TRIO-Cooperations of the Project MINTcon.cept of the City of Mannheim’s Department of Education A New Form of Cooperation in the Field of Education

Abstract The Federal Ministry of Education and Research's STEM Action Plan aims at advancing STEM education in Germany and promoting interest in STEM subjects among children and young people. As part of the Action Plan, STEM clusters are being established throughout Germany. One of these clusters is the project MINTcon., which is jointly implemented by the Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar GmbH (= MRN), Mannheim’s University of Applied Sciences, and the City of Mannheim. The following article deals in particular with one work package of MINTcon., namely the TRIO cooperations, which are based on an association of schools, out-of-school education partners and companies. Practical case studies will serve to illustrate organizational and content-related aspects of this new form of cooperation. In the process it becomes clear what effect TRIOs have on the students' STEM education.