STEAMigPOWER: Empowering Migrants Through Inclusive STEAM Education Introduction: Education as a Lifeline in the Migration Crisis

This paper presents the development of a web-based Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) designed to provide migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers—particularly women and upper secondary school students (aged 15–18)—with access to STEAM education. These groups are underrepresented in STEM fields due to widespread educational inequalities, limiting opportunities for marginalized populations. The initiative aims to address gender disparities in STEM education and empower women with the skills necessary for academic and professional growth. The five core STEAM courses, delivered both online and in person, will exploit the versatility of the VLE, and will cover Climate Change, Sustainable Development, Eco-Building Construction, the 5Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse, and Rot), and Sustainable and Renewable Energy. These thematic areas have been chosen according to the European educational priorities, addressing critical skill gaps in the home countries of the participants. The curriculum is designed in order to facilitate the student integration into the European workforce, at the same time equipping them with the knowledge and tools necessary to contribute to the sustainable reconstruction of their home nations. The VLE fosters inclusivity and accessibility, ensuring that displaced learners can acquire essential STEAM competencies regardless of geographical or socio-economic barriers. This initiative aspires to become a transformative force in migrant education, bridging skill gaps, promoting gender equality in STEM, and empowering learners to actively participate in shaping a sustainable future.