The Magnet program transforms teaching at Poveda School through its partnership with IDAEA-CSIC

• The IDAEA-CSIC is participating in the “Magnet: Partnerships for Educational Success” program, promoted by the Department of Education and Vocational Training of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Bofill Foundation, and the Institute of Educational Sciences of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), in collaboration with the Barcelona Education Consortium.

• This partnership will bring a new perspective to the school, using science, the environment, and sustainability as core learning pillars.

This academic year (2024-2025), Poveda School has launched an educational innovation project in partnership with the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC). The project aims to promote science and the environment as key learning themes for students. Poveda School is part of the “Magnet: Partnerships for Educational Success” program, which connects 47 educational centers across Catalonia.

Poveda School hosted the presentation of the Magnet program, which included representatives from the institutions driving the initiative: the Barcelona Education Consortium, the Bofill Foundation, IDAEA-CSIC, and the Barcelona-based school, located in the Vallcarca neighborhood.

“Participating in a Magnet project is an opportunity for our students and for us to rethink how we teach science in school. Now, with the support of our partner, IDAEA-CSIC—a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (2019-2024) with extensive experience in this field—we will work together to integrate the scientific method as the foundation of the teaching-learning process,” shared Rosa Bonet, Principal of Poveda School.

Bonet also highlighted that, thanks to the guidance and support of IDAEA-CSIC’s scientific staff, the school’s projects will be enriched with scientific rigor. This collaboration will enable students to conduct inquiry-based projects and explore new topics such as microorganisms, forces and motion, and gravity.

“The participation of IDAEA-CSIC in Magnet reflects our commitment to making science engaging and exciting for primary school children. The challenge is to offer activities that connect with children’s realities while addressing environmental challenges such as climate change, plastic pollution, and air pollution, among others,” said Ethel Eljarrat, Director of IDAEA-CSIC.

Additionally, Eljarrat pointed out that one of the objectives of this partnership is to promote female role models to encourage scientific vocations among girls and young women. The researcher also underscored the added value of the Magnet educational initiative in fostering environmental awareness not only among students but also within their families and the broader community.

Ismael Palacín, Director of the Bofill Foundation, stated: “Magnet is a driving force that helps us understand and improve education. It gives us reasons for optimism as we witness schools reinventing themselves and institutions of excellence demonstrating their commitment to social and educational engagement.”

He also praised the dedication of the school’s teaching staff in ensuring that this partnership provides enhanced educational opportunities for Poveda School students.

Similarly, Eulàlia Esclapés, Director of Education and Territory at the Barcelona Education Consortium, reaffirmed the consortium’s commitment to the school.

“The Magnet initiative provides intensive support to the schools that participate in it,” Esclapés has emphasized.

A curious perspective, an opportunity to learn

The partnership between Poveda School and IDAEA-CSIC will bring a fresh perspective to the school, using science, the environment, and sustainability as central learning themes. This collaboration will encourage scientific engagement in the classroom, foster observation of the environment through a scientific lens, and instill essential values such as sustainability and environmental stewardship. The alliance will allow for joint work in fields where IDAEA-CSIC has expertise, such as the origins and health effects of pollutants (biochemistry), paleoclimatic studies and atmosphere-ocean exchanges (geosciences), water resource management and water quality issues (hydrology), as well as initiatives addressing current environmental challenges (circular economy).

Magnet: partnerships for educational success

“Magnet: Partnerships for Educational Success” is a program that connects educational centers with leading institutions to develop high-quality and innovative educational projects. Currently, it includes 47 schools, engaging a total of 14,548 students and 1,557 teachers across 28 municipalities in Catalonia. In the 2024-2025 academic year, six new projects have been launched, including the one at Poveda School.

The goal of the program is to support schools in developing projects in partnership with an institution of excellence. Magnet is jointly promoted by the Department of Education and Vocational Training of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Bofill Foundation, and the Institute of Educational Sciences of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, in collaboration with local governments, such as the Barcelona Education Consortium.

Magnet provides four years of guidance to participating schools in developing their innovation projects. Partner institutions are leaders in specific fields (science, technology, design, art, audiovisual communication, etc.), have a strong educational commitment to society, and possess significant capacity for knowledge and innovation transfer.

10 years of the Magnet Program

After a decade of implementation, the Magnet program has achieved numerous successes, such as promoting more balanced school enrollment and transforming the educational approach of participating schools. Additionally, an evaluation report titled “Magnet: Scenarios and Conditions for Combating School Segregation“ found that 87% of teachers recognize Magnet as a key tool for improving schools and educational institutions.