Breakout C - Ignite Talk

Presented by: Mag. Dr Robert Klinglmair & Mag. Dr Marcel Illetschko

What does future-proof education look like in a rapidly changing world? This session explores how Austria’s evolving school curricula reflect a broader understanding of education – one that goes far beyond traditional subject learning. New educational priorities include entrepreneurship and life skills, digital literacy, political and media education, sustainability, mobility, and health awareness. The common thread: all are vital for meaningful social participation in the 21st century.

Yet education doesn’t only happen within the classroom. High-quality, innovative extracurricular spaces play a crucial role in making learning tangible, experiential, and relevant. They enable students to explore natural sciences, economics, and socio-political questions in hands-on, experimental ways – and foster curiosity, critical thinking, and collaboration.

The Educational Lab at Lakeside Science & Technology Park, which has welcomed thousands of students over the past 20 years, serves as a powerful example of how such environments can become long-term pillars of educational quality and innovation. It is now part of a growing international network of learning labs and science parks that integrate education, research, and practice.

In this session, participants will learn how extracurricular spaces can bridge gaps between education, research, and society, and how schools and institutions can collaborate to embed these concepts sustainably in educational systems.