Science on Stage Europe
Science on Stage Europe is a European nonprofit network that helps science teachers exchange classroom practices, teaching resources, and ideas for improving science education.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Science on Stage Europe is a European teacher-development and science-education initiative created to improve the quality and appeal of science teaching. It began in 1999 as Physics on Stage, an initiative of EIROforum, a collaboration of major European research organisations. The original programme responded to concern about declining numbers of young people entering physics and related scientific fields. Its underlying theory was that motivating and equipping teachers could be an effective way to encourage schoolchildren to take a stronger interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The initiative's first major event was the Physics on Stage festival at CERN in Geneva in 2000. More than 500 teachers from 22 countries took part in a week of workshops, presentations, performances, demonstrations, and project displays. The festival format made science teaching a collaborative and practical activity rather than a conventional conference. Follow-up Physics on Stage festivals were held at the European Space Agency in Noordwijk in 2002 and 2003. EIROforum subsequently concluded that the shortage of future scientists was not confined to physics. The programme was therefore broadened to encompass science more generally and adopted the name Science on Stage. The first festival under the new name took place at CERN in 2005, followed by a festival at the ESRF and ILL research facilities in Grenoble in 2007. The organisation continued to use national networks and competitive selection processes to identify teachers and classroom projects for European-level participation. Science on Stage Europe focuses on peer exchange. Its activities give teachers opportunities to present experiments, lesson plans, project-based learning approaches, and other classroom methods to colleagues from different countries. The network also supports access to science-teaching resources and provides a forum for discussing new ways of making lessons more engaging. International festivals, traditionally held every two years, serve as the culminating events for national Science on Stage activities. The initiative's institutional model changed after European Commission financial support ended in May 2008. In March 2009, representatives of the participating countries reaffirmed their intention to continue the European cooperation and sought alternative funding for future festivals. Science on Stage Germany played a coordinating role in this transition. Festivals held after the end of Commission support included an event at Urania in Berlin in 2008 and a Copenhagen festival in April 2011, supported by the Danish Ministry of Education. A further festival planned for April 2013 was designed jointly by organisations in Poland and Germany at the Słubice–Frankfurt (Oder) border. Science on Stage Europe was initially established as an initiative in 2008 and became a formally registered nonprofit association under German law in January 2012. Its structure is intended to be bottom-up: participating countries maintain national steering committees, these committees form the European assembly, and the assembly elects an executive board. The board is supported by invited experts and a Berlin-based office. European festivals are jointly prepared by a European festival programme committee and a national organising committee. The brand represents cooperation in science education rather than a commercial product line. Its principal audiences are school science teachers, national education networks, research and science-communication organisations, and policymakers interested in strengthening STEM participation. The available reference material does not establish current leadership, finances, present membership, or the organisation's latest programme, so those details remain unspecified.
History
Science on Stage Europe originated in 1999 as Physics on Stage, an EIROforum initiative supported in part by the European Commission. Its purpose was to address concern about falling numbers of young physicists by improving the quality of science teaching and by helping teachers motivate pupils toward scientific careers. The first Physics on Stage festival took place at CERN in Geneva in 2000. More than 500 teachers from 22 countries participated in a week of practical exchanges involving workshops, presentations, performances, and project displays. The successful format was repeated at the European Space Agency in Noordwijk in 2002 and 2003. These events established the initiative's characteristic emphasis on teachers sharing tested classroom activities rather than merely receiving policy presentations. EIROforum later broadened the programme after recognising that recruitment challenges affected science fields beyond physics. The initiative adopted the name Science on Stage, and its first festival under that name was held at CERN in 2005. A second Science on Stage festival followed in 2007 at ESRF and ILL in Grenoble. The programme retained its festival model while developing a wider European network of national activities. A major organisational transition followed the end of European Commission financial support in May 2008. The participating national representatives reaffirmed their commitment to continuing cooperation in March 2009 and began seeking alternative funding. Science on Stage Germany helped guide the continuation of the network. An alternatively funded festival was held at Urania in Berlin in October 2008, sponsored by THINK ING., an initiative associated with German metal and electrical engineering employers. Another festival took place in Copenhagen from 16 to 19 April 2011 under the theme "Science Teaching: Winning Hearts and Minds." It was funded by Denmark's Ministry of Education and organised by Danish Science Communication together with the Science on Stage Europe office. Science on Stage Europe was initially set up as an initiative in 2008 and became an officially registered nonprofit association in January 2012. Its headquarters were established in Berlin. The organisation uses a bottom-up governance structure in which participating countries maintain national steering committees. Those committees meet in a European assembly that elects the executive board. The board receives support from invited experts and the European office. The international festivals are intended to take place every two years and function as the culmination of national Science on Stage work. They are organised jointly by a European festival programme committee and a national organising committee. A festival scheduled for 25–28 April 2013 was planned for Słubice and Frankfurt (Oder) on the German-Polish border, with organisations from both countries involved. Its theme, "Crossing Borders in Science Teaching," reflected the network's commitment to international exchange. The planned programme was to feature approximately 350 science teachers presenting teaching ideas, workshops, and performances, with participants selected through national events or selection procedures. The initiative's activities are centred on teacher learning, peer networking, and dissemination of educational resources. It is not presented as a commercial education provider or a conventional consumer brand. Rather, Science on Stage Europe functions as an umbrella identity for a European community of science teachers and national partner organisations. The available sources document its founding, organisational evolution, and historic festivals, but do not provide reliable current information about its executive board, funding, membership totals, or most recent activities.
- 2012
Formal nonprofit registration in Germany
[1]Science on Stage Europe becomes a registered nonprofit association under German law, headquartered in Berlin.
- 2011
Copenhagen festival promotes science-teaching exchange
[1]A festival is held from 16 to 19 April at Ørestad Gymnasium under the theme "Science Teaching: Winning Hearts and Minds."
- 2008
Alternative funding phase begins
[1]After European Commission support ends, the network begins using alternative funding and holds a festival at Urania in Berlin.
- 2007
Science on Stage festival in Grenoble
[1]The second Science on Stage festival is held at ESRF and ILL in Grenoble, France.
- 2005
The initiative becomes Science on Stage
[1]The programme expands from physics to science education broadly, with a new festival at CERN.
- 2003
Physics on Stage 3 is held in Noordwijk
[1]A third Physics on Stage festival follows at the European Space Agency site.
- 2002
Physics on Stage 2 takes place at ESA
[1]The festival format continues at the European Space Agency in Noordwijk, Netherlands.
- 2000
First Physics on Stage festival at CERN
[1]More than 500 teachers from 22 countries meet at CERN in Geneva for a week of science-teaching exchanges.
- 1999
Physics on Stage is launched
[1]EIROforum begins Physics on Stage to strengthen physics teaching and respond to concern about declining interest in scientific careers.
Products and positioning
A cross-border, teacher-led science-education network that uses peer exchange, practical resources, and recurring festivals to make science teaching more effective and to encourage young people to consider scientific and engineering careers.
Teacher conference and professional development · 2005
International Science on Stage festivals
Recurring European gatherings where selected teachers present classroom projects, practical experiments, workshops, performances, and teaching approaches. The festivals are designed as peer-learning events and serve as the public culmination of national Science on Stage activities. Historically, the international festivals were planned on a biennial cycle and were jointly prepared by European and national organising committees.
Educational resources · 1999
Science-teaching resource exchange
A network-based exchange of lesson ideas, classroom activities, project methods, and other resources for science teachers. The approach relies on teachers sharing practices that can be adapted in schools and on discussion of new ways to improve the quality and appeal of science lessons.
Teacher network · 2008
National Science on Stage networks
Country-level communities and steering committees that organise national activities, identify teachers and projects, and connect domestic science-education work with the European assembly and international festivals.
Marketing campaigns
- 2013Crossing Borders in Science Teaching
Europe · Germany · Poland
The planned Słubice–Frankfurt (Oder) festival used a German-Polish border location and a cross-border theme to emphasise international cooperation in science teaching.
Outcome. The planned programme was to bring approximately 350 selected science teachers together for presentations, workshops, and performances.
- 2011Science Teaching: Winning Hearts and Minds
Europe · Denmark
The theme of the Copenhagen festival framed science education as an effort to build both intellectual engagement and positive attitudes toward science among pupils.
Outcome. The festival provided a European setting for teachers to present and exchange classroom practices.
Brand decisions
2012
Formalise the organisation as a nonprofit associationStrategyBackground
The initiative needed an organisational structure capable of sustaining European cooperation after the transition away from its original funding model.
Action taken
Science on Stage Europe became a registered nonprofit association under German law and established its headquarters in Berlin.
Aftermath
The organisation operated through national steering committees, a European assembly, an elected executive board, and a supporting European office.
2008
Continue European cooperation after public funding endsStrategyBackground
European Commission financial support ended in May 2008, creating a need for new support for the international festivals.
Action taken
Participating national representatives reaffirmed the cooperation and pursued alternative funding, with Science on Stage Germany taking a coordinating role.
Aftermath
Alternative-funded festivals were organised, including the Berlin event in 2008 and the Copenhagen event in 2011.
2005
Expand the programme from physics to scienceStrategyBackground
EIROforum determined that the anticipated shortage of future scientists was not restricted to physics.
Action taken
The initiative was renamed Science on Stage and broadened to cover science education more generally.
Aftermath
The expanded programme held its first Science on Stage festival at CERN and continued using the established festival and teacher-exchange model.
Recent events
- 2012
Science on Stage Europe becomes a registered nonprofit association[1]
Other
Science on Stage Europe was formally registered as a nonprofit association under German law, with headquarters in Berlin, following its earlier operation as an initiative.
- 2008
European Commission support for the initiative ends[1]
Other
Financial support from the European Commission ended in May, prompting the participating national networks to seek alternative funding arrangements for the European festivals.
- 2005
Physics on Stage programme broadens into Science on Stage[1]
Other
After concluding that the shortage of future scientists extended beyond physics, EIROforum broadened the initiative to cover science education more generally and held the first Science on Stage festival at CERN.
- 2000
Physics on Stage launches a European festival for science teachers[1]
Other
The first Physics on Stage festival was held at CERN in Geneva, bringing together more than 500 teachers from 22 countries to exchange science-teaching activities through workshops, presentations, performances, and exhibitions.
Sources1 sources
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