SPIRIT: European project on future skills in primary education comes to an end

The European project SPIRIT – Skills of Tomorrow for Children of the Present has just come to an end. It brought together Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti and organizations from five European countries to pilot new tools for developing transversal skills in primary education. Funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme, SPIRIT ran from November 2023 to June 2026. The project was launched with the aim of supporting students aged 6 to 10 in facing the challenges of an increasingly digitalized society with greater awareness and preparedness, through an approach that combines educational activities, traditional games, and STEAM learningThe term learning—with the synonyms to learn, assimilate, ac... More: science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

A European partnership to innovate education

The project was coordinated by the Association for Hungarian Digital Education – MDOE (Hungary), in collaboration with:

• Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti, Italy;
• VitaComm Educational Services, Cyprus;
• Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, Romania;
• Erasmushogeschool Brussel, Belgium.

The partnership examined how transversal skills are promoted in primary schools and, based on the findings of the research, developed a shared educational model, practical tools for teachers, and a European training programme.

Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti coordinated the design of the overall SPIRIT pedagogical model, integrating the findings from the research activities and the contributions of the partners. The model provided the theoretical and methodological foundation for the development of the educational activities, toolboxes, and training programme for teachers.

The Foundation also contributed to piloting the educational resources, training teachers, and adapting the materials to the Italian school context.

Results achieved in Italy

In Italy, the activities were carried out with the involvement of Assisi International School of Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti and three other primary schools, creating a network comprising four schools from Northern, Central, and Southern Italy.

The participating teachers took part in a programme that included:

• training on the use of the model and tools developed by the project;
• piloting in the classroom of activities focused on transversal skills;
• sharing experiences and observations within the professional community;
• collecting feedback to improve and validate the educational resources.

In particular, two teachers from each school piloted play-based activities with their students, focusing on active learning and the STEAM approach.

Assisi International School served as the pilot school, contributing to the implementation of the toolboxes, teacher training, and the sharing of the practices tested.

The Italian programme concluded on 23 May 2026 in Assisi with an event dedicated to presenting the experience, sharing the results, and fostering discussion among teachers and experts.

The materials developed as part of SPIRIT represent a practical resource to support teachers in integrating transversal skills into everyday teaching, while keeping children’s curiosity, participation, and innate learning abilities at the centre.

SPIRIT in Italy: key figures

• 91 primary and lower secondary school teachers participated in the research activities.
• 25 teachers enrolled in and participated in the online Community of Practice: 6 sessions held between October 2024 and April 2026 to encourage the exchange of experiences among primary school teachers and promote a culture of transversal skills.
• 4 schools and 8 teachers participated in the piloting phase, enabling teachers to test the educational activities and tools developed by SPIRIT in the classroom and assess their effectiveness in fostering students’ transversal skills through play and the STEAM approach.
• 2 teachers took part in the international content evaluation activity held in Cyprus.
• 5 teachers took part in the international Community of Practice to promote the exchange of experiences among European teachers.
• 17 teachers contributed to the piloting of the training course developed as part of the project.
• 53 teachers, trainers, and experts participated in the multiplier event held in Assisi to promote the project’s results.

The voices of those who took part

According to Flavio Bacci, an expert at Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti involved in the project, SPIRIT addressed a need that is still very much present in Italian schools:

“Transversal skills have gained increasing importance within the Italian regulatory framework and school planning, but they remain a field that has not yet been fully explored. Many teachers recognize their importance and engage with great motivationMotivation: a scientific perspective Motivation is a fundame... More, but they do not always have a solid methodology, clear theoretical references, and practical tools to integrate them consistently into teaching. This is precisely where SPIRIT comes in.”

The pilot activities also provided particularly significant insights into the children’s response:

“They took part in the activities with genuine enthusiasm. Months later, they were still mentioning them to their teachers, talking about them spontaneously, and even using some of the tools they had learned at home. This is a very clear sign: when children encounter experiences that help them understand themselves and develop their potential, they retain those experiences.”

SPIRIT worked on ten transversal skills through a methodological framework rooted in Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti’s Pedagogy for the Third Millennium.

“The goal, Bacci continues, is to build a real ‘toolbox’: a set of skills that can accompany children throughout their future journey. Not isolated activities, therefore, but abilities to be practised and consolidated over time. The fact that children remembered the experiences even several months later shows that this toolbox can truly be built.”

In this sense, SPIRIT opens up broad opportunities for further research and experimentation within the Italian educational landscape.

“The earlier we begin to develop these skills, observe them, and become aware of them, the more they can support us not only in our future professional lives, but also in our personal lives, our well-being, and the fulfilment of each individual.”

Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti’s European commitment

Participation in SPIRIT confirms Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti’s commitment to building European networks dedicated to educational innovation and the development of human potential.

Through collaboration with schools, universities, research centres, and educational organizations from different countries, the Foundation contributes to transforming findings from neuroscientific and psychopedagogical research into practical, accessible tools that can be applied in educational settings.

The conclusion of SPIRIT therefore does not represent an endpoint, but rather a new foundation from which to continue promoting a school system capable of preparing children and teachers for the challenges of the future, while fostering skills such as creativity, critical thinkingWhat happens in our mind when we “think critically”? Behind ... More, collaboration, awareness, and the ability to learn.

Would you like to learn more about SPIRIT? Discover the project outputs.