The European Children’s Universities Network (EUCUNET) was founded in 2008 with the aim of stimulate bilateral cooperation and to create basic standards for the organization and implementation of Children’s Universities. Children’s Universities are about exploring our world in an engaging and supportive way.
Since the beginning of the new millennium, Children’s Universities have conquered many universities, in Europe and around the world, which have opened up to children and developed programmes in different forms that allow children to learn about science and the people behind science. Children’s Universities facilitate a necessary dialogue between children and scientists about the world, always including respect and acknowledgment of different viewpoints and transmitting the importance of critical questioning.
The ongoing discussions about the diversity of Children’s Universities, the ever more important topic of social inclusion in science communication and many examples of good practice were the reason why eucu.net was not discontinued after the EU-funding but re-founded as a membership organization in the year 2011.
The strategic objective of eucu.net is to support already consolidated Children’s Universities with fresh ideas and information and to foster the idea of equal access and better educational opportunities for children and young people. Having said that, EUCUNET is intended to increase interaction among member states and to extent existing practices in a professional and concerted manner not only in Europe but also on an international level.