Ensuring fair access to STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) for all children lies at the core of the European project Fairness In Teaching (FIT), in which Frederick University collaborates with four other institutions in Luxembourg, Italy, and France.

The project partners held their 5th meeting at Frederick University on the 16th and 17th of January, marking another milestone towards achieving the project's goal, to provide essential educational materials to teachers in Primary and Secondary Education schools, facilitating the promotion of diversity in classrooms and offering equal opportunities to every child. This inclusivity extends to children regardless of gender and background, as well as those facing challenges, such as refugee children and immigrants.

Frederick University invites Primary and Secondary Education Schools, Higher Education Institutions, NGOs, Vocational Education and Training organizations - VET, Municipalities and related bodies to participate in the project and implement the good practices related to its objectives. As members of the project's Community of Practice, they will have the opportunity to use, provide feedback and improve the learning materials developed by the consortium. 

"The fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are recognized as the key responders to modern challenges and are anticipated to form the foundation for future professions. Thus, our primary goal is to equip educators with the necessary tools to ensure that STEM fields are accessible to all" , explains Dr. Petroula Mavrikiou, Associate Professor at Frederick University's Department of Business Administration and Lead Researcher of the University's Gender Equality and Inclusion Unit - RIGE. While underscoring the crucial role of education in promoting these fields, Dr. Mavrikiou highlights the significance of the Unit's involvement in the Fairness In Teaching (FIT) project, as well. The University's Mobile Devices Laboratory - MDL is also involved in the project. 

The Gender Equality and Inclusion Unit - RIGE oversees the establishment, coordination, and operation of the project's Community of Practice. It actively contributes to the development of the Competency Framework for equitable teaching, primarily focusing on STEM fields, and also engages in creating training materials for educators. MDL is responsible for the development of the digital platform and algorithms facilitating users in providing suggestions and feedback on the posted teaching material. Notably, the platform ensures easy access for all primary and secondary education schools.

The Fairness in Teaching (FIT) project is funded by the Erasmus+ European program. The FIT consortium includes the List Institute of Science and Technology – LIST (Luxembourg) - coordinator, and partners Smart Venice (Italy), Women In Digital Initiatives Luxembourg – WIDE&Co (Luxembourg), GIP Formation tout au long de la vie (France) and Frederick University (Cyprus).

For more information about the Fairness in Teaching Project you can contact Dr. Petroula Mavrikiou, email: p.mavrikiou@frederick.ac.cy