While numerous scientific and educational institutions are engaged in promoting and popularizing STEM, their capacities cannot meet all societal needs. Consequently, an increasing number of civil society organizations are implementing educational and popularization projects in the STEM field.

The Ruđer Bošković Institute, as a leading research institution in Croatia, sets an example with its innovative approach and numerous bilateral and multilateral projects in science popularization, helping to initiate and develop new interventions in this area through various project collaborations.

Over the past decade, the RBI has partnered in a wide range of projects with schools and associations funded by the Ministry of Science and Education, particularly focusing on work with gifted and motivated students. The impact of our activities on students has also been analyzed through scientific studies funded by the Croatian Science Foundation and the European Social Fund, providing recommendations and data that help shape new approaches and solutions to this societal challenge.

During the last seven-year EU financial program, the Institute participated as a partner in 12 projects in the area of science popularization funded by EU resources. The services offered by the Institute within these projects are diverse, including:

• Workshops with students and teachers at the Institute, including lab tours,
• Training for educators who will conduct activities with students, school visits (through lectures, workshops, experiments),
• Consulting on creating activities and the necessary equipment for workshops with students of different ages,
• Conducting longer formats (seminars, summer schools),
• Supervision, conducting evaluations and scientific research,
• Creating recommendations for activities at all levels of education.

We also maintain good cooperation with other stakeholders not directly related to the education system, with whom we share a common vision of making science accessible to a wider circle of people. Some of the projects we have jointly realized include:

• Chemgeneration (BASF)
• From Source to Sea (Coca-Cola)
• STEM. I Grow. I Explore. (Knowledge at Work Foundation)
• Movember (DM and associates)
• Terry Fox Run (Embassy of Canada and associates)
• Science Talk (British Council and British Embassy)

Selected Project Titles, Leaders, and Durations:

• European Researchers' Night
• EU Mobility and Programmes Agency 2013
• I raSTEM! – A multi-year interdisciplinary STEM program for teaching gifted elementary students Hugo Kon Elementary School 2017 – 2019
• European Researchers' Night Ministry of Science and Education 2018 – 2019
• SCOPE – Science Connects People FabLab 2020 – 2023
• Growing with STEM Our Children Jastrebarsko Society 2021 – 2022
• NOVsky Novska Youth Association 2021 – 2022
• Cytological STEM EDUCation in Klinča Eduka – Local Development Center, Klinča Sela 2022 – 2023
• Mobile ZEZ Center Professor Baltazar Association, Zagreb 2022 – 2023
• A Step into Science: Continuous Development of Scientific Skills in High School Students Education Outside the Frame Society, Zagreb 2022 – 2023
• STEM – Future for Five Association of Our Children Societies of Croatia 2022 – 2023
• Capacity Building of HZI for Implementing STEM Programs in Youth Work Croatian Community of Innovators 2022 – 2024
• Eco & Blue STEM Technical Culture Community of Rijeka 2022 – 2024
• The Art of Using Information Klinča Sela Elementary School 2017 - 2019