STEM education in Flanders: How STEM@school Aims to Foster STEM Literacy and a Positive Attitude towards STEM

The Need for STEM Professionals We are increasingly exposed to complex societal and technological problems. Qualified Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) professionals are needed to solve these problems and cope with contemporary demands such as sustainable energy and efficient healthcare [1]. It is not surprising then that the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report (2016) predicted a job gain in STEM fields for the following years [2]. However, we do not only need STEM professionals who can solve these problems. We also need people with a certain level of basic STEM literacy. All citizens, even non-STEM professionals, should have the skills and competences necessary to deal with the challenges of our information-based and highly technological society [3]. STEM-literacy, i.e., the awareness of the nature of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and the familiarity with fundamental concepts from each discipline, should be an educational priority for all students [3], [4].