Activities

FabLab Summer School

Creativity, teaching, technology, entrepreneurship, innovation, learning, play and technology are just a few of the elements of your typical FabLab programme. FabLabs (short for fabrication laboratories) trace their origin to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the renowned educational institution in Boston. The basic idea is simple: popularise technology and innovation. The first FabLabs were established about 10 years ago, and there are now about 1,000 worldwide. One of the leading countries is Iceland, which is home to several FabLabs. The first was set up in the Vestmannaeyjar islands in 2007.

Vestmannaeyjar is the home of NORA’s FabLab Summer School. The idea is simple: four participants from each of the four participating countries meet at a FabLab for a week to explore its possibilities. NORA’s goal in hosting the summer school is to focus on entrepreneurship and innovation. Additionally, it is hoped that it will lead to the establishment of FabLabs in Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

The first summer school was held in September 2016 and was attended by 16 students from lower-secondary schools in Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Norway. As is evident from the pictures, they had an eventful week, meeting many a challenge with creativity and innovation. However, the most important gift they brought back home with them were the friendships they made with people like themselves in other Nordic countries.