBAZ, S.A.participant · PT
FUNDACIO PRIVADA INSTITUT DE RECERCA SOBRE IMMUNOPATOLOGIES-CAIXA, IRSICAIXAparticipant · ES
PERIFERIAKI DIEFTHINSI PROTOVATHMIAS KAI DEFTEROVATHMIAS EKPAIDEFSIS KRITISparticipant · EL
FONDEN DEMOCRACY Xparticipant · DK
THE OPEN UNIVERSITYparticipant · UK

How to reach the team

EXUS Software (Greece) coordinated this project. Use SciTransfer's matchmaking service to get a warm introduction to the development team.

Order a report on this consortium See EXUS SOFTWARE MONOPROSOPI ETAIRIA PERIORISMENIS EVTHINIS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how the CONNECT platform or open schooling model could fit your education product or corporate STEM program? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the project team and help structure a collaboration.

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