International kick-off of FASTEAM on Vlieland

Last week, De Jutter and Learning Hub welcomed international education partners from Slovenia, Croatia and North Macedonia for the official start of our Erasmus+ project FASTEAM.

Learning on a small island

During the visit, De Jutter shared how education is organised on a small island and how closely the school collaborates with parents and the local community. On Vlieland, cooperation is not an extra activity. It is part of everyday practice.

The small scale of the island creates short lines of communication and strong relationships. Teachers, parents and community partners know each other well and work together naturally. This approach strongly reflects the vision behind FASTEAM: building learning environments where school and family reinforce one another.

Building the project together

The meeting focused on shaping the next steps of the project. Partners discussed shared goals, timelines and responsibilities for the coming years. Together, we will develop practical learning materials, design joint parent-child activities and create professional development opportunities for teachers.

At the same time, there was space to experience Vlieland itself. A tour of the school, a visit to the planetarium and a walk across the island created informal moments for exchange. These shared experiences helped build trust, new ideas and strong connections within the consortium.

Looking ahead

Over the coming years, FASTEAM partners will work closely together to create tools and approaches that help families engage more actively in STEAM learning. The next project coming together will take place at the end of March in Skopje, where we have a 3-day training programme for teachers.