The educational initiative CLEAR: Chemistry Learning for Environmental Action and Responsibility at the University of Twente has been nominated for the Dutch Education Award 2025. The prize is the highest national award for educational innovation in senior secondary vocational, higher vocational and scientific education.
Developed within the Chemical Science & Engineering programme, CLEAR helps students approach sustainability not only technically, but also systemically and socially. Students learn to connect climate change, pollution and social choices such as greenwashing. "By gradually integrating skills and systems thinking into the curriculum, we train students to become critical and future-oriented engineers," says programme director Leonie Krab - Hüsken. "With CLEAR, we encourage students to look beyond their field, and teach them how to make a real impact."
Main pillars of CLEAR
CLEAR is about systems thinking, that is founded on three pillars that together provide a forward-looking educational approach. 1) Students develop 14 essential skills that support them in their personal, academic and professional growth. 2) At the same time, sustainability is strongly integrated into the curriculum, teaching them to analyse and address complex, societal issues. 3) This all takes place within a stimulating, collaborative learning environment that promotes interdisciplinary thinking and active problem solving.
Presentation at Comenius Festival
On 1 July, during the ComeniusFestival in The Hague, the place where the UT team finishes will be announced. The Dutch Education Award comes with a cash prize of €500,000, €800,000 or €1.2 million. The prize money can be used to further develop and scale up the initiative. The prize is awarded annually to education teams that have demonstrably contributed to educational innovation in the past six years. It is organised by the NRO, on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.
