On March 25, the International Ceramics Center at the Bolesławiec Cultural Center hosted the opening conference for the Cross-Border Experience Gardens project. The project aims to strengthen cooperation along the Polish-German border, particularly by developing joint educational and research initiatives and fostering connections between science and business. This initiative brings together four partners: the Łukasiewicz Research Network – Polish Center for Technology Development (PORT) in Wrocław, the University of Zielona Góra, the Technical University of Dresden, and the Technology and Start-Up Center in Bautzen (Technologie- und Gründerzentrum Bautzen).
At the University of Zielona Góra, the project is being implemented by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer. As its director, Karol Dąbrowski, explains: "Our university is responsible for the methodological aspects. We will host two working meetings and, in the fall, a major networking event where we will present the results from the first six months of the project. These findings will be shared with a broader audience—teachers, local government officials, and educational authorities—so they can become familiar with the STEM/MINT teaching methods used in the project and their outcomes. Meanwhile, activities for young people and seniors will primarily take place in Wrocław and Dresden."
The common goal of the project is to promote cross-border scientific discovery and to explore the world of fascinating experiments, particularly in STEM fields—those related to mathematics, engineering, and technology in a broad sense. "We hope that, thanks to these activities, today’s youth will be inspired to pursue careers in science," said Marek Staniewicz, Director of the Department of Social Responsibility of Science at Łukasiewicz PORT, during the conference.
During the event, project details were presented, along with the upcoming workshops, open lectures, and networking meetings planned for the coming months. The project is targeted at various groups, primarily high school students and children from primary schools. However, it also includes activities aimed at seniors and adults who are interested in gaining a better understanding of scientific concepts in a simplified and engaging way.
"We want to share our knowledge, popularize science, and inspire young people of all ages—both younger and older students who are already thinking about their future. We want to show them why science is worth their attention and why pursuing education in scientific fields, even those that may not seem immediately attractive, can lead to innovation and opportunities in the future. We are talking about physics, chemistry, biotechnology—fields that drive progress. We want to showcase what we do on a daily basis, what universities and research centers work on. This way, we hope to reach young people and give them a chance to consider a future in these fields," said Paweł Kurant, Deputy Director of the Łukasiewicz Research Network PORT. "We want to reach people on both sides of the border and, together with our German partners, demonstrate that science has no borders—it is just as important on both sides, today and in the future."
During a discussion panel, representatives from the scientific and business communities of both countries discussed the challenges of cross-border science popularization. "Our project is designed for schoolchildren and young students, but we aim to deliver it through formats that are not typically associated with traditional school environments. We want to introduce alternative methods for learning technical and natural sciences—through play, games, experiments, camps, experience exchange, discussions, dialogue, and teamwork," said Michael Paduch from TGZ Bautzen. "We have experience on both sides of the border, and we want to share it by creating formats that will engage young people and introduce them to topics like robotics, computer science, mathematics, and natural sciences—even if they seem challenging at first."
The Bolesławiec conference marked the beginning of a two-year-long project. The initiative is co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund as part of the INTERREG Poland-Saxony 2021-2027 program.
