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1. Innovation in formal education

2. Fostering innovation through non-formal and informal learning and youth work

Innovation in formal education

There are no specific programmes or initiatives in general or vocational education to foster innovative skills. Programmes or initiatives rather focus on the development of entrepreneurship competence and the creative use of new technologies (see Chapter 3.8 or Chapter 8.7)

Fostering innovation through non-formal and informal learning and youth work

The Luxembourg Tech School (LTS) is a new extracurricular school concept to support the development of future digital Leaders. It is aimed at 12- to 19-year-old students who are passionate about the digital realm and eager to learn and apply technology in a real business context. LTS is supported by the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth and Digital Luxembourg. The first pilot started September 2016 with about 20-40 students from the Lycées at the Campus Geesseknäppchen. Since 2017, students can enrol in a business and technology programme divided into three blocks. They get personalized coaching and work on their own projects, which they showcase at the end of each block.

The Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition was launched by the European Commission. Created in 2015 in Luxembourg, its goal is to implement a national coalition of information and communication technologies (ICT) focused on technology education and promotion. The platform is supported by digital Luxembourg, the Chamber of Commerce (Chambre de Commerce), the Chamber of Skilled Trades and Crafts (Chambre des Métiers) and Women in Digital Initiatives Luxembourg (WIDE). The platform is the "one-stop shop" for all training and news on digital skills and opportunities in Luxembourg. 

Starting with the 2017/18 school year, it is now possible for secondary schools, as part of educational projects, to provide digital tablets for their students. Secondary schools are therefore motivated to design a concept for the use of digital support and digital content in the classroom, as well as to adapt teaching methods to incorporate this new tool. During the Covid-19 pandemic, around 20 000 pupils in secondary schools had an iPad. The Ministry accelerated the one2one programme by purchasing 15 500 iPads in 2020 (MENJE, 2020b). 

The Ministry has also launched the Future Hub label to promote secondary schools that are open to technology and innovative learning from science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

A new school section, IT and communication, is offered in two secondary schools since 2017/2018. It aims at training digital leaders and IT professionals wo are able to master the creation and application of new technologies, and opens access to higher education especially in the fields of computer science, technology and communication.

The Luxembourg Science Centre is an important infrastructure in Luxembourg which aims at fostering innovation among young people. Launched in 2017, the exhibition conception of the Luxembourg Science Centre aims to arouse interest in the so-called MINT subjects (mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, technology), especially among children, young people and students. In order to achieve a better balance between supply and demand in MINT professions in the long term in the digital age, positive experiences with and discussions on MINT topics should be made possible at the Science Centre.

The base 1 initiative (formerly Bee Creative) aims at preparing young people for the challenges of digital Luxembourg in the field of non-formal and formal education. The main objectives are twofold: (1) allowing young people to learn how to create using technical tools and new media (digital literacy) and (2) promoting creativity, talent and entrepreneurship among young people in the context of new information and communication technologies.