About 1,400 students, 65 workshops and a lot of "MINTes" supporting program. This was TEC2move 2022, the eighth time that RIC (Regionale Innovations Centrum) GmbH, together with partners from business and the education sector, invited students to the unique event at the Welios Science Center in Wels.

Cool experiments instead of hot school lessons: Around 1,400 children and young people from all over Upper Austria once again took the opportunity to immerse themselves in the fascinating world of science and technology at the school-based TEC2move event.

From June 28 - 30, 2022, pupils from six to 15 years experienced a diverse program with varied workshops, experiments and technical tasks.

"Let me do it"

During TEC2move, the RIC team and its partners transform the entire Welios Science Center into an exciting discovery zone. Anyone looking for information booths or lectures here is out of place. At the school-related event, the focus is on children and young people experimenting, tinkering and creating. Loosely based on Confucius, "Let me do it and I will keep it," various workshops offer active learning experiences that appeal to all the senses and vividly convey where the so-called "MINT subjects" (mathematics, information technology, natural sciences and technology) can be found in everyday life: from acoustic experiments to controlling hydraulic machines, playful programming tasks to working in virtual reality. The young guests are particularly proud of their workpieces, such as a self-built Can-Am Maverick with electric drive or an airplane from the laser cutter, which they can take home with them.

And that's not all: the TEC2move supporting program in and in front of the Welios offers fun science between the workshops: whether in the high-voltage or chemistry lab, with the AI-controlled slot cars, in the VR kart simulator or in the RIC's mobile technology lab, the TECVan.

Cool program - important mission

For 10 years now, the RIC, as the main organizer of TEC2move, has been bringing together well-known Upper Austrian companies and educational institutions for the three-day school-related event. The congenial partnership has a clear goal: to get children and young people excited about science and technology at an early age and to create an attractive learning environment with an exciting program.

Peter Landl, Managing Director of RIC (Regionales Innovations Centrum) GmbH, sees STEM as an important future perspective for young people: "STEM subjects are becoming increasingly important in our increasingly digitalized world of work and life. They are the cornerstone for many job profiles and the demand for specialists in these fields continues to rise. With TEC2move, we are therefore starting precisely here: We want to arouse curiosity, offer exciting learning opportunities and show where STEM can be found everywhere. In this way, TEC2move can, in the best case, also be the initial spark to get excited about a career in the exciting world of science and technology!"

RIC would like to thank all partners and sponsors of TEC2move 2022:

BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG, Federal Ministry of Education, Eckes-Granini Group, Upper Austria University of Applied Sciences, Fronius International GmbH, Greiner HTL Wels, Province of Upper Austria, RISC Software GmbH, Rosenbauer International AG, Wacker Neuson Linz GmbH, Welios Science Center.