Making teachers EU sustainably competent (MakEUs)“ aims to empower educators to integrate European Union (EU) sustainability policies and practices into teaching through innovative methods and environments. Specifically, MakEUs addresses the urgent need for socio-ecological transformation by training teachers to utilize makerspaces as dynamic, experiential learning settings. It highlights the EU’s role as a change agent, mainly through the European Green Deal, and fosters active learner participation in sustainability efforts.

MakEUs targets teacher education, encompassing pre-service and in-service training. Key outputs include a teaching methodology, mobile makerspaces, and Open Educational Resources (OER) in English and German. These resources provide practical tools and structured guidance to engage with sustainability topics while integrating Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) to improve content comprehension and foreign language skills.

The project employs an Educational Design-Based Research (EDBR) approach to develop and iteratively refine its components, ensuring practical relevance and high-quality outcomes. MakEUs aligns with contemporary pedagogical innovations, such as makerspace-based, project-oriented learning environments emphasizing creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration. It addresses gaps in fostering teachers’ digital competencies, action-oriented education in sustainability, and integration of socio-scientific issues into classroom practice.

The project contributes to the EU’s educational priorities on digital transformation, multilingualism, and climate action by bridging policy and pedagogy.