RUN-EU Future Innovation Lab MaM

Future Innovation Labs (FILS) in RUN-EU to develop future skills

This vibrant network of collaborative learning and innovation spaces located at each partner university within the RUN-EU alliance offer tailored programmes designed to bring STEAM skills closer to pre-university students, supporting the development of future-ready competencies among young people aged 6 to 17.

The future innovation labs are closely aligned with the European Union’s Pact for Skills, an initiative designed to equip citizens and organisations with the capabilities needed to navigate the green and digital transitions. FILS offers young learners and their educators hands-on, creative learning opportunities that go beyond technical knowledge. Through workshops, challenges, and practical activities, participants develop key competences in STEAM alongside entrepreneurial and transversal skills such as courage, initiative, problem-solving, self-directed learning, critical and creative thinking, as well as sharing and collaboration — all essential for thriving in an innovative and rapidly evolving world.

FILS contributes to the Pact’s mission of fostering a culture of lifelong learning, building strong partnerships, and ensuring that education systems prepare future generations for the jobs, technologies and societal challenges ahead. By sparking curiosity for science, technology and sustainability at an early stage, and by promoting inclusive access to these learning experiences, FILS plays an active role in shaping the skills landscape for Europe’s twin green and digital transitions.

Through these interconnected labs, RUN-EU strengthens formal and informal education as a powerful engine for societal change—connecting young people, educators, and communities across Europe through knowledge, innovation, and international collaboration. Each FILS HUB is deeply embedded in its local context, often working closely with schools and science outreach centres.

Taste – Food and Tourism Education centre (TUS)

Centro de Ciência Viva do Alviela – Casoscópio (IPLeiria)

Future Innovation Lab (IPCA)

Design Factory (HAMK)

Challenge Lab (NHL Stenden)

Netzwerk MINKT and Inatura (FHV)

De Mind- and Makerspace (Howest)

La Estación de la Ciencia y la Tecnología (UBU)

A future-ready mindset starts here

Our world is transforming at an unprecedented pace. Simply improving or repairing today’s systems won’t be enough to build a just and sustainable future. Instead, we are called to reimagine our ways of thinking and acting — with boldness, creativity, and collective purpose.

At Howest, we believe in unlocking opportunities, nurturing talent, and empowering individuals to take initiative. Echoing the spirit of Star Trek’s iconic phrase “To boldly go where no one has gone before”, we are committed to creating environments that foster forward-looking skills and attitudes. Service, empowerment, and care are the core values guiding this mission.

The Mind- and Makerspace (MaM), launched in 2019 on our Bruges campus, is a key expression of this vision. As an inclusive and hands-on learning space, the MaM invites people of all backgrounds to explore, experiment, and grow. Here, we focus on cultivating four transformative competences:

Self-development & critical thinking
Creative ability
Sharing & collaboration
Courage & initiative

These essential skills empower individuals to drive both small and large changes in society. Our framework is inspired by the Inner Development Goals (Jordan, 2011) and the 4Cs model (P21 Framework for 21st Century Learning, Battelle for Kids, 2019).

Curious about the MaM’s broader impact? Explore the summary of our impact research and discover how we shape meaningful futures.

Activities and events

SAP Designing Steam activities (Second edition)

The Short Advanced Programme (SAP) ‘Designing and implementing STEAM-activities in the future innovation lab of your university (in an extracurricular context) – second edition’ is coördinated by Howest University of Applied Sciences (Howest) and NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences (NHL Stenden).

This programme is designed to train future facilitators — including students, researchers, educators, and external professionals — to design and implement high-quality STEAM activities for children and young people aged 6 to 18 within the extracurricular setting of the university’s Future Innovation Lab. Participants are not expected to have prior experience with STEAM education or activity design, but they are motivated to become active contributors to the development and implementation of youth programming in their institution’s lab.

RUN-EU Innovation day in Howest

On Sunday, 23 November 2025, Howest University of Applied Sciences (in both Kortrijk and Bruges) will host the RUN-EU Innovation Day.

This event is dedicated to supporting research, dialogue, and collaboration that foster innovation and tackle pressing social and environmental challenges within our regions and communities. By opening up Howest’s research, innovation, and community services to the wider public, we aim to inspire engagement, spark ideas, and promote student involvement in shaping a more sustainable future.

Innothon at the Future Innovation Lab of Howest

Also in 2025, Howest will once again bring together university students, secondary school pupils, and field experts to collaboratively tackle a real-world challenge during the Innothon at the Future Innovation Lab.

This two-day event is designed to encourage creativity, foster teamwork, and stimulate innovative thinking. Participants work side by side with stakeholders involved in the specific theme, aiming to develop fresh, practical solutions to current societal or environmental issues.

Using the Design Thinking methodology, each team explores the challenge, prototypes their ideas, and presents their proposal at the end of the second day. In 2024, the focus was on the circular economy — the 2025 edition will introduce a new pressing topic to inspire the next wave of changemakers.

FILS Programme: TECHMOVE

The TECHMOVE / MaM Camp offers a unique blend of technology, movement, creativity, and STEAM learning for young participants. Throughout the week, children explore futuristic and science fiction themes through hands-on activities such as building drones courses, creating stop-motion animations, and experimenting with virtual reality. Combined with active gaming and innovative sports technology, the camp stimulates both the mind and body while fostering creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills in a playful and engaging environment.

The Mind- and Makerspace

Get a glimpse of the Mind- and Makerspace through these atmosphere images.
Curious to experience it in person? Don’t hesitate to get in touch — we’d love to welcome you!

Katrijn Bulckens

Lead FILS Howest

Katrijn is a creative all-rounder with a deep passion for exploration, learning, and growth.
She focuses on building meaningful connections — between people, knowledge, disciplines, organisations, and challenges — to collaboratively tackle complex issues.
Collaboration, networking, connecting, and empowering others are the common threads that run through her work.

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