Open Schools for Open Societies (OSOS)

OSOS is a European open-schooling initiative that helps schools connect learning with real community issues, scientific inquiry and collaborative problem-solving. Instead of treating science as a closed classroom subject, it encourages schools to work with families, local institutions and external stakeholders in order to address authentic challenges. For ECOTEACH, OSOS is a valuable good practice because it offers a transferable model for linking STEM learning with environmental and social realities in the local context. Its open-schooling philosophy is particularly relevant for disadvantaged schools, where stronger school-community links can widen participation and make learning more meaningful. The approach also supports inclusion, student agency and interdisciplinary project work, while giving teachers a practical framework for designing locally grounded, inquiry-rich educational experiences.