Pinkafeld, 7 April 2026. For years, the Department of Energy & Environment at Burgenland University of Applied Sciences has been pursuing an approach aimed at raising awareness of climate and sustainability issues among children and young people as early as possible. Several projects entitled ‘www – How do we want to live?’ have already been successfully carried out in collaboration with regional partners. With the FFG – Talente regional project “Wwww3_FutureFit: How will we live – climate-fit is future-fit”, Burgenland University of Applied Sciences is once again targeting young people specifically and, as part of the project, is awarding 10 cooperation grants of 1,000 euros each to educational institutions throughout Austria.
Living in the future – climate-friendly and climate-resilient
The project centres on the question: “How will we live? In a climate-friendly and climate-resilient way?” Children and young people explore climate-fit buildings and learn how architecture, building services and user behaviour interact and influence comfort, energy consumption and resource requirements. The aim is to show young people how they can actively help shape their own living spaces and environments.
Applications for grants now open
Under the ‘first come, first served’ principle, educational institutions across Austria are now invited to apply for a cooperation grant. This is a lump-sum grant of 1,000 euros, which enables children and young people to engage with exciting topics in science and technology as part of their lessons. All nurseries and schools across Austria can use this funding to implement teaching projects for which their own institutions lack the financial resources.
Applications must be submitted directly to the project management team by the relevant teachers.
Full details and information on applying for cooperation grants can be found in the information sheet for teachers. Further information on applying for cooperation grants is available here.
Apply NOW for a cooperation grant using the application form – first come, first served! By email to Wwww3_FutureFit@hochschule-burgenland.at
Knowledge transfer from pupils to parents
The project will run until the end of May 2028 and involves a wide range of activities as part of a ‘Research Factory’. Pupils from partner schools will take on the role of researchers and learn about the latest developments in research, technology and innovation relating to climate-resilient buildings. The programme is delivered using playful, hands-on and creative teaching methods within the classroom setting. In addition, ‘Research Buddies’ support the long-term research activities and act as role models.
Particularly innovative are the cross-educational-level and cross-year-group ‘knowledge cascade’ workshops, in which older pupils act as ‘Senior Researchers’ and younger pupils as ‘Junior Researchers’, learning from one another. In addition, parents’ workshops – featuring a theatre pitch, interactive stations and a travelling exhibition on the topic of climate-resilient buildings – convey key project content within a family context.
During walking ‘talks’ with innovative companies, pupils gain insights into regional career paths in technology and research related to climate-resilient buildings. This fosters sustainable networking between educational establishments, scientific institutions and businesses.
All project results will be collated in a digital repository and will remain available to teachers and interested groups in the long term – even beyond the project’s duration.
The school partners are: HTL Pinkafeld, NMS Lockenhaus, NMS Oberpullendorf, VS Lockenhaus, VS Pilgersdorf, VS Unterrabnitz.
Project partners are: the Private University of Education Burgenland, KARNER Haustechnik GmbH, O.K. Energie Haus GmbH.
This project is funded by the FFG (www.ffg.at).
The FFG is the central national funding organisation and strengthens Austria’s capacity for innovation.
Information on studying at the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland and how to enrol can be found at www.hochschule-burgenland.at
