The Smartfeld education and innovation lab at the Hightech Campus Buchs brings together pupils, teachers and companies to promote skills relevant to the future. The focus is on practical learning formats in the areas of technology, creativity and entrepreneurship. The aim is to strengthen young people for the challenges of the future and to anchor innovative learning methods in everyday education. Smartfeld is supported by business and educational partners. Over the past twelve months, 119 workshops have taken place. These were attended by a total of 2034 pupils. The program, which was created as part of the IT education offensive of the canton of St.Gallen and financially supported by the Werdenberg and Sarganserland municipalities, has clearly exceeded expectations. Thomas Rastija, Project and Site Manager Buchs, is delighted: "We already achieved our annual target at the beginning of August."

High demand and lots of potential

The constantly rising number of participants shows the popularity and importance of digital education and the subject areas of mathematics, IT, natural sciences and technology (STEM). New workshops are constantly being developed and worked on in close collaboration with project partners and partner schools. When visiting the Smartfeld offer, teachers decide for themselves how intensively they want to get involved and whether they want to launch the topic in class in advance. "In principle, no prior knowledge is necessary. Our aim is to get children, young people and teachers excited about new technologies and spark an interest in STEM professions," explains Thomas Rastija. Smartfeld is basically open to everyone, regardless of which level the pupils attend. Workshops can be booked two to three weeks in advance if dates are available. Due to the increasing popularity, it is advisable to reserve your preferred date early and plan your visit.

Invitation to the open day

On Wednesday, August 27, Smartfeld will open its doors to teachers, parents and children at the Buchs Sargans Vocational and Further Education Center bzbs at the Hightech Campus Buchs. From 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m., interactive walk-in offers invite visitors to try things out. Visitors are welcome without prior registration and have the opportunity to try out robotics, AI and creative technologies on site. The tech talents can be accompanied live during their project work.

Another public event is the Smartfeld Creative Market on Saturday, November 15, at the Hightech Campus Buchs. In the run-up to the event, young talents develop their products during lessons, using their creative skills and gaining a deeper understanding of economic relationships and entrepreneurial thinking. Registration is required for participation. The participating school classes receive financial support thanks to the sponsors and are allowed to use the profits generated for their own class. Thomas Rastija is convinced: "Taking part is not only fun, but is also a huge opportunity for pupils in grades 3 to 6 to promote creative thinking and product development."

Strong support from Sarganserland and Werdenberg

The 14 municipalities of the Sarganserland-Werdenberg RSW region have been strongly committed to a Smartfeld location in Buchs since 2022. This will make the courses more accessible for school classes in the region and therefore easier to integrate into lessons. The partners agreed on three pillars for the start-up funding. On the part of the Canton of St.Gallen, the expanded Smartfeld offer is being supported by the IT education campaign; equally substantial contributions are being generated from the business community and foundations. The RSW municipalities will cover one third of the annual costs for the years 2024 to 2026 according to a defined cost formula.

Those responsible are convinced that Smartfeld will create great added value for the region's goals and the regional economy. Young people can get to know STEM fields at an early age and are given the opportunity to become enthusiastic about them. Supported by the RSW-FITNA project , young skilled workers in the region are to be trained and find their way into these important subjects, which are affected by shortages.

Smartfeld is just one part of what makes our region so special. Discover your opportunities and possibilities in Sarganserland and Werdenberg: www.rsw.ch/heimat