2020 looks promising

Back in September 2019, we wrote about restarting our work with CUiB. Firstly, by going to WELS, the World Education Leadership Symposium, in Switzerland, then to a matchmaking event with social entrepreneurs in Bratislava, and an inspiring meeting with the Romanian Ornithological Society. These diverse intersections with people and organisations not only turned into long-lasting relationships but also boosted our creative energy. They ultimately inspired us to move forward with our playful learning approach and our plan to design new educational tools.

In the past couple of months, we have also grown into a multidisciplinary team. We’re now looking at several paths to follow in our work: One direction that we find both pressing and relevant is making academic research more inclusive and more accessible to the public. 

Based on our experience and knowledge, the majority of research outcomes mainly stay in academic cliques, with absolutely no chance or intention to ever reach a broader audience. Unfortunately, research rarely makes it even into popular media, adding up to a great deal of lost potential.
An article from 2016 already stated that “Up to 1.5 million peer-reviewed articles are published annually. However, many are ignored even within scientific communities – 82% of articles published in humanities [journals] are not even cited once.” 

We believe there is significant potential in making research more transparent and in disseminating its outcomes to a much larger audience: Information opens people’s minds, and changes lives. Being researchers ourselves, we believe we have a responsibility to bring society forward. We want our work to have an impact on society, mostly in the way we educate future generations. Our role is not passive, we are not mere observers of societal and cultural shifts, but promoters of change and advocates for improvement. 

And we start early, with children: They are more capable of understanding complex global issues than we give them credit for. We believe there is no point in delaying access to the knowledge that will impact their lives and their roles as members of a global community. We develop games such as CUiB to make research outcomes relevant and accessible to educators and, ultimately to children. 

Our approach is kind, respectful, and playful: We strongly believe that through ludic learning, we can support children in exciting learning adventures, using a positive mindset and discourse.
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We’re on a mission. Keep close.

Maria