The European University FilmEU has just published the second position paper produced as part of its AGORA initiative, an international think tank programme, this time focusing on the connections between art, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEAM) in higher education.

The paper, which is entitled "Mapping the Narratives in STEAM", was presented at the FilmEU Summit in Brussels, Belgium, in June 2026 and appeared prominently on the programme, promoting discussion about the increasing importance of incorporating artistic viewpoints into science and technology education.

An Open Process of Exploration

Presented as an open-ended process of exploration based on real-life experience and through collaborative discussion, the article aims to examine how STEAM is already being carried out, understood, and interpreted in a variety of educational settings. Instead of suggesting one definition, the authors use narratives as a way of bringing to light the underlying assumptions, values, and relationships that influence the way interdisciplinary education — and art education in particular — is perceived.

The stories identified include STEAM being a structural challenge, a question concerning visibility, a philosophical stance on knowledge, and a practical experience carried out within creative and technical work. The AGORA is seen both as a context and as a method: it is a structured setting in which STEAM is examined, and at the same time a process by which the meaning of STEAM is actively generated.

The paper looks at not only how interdisciplinary education is conceived but also how it is in fact carried out by focusing on collaboration, dialogue, and real-life experience. Instead of aiming to reach a consensus, it deliberately brings to the forefront a number of — and at times conflicting — narratives which show the different ways in which STEAM is understood within various institutional, disciplinary, and cultural contexts.

The article examines the way in which STEAM is understood in various institutional and disciplinary contexts, looks at how it is put into practice through creative and technical activities, and identifies the points at which the realities of this practice clash with the existing educational systems. It thus helps to reframe STEAM by giving up on the separation of disciplines and instead offering a more realistic description of how learning actually occurs — at the same time acknowledging that STEAM is a developing field, shaped by continuous dialogue, experimentation, and interdisciplinary cooperation. The authors base their suggestions on specific examples from their own experience, such as the teaching methods they have used, the processes involved in their creative productions, and the collaborative projects they have undertaken, since they all share the view that knowledge is not acquired through detached observation but is instead produced as a result of engaging with practice as it happens.

Building on AGORA's First Position Paper

The second paper is a continuation of AGORA's first position paper, "The Impact of AI on Future Jobs in Film and Media", which was presented last year and looked at the way in which artificial intelligence is altering creative professions, changing work processes, and reshaping the skills needed for success in the industry. This paper connects with "Exile", the theme of that year's LEFFEST, prompting consideration of the issues of displacement, transformation, and adaptation—issues which are also present in the technological changes taking place in the arts and creative professions. The paper was given a presentation and discussed by Alexander Gerner, Tobias Frühmorgen, and Edgar Pêra.

What Is FilmEU AGORA?

FilmEU AGORA is a forward-thinking think tank project set up in order to examine the main opportunities and deal with the significant challenges currently affecting creative and cultural education. Within the context of the wider FilmEU Alliance, AGORA gathers a lively and diverse group which includes students, academics, people from the industry, keynote speakers, various stakeholders and members of the FilmEU Advisory Board, representatives of all eight FilmEU institutions.

AGORA is more than just a forum; it is a place where exchange, inspiration, and transformation can take place, with the aim of producing innovative ideas, sharing real-life experiences, developing bold viewpoints, and turning them into position papers which are then presented to the community in order to help create a better future for education in the creative and cultural sectors. The organisation is dedicated to building an open, inclusive, and international academic community appropriate for the 21st century and to supporting those who are enthusiastic about expressing their ideas and about bringing about real change.

A Name Rooted in Dialogue and Democracy

The name FilmEU AGORA is based on the ancient Greek Agora, which was the main public area in city-states such as Athens and acted as the centre of civic life by providing a place where citizens could discuss ideas, debate significant matters, and together help shape their society.

In the same spirit, FilmEU AGORA is a contemporary space for open dialogue, cooperative thinking, and active participation; just as the Greek Agora gathered a variety of voices to influence the course of public life, FilmEU AGORA brings together students, educators, researchers and industry experts from all over Europe to co-create the future of creative and cultural education — not merely a gathering but a living forum for critical reflection and forward-thinking ideas.

The People Behind the Paper

The position paper entitled 'Mapping the Narratives in STEAM' was prepared by the AGORA staff and by students from all eight of the FilmEU institutions.

Staff

• Fola O'Grady (Agora Chair) — Institute of Art, Design + Technology (IADT), Dublin, Ireland
• Audrius Dambrauskas — Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre (LMTA), Vilnius, Lithuania
• Katrin Sigijane — Baltic Film, Media and Arts Institute (BFM), Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia
• Koenraad Hinnekint — LUCA School of Arts, Brussels, Belgium
• Margarida Prieto — Universidade Lusófona, Lisbon, Portugal
• Pelle Sølvkjær Christensen — VIA University, Aarhus, Denmark
• Radostina Neykova — National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts (NATFA), Sofia, Bulgaria
• Silvester Buček — Academy of Performing Arts (VŠMU), Bratislava, Slovakia

Students

• Ema Boleková — Academy of Performing Arts (VŠMU), Bratislava, Slovakia
• Bigyan Sapkota — LUCA School of Arts, Brussels, Belgium
• Ian Gutkin — Universidade Lusófona, Lisbon, Portugal
• Jozef Smrek — Academy of Performing Arts (VŠMU), Bratislava, Slovakia
• Kamilė Zinkevičiūtė — Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre (LMTA), Vilnius, Lithuania
• Kristian Zahariev — National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts (NATFA), Sofia, Bulgaria
• Mah Ziaei Majafabadi — LUCA School of Arts, Brussels, Belgium
• Mara Frota — Universidade Lusófona, Lisbon, Portugal
• Margareta Trapp — Institute of Art, Design + Technology (IADT), Dublin, Ireland
• Margus Lõvi — Baltic Film, Media and Arts Institute (BFM), Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia
• Patrick Gregg — Institute of Art, Design + Technology (IADT), Dublin, Ireland
• Reeni Metsküla — Baltic Film, Media and Arts Institute (BFM), Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia
• Viltė Pukelytė — Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre (LMTA), Vilnius, Lithuania
• Yoann Stoev — National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts (NATFA), Sofia, Bulgaria

You can read the full paper on FilmEU Observatory website.

The paper titled 'Mapping the Narratives in STEAM' by AGORA was presented at the FilmEU Summit in Brussels, Belgium in June 2026.