Ghindeni, Romania
Erasmus+ & FIRST LEGO League development
The Ghindeni project represents the international application of the MO’sFIRST approach.
Within an Erasmus+ framework, this collaboration focuses on building and strengthening FIRST LEGO League teams in Ghindeni, Romania.
The project is designed around one core principle:
to support local growth through knowledge transfer, collaboration, and long-term partnership — not dependency.
Context & ambition
In Ghindeni, FIRST LEGO League is being developed as a meaningful educational opportunity that combines technology, teamwork, creativity, and communication.
The ambition goes beyond participation in a single competition season.
The goal is to establish a sustainable, continuous learning pathway, embedded in the local educational context and carried forward by local coaches and students.
MO’sFIRST contributes by:
- providing educational structure
- supporting coaching and team development
- embedding presentation and reflection
- aligning with FIRST Core Values
International exchange
A key milestone in the collaboration was the student exchange that took place last year.
During this exchange:
- 10 students from the REborn program (Netherlands)
- and 5 students from Ghindeni (Romania)
worked together through robotics challenges, workshops, and shared activities.
This exchange strengthened:
- intercultural understanding
- collaboration across educational systems
- confidence and ownership among students
- mutual learning between teams
It also established trust and a shared foundation for long-term cooperation.
Coaching approach
The Ghindeni project focuses on capacity building rather than direct control.
Coaching and guidance include:
- developing FIRST LEGO League team structures
- guiding robot design and programming processes
- strengthening research and innovation projects
- coaching presentation and storytelling skills
- mentoring local coaches and educators
My background in STEAM education and presentation (including Drama education) plays a key role in supporting teams in communicating their ideas clearly and confidently.
Annual on-site support
To ensure continuity and further development, a long-term agreement has been established.
I now visit Ghindeni annually, around June, to:
- work directly with students and teams
- support coaches in further development
- reflect on the previous season
- prepare teams for the upcoming FIRST LEGO League cycle
This annual presence helps consolidate progress and supports steady growth year after year.
Sustainability & local ownership
The long-term objective of the Ghindeni project is independence.
MO’sFIRST actively supports:
- local leadership
- coach training
- knowledge transfer
- gradual reduction of external dependency
By combining on-site visits, remote support, and international exchange, the project builds a self-sustaining FIRST LEGO League ecosystem adapted to local needs.
International perspective
The Ghindeni collaboration demonstrates how FIRST LEGO League can:
- connect students across borders
- support European cooperation through Erasmus+
- create equal access to high-quality STEAM education
- foster cultural exchange alongside technical learning
It also reflects the broader MO’sFIRST vision:
to develop robotics education that is transferable, scalable, and rooted in collaboration.
Part of MO’sFIRST
Ghindeni, Romania is an active and forward-looking program within MO’sFIRST.
Together with completed projects such as REborn, it shows how experience gained in one context can be meaningfully applied in another.
This is not a one-off initiative.
It is a continuing partnership.