The cooperation between schools and companies is an important way of introducing young people to the chemical industry. The new curricula, which have been taken in use in 2005-2006 in comprehensive and upper secondary schools, create sound conditions for schools and teachers to participate in collaboration. The schools can apply the national bases of the curriculum according to local needs and offerings. In this situation the local companies form a natural learning environment for various subjects.

Both schools and companies have to be active in launching a fruitful, mutually beneficial partnership. The Chemical Industry Federation of Finland has developed new collaboration models as pilot projects. In the InnoKemia project a school-company cooperation model was built around a company’s innovation process. The models created are available for use by all the cooperation parties.

Also, a sound collaboration model depends on how well the teachers know the trends in today’s industry. The ‘Chemistry Today’ seminars offer comprehensive and upper secondary school teachers an opportunity to learn about the current questions in chemistry teaching. Also, the applications of chemistry and its future prospects are on the agenda. The seminars have been organized since 1998.

The Kemia.net web pages are designed for teachers and produced in cooperation with the Finnish National Board of Education. Kemia.net is a collection of services aimed at everyone interested in the teaching and development of sciences and technology. Kemia.net is organized so that themes of chemistry are linked to the new curricula via pilot projects and exercises.

The ’Komppa’ seminar is an annual event designed for students (and their teachers) who have excelled in upper secondary school-level chemistry competitions. ‘Komppa’ seminars are organised in cooperation with the Chemical Industry Federation of Finland and the Finnish Chemical Society. Through the event the opportunities in chemistry are introduced to the students, with the aim of making chemistry an attractive topic of academic studies.

In the ‘Science club’ project a model for elementary school science club was designed. Further promotion of the model is now carried out by the Center for School Clubs.