16 Oct 2025
Six million SEK invested in preschool children
Early interventions in STEM have the greatest effect – but not all children get the same opportunities. Universeum is now launching an initiative that reaches children where they are: in preschool and at home. With six million SEK from the Madeleine Olsson Eriksson Foundation, methods are being developed that strengthen both the teaching of preschool educators and the role of parents.
Science capital is formed early.
Research shows that children's science capital – their experiences, knowledge and confidence in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) – is shaped early on and has a significant impact on their future schooling and educational choices. Strengthening interest and understanding of STEM from the start lays the foundation for lifelong learning, which in turn affects the child's school results and future educational choices.
Magnus Gotander
For preschool educators and parents.
In order to meet society's future need for skills and innovation, the young generation's success in school and interest in further education are fundamental. Early intervention has the greatest effect, but not all parents have the same conditions to support their children's scientific exploration.
Universeum's new initiative "Building bridges between preschool, home and science" meets the challenge by working holistically with the child's everyday life through two initiatives: Preschool educators receive support and tools for curiosity-driven, language-strengthening and science-oriented teaching. At the same time, parents are offered a creative meeting place where they can reflect on their role as role models and develop their own experience, knowledge and confidence in STEM.
"Strengthening children's science capital early in life is an important key to arousing interest, building confidence and creating future opportunities in STEM. A central part of this is to develop children's language of knowledge, i.e. the concepts and expressions that make it possible to think, communicate and ask questions about the world," says Carina Halvord, CEO of Universeum.
Science in everyday life.
Universeum will put special focus on developing programs that can be implemented in many different places, making it possible to reach children, educators and parents in their everyday environments. In this way, a whole is created where the child's learning is supported from several directions – in the preschool's teaching and in the family's everyday life.
System change in sight.
Universeum's goal is that the methods and programs developed within the framework of the initiative will not only make a difference during the course of the work, but also contribute to system change in the longer term.
"We want all children to have the opportunity to explore STEM, no matter what their background is. By reaching out into everyday environments and supporting both educators and parents, we can create meaningful learning in the moment, as well as lasting effects that follow the children throughout the education system," says Carina Halvord.
The initiative will run for four and a half years and is supported by the MOE Foundation with SEK 6 million. The different parts of the initiative will be followed, which will have a direct impact on content and methods.
