According to the European Schoolnet (EUN), skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are becoming an increasingly important part for basic literacy in today’s knowledge economy, since they are requested in order to ensure the citizens’ confidence, knowledge and competences to participate actively in an increasingly complex scientific and technological world (European Commission, 2015). With this framework, European policies are demanding a need to build capacities and develop innovative ways of connecting science to society (European Union, 2014), namely among young people intending to attract them to disciplines of science (including mathematics) and technology in secondary and higher education and related careers (European Commission, 2015). However, it’s known that exists multiple disparities in participation in science education across regions, cultures and gender in Europe (European Commission, 2015), which are blocking the full involvement and the empowerment of all citizens and talents. Special attention must be paid to science education of girls and young women, since their voices, expertise and creativity are crucial elements for a sustainable development progress, but they are being held back by discrimination, biases, social norms and expectations that influence the quality of education they receive (UNESCO, 2016). Indeed, while evidence shows that there are only few reliable differences between boys’ and girls’ brains relevant to learning or education (UNESCO, 2016), society takes these small differences and makes them much bigger, supporting boys’ ability in math and science, and discouraging girls who study these subjects. In view of this situation, the EU Parliament encourages all State Members to invest consistently in information, awareness-raising and educational campaigns addressing stereotyped perceptions of gender roles, as well as gender stereotypes in vocational and professional orientation, notably in science and new technologies. UNESCO (2016), in its turn, highlight the urgent need to combat those stereotypes by training teachers to encourage girls to pursue STEM careers and developing curricula that are gender-sensitive.With this context in mind, FOSTWOM intend to use the inclusive potential of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to propose STEM subjects free of stereotyping assumptions on gender abilities. Moreover, the consortium is interested in attracting girls and young women to science and technology, through accessible online contents with relevant real-world situations within strong conceptual frameworks. We consider that the usage of good practices in videos and online courses’ design can give that sense of belonging that female students seek when enter STEM areas and encourage a new generation of women and girl scientists. Thus, the priority actions in which further concrete measures are needed and which the project aims are:- Develop a TOOLKIT to design, produce and validate STEM MOOCs under a gender balance perspective, considering the results of a needs diagnosis on STEM barriers implemented with secondary schools and higher education institutions and of a map of strategies for inclusive digital learning;- Create one collaborative and graduate STEM MOOC, taking into account the main expertise of each partner’s teams; one bridging STEM MOOC, namely designed for secondary and undergraduate students and teachers; and one transversal MOOC aiming to analyze existing STEM MOOCs through a gender balance perspective;- Promote intensive training sessions to secondary and tertiary education teachers and technical staffs regarding the design and production of gender inclusive STEM MOOCs and their implementation in face-to-face classes (e.g. flipped-classroom strategies). With these concrete actions, it is expected that the FOSTWOM achieve its two main goals, which are: to mitigate the effects of stereotyping about gender-based STEM ability and, consequently, raise the number of female students and learners attending courses in the areas of STEM, both, as enrolled students in higher education institutions, and as STEM MOOCs’ participants. Although FOSTWOM intends to involve circa 2200 participants (HSs’ and HEIs’ students, teachers and staffs; specialists in gender balance and digital learning; people from the local communities) encompassing the enrollment in the MOOCs and the participation in the training weeks and dissemination events, it is anticipated the involvement of more people (namely from other HSs and HEIs) since the results of the proposal - STEM MOOCs Portfolio & Best practices, gender balance TOOLKIT and produced MOOCs - will be made available through the FOSTWOM website and/or the partners’ platforms, to any person/institution interested in adopting it, during and after the project lifetime. In order to keep the initiative alive a new project for further dissemination and exploitation of the results might follow-up.