The current challenges facing Europe give science and technology education a hugeimportance. Improving the attractiveness of science and science/technology careersamong youngsters is widely recognized as vital in light of the Lisbon agenda. Schoolsshould and can make science education more attractive by improving the quality of inclassroomscience education and sound use of non-formal or informal in-schoolactivities. Our main goal is the promotion of experimental science teaching to improvescientific education in schools, by “taking” hands-on experimental, active learning intothe classroom. New opportunities from ICT developments, as well as the role of sciencecentres/museums, must be explored in order to render the process of learning sciencein our schools more participatory, appealing, self-challenging and rewarding.Our project will make science education more attractive while promoting and diffusinggood practices in non-formal/informal activities among teachers, schools, andnational/transnational educational boards. A task force will be established to pursue amajor public relations effort approaching teachers/educators, students, schools,Ministries of Education and Education bodies, in a systematic attempt to prove andillustrate the benefits and importance of informal learning of science in schools.We will contribute significantly to raising the attractiveness of science education and tothe development/modernization of EU schools. Our project will have a very positiveimpact on the way students interpret school and the whole process of learning.To achieve these ambitious goals and objectives, the Hands-On Universe program willbe organised as follow:• Three training sessions open to ~100 teachers from 14 EU countries• Production of pedagogical resources, adapted/translated to partner countries(secondary school programs)• Creation/update of national websites to freely disseminate pedagogical materials, plusa forum allowing teachers to share knowledge and experiences• Update and release a free, pupil-friendly software package, to be used in theclassroom, translated to 14 partner languagesAll resources will be available long after the end of the grant, particularly through our twoassociated partners, ESO and the International Year of Astronomy GALILEO project.