The gap-analysis phase that opened with the spring survey wave has now closed. Alma (NL) coordinated the synthesis effort, with each partner submitting a national report by 5 April covering student input, teacher interviews and the company perspective from their country.
Three findings that already shape WP3
- Connection is the bottleneck. Students recognise both STEM and finance separately but rarely see them taught as one. The SPARK curriculum framework will lead with concrete cross-over scenarios rather than abstract definitions.
- Teachers want short, plug-in materials. Across all four countries, teachers said the most useful unit is a 20-minute module that fits inside an existing lesson — not a standalone course.
- Real-world data beats hypothetical examples. Companies in NL, MT, IT and LT all flagged the same gap: school-leavers can do the maths but freeze when asked to interpret an actual bank statement, salary slip or invoice.
What’s next
The four national reports are now feeding the SPARK curriculum framework, expected in draft form by end of summer 2026. WP3 production (animated videos, gamified e-learning modules and the virtual escape room) starts in parallel.