The “Greek Teacher Programme” for secondary school teachers was launched in 2008 as part of a series of international courses, in the framework of CERN’s education efforts to promote the teaching of modern Physics through high-quality training and increase knowledge exchange between teachers and scientists. The Programme, which has been implemented since 2016 with the support of the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, will allow participating teachers to act as multipliers of scientific knowledge, returning to Greece with new effective and creative ways to bring modern Physics and CERN into the school classroom and design relevant experiential activities for their students based on the educational material offered by CERN online. With the support of the Foundation, 70 secondary school teachers visited CERN in Switzerland and participated in an intensive training programme held during the summer of 2023. During the Programme, teachers had the opportunity to attend lectures given by Greek CERN scientists, on topics such as the latest developments in particle physics, energy conversion, cosmology and computer science. They also participated in workshops conducting scientific experiments, with the aim of fostering a collaborative spirit and enriching their teaching methods to stimulate student interest in an inventive and exciting way.

• In 2023, 284 applications were submitted by teachers from 53 Secondary Education Directorates, while a total of 70 teachers from all over Greece participated in the Programme.
• 791 secondary school teachers have participated in the “Greek Teacher Programme” since its launch, in 2008.

“The principal value of programmes like this is the enrichment and empowerment of teachers, who, in turn, can inspire and educate the next generation of scientists. It is an investment in the quality of education and the future of STEM fields.”

Theodora Kolioni

Physicist, Music School of Corinth

“Through my professional training at CERN, my students will get a first impression of the modern scientific world and learn about elementary particle Physics. These topics are of great interest to students who love Physics, but unfortunately, are not taught as part of the high school curriculum. In this way, more students will have the opportunity to be introduced to the secrets of the Universe, as well as to learn about the advancements of technology. I will share my experience in order to inspire young students, motivating them in their career orientation.”

Styliani Kostopoulou

Physicist, 6th General High School of Zografou