The INQUIRE project is a revival of the enquiry based learning throughout Europe.Implemented by botanic gardens in 11 countries the INQUIRE project reveals the way enquiry based learning can inspire students to study science and helps in the solving bio-diversity and climate change problems.

INQUIRE is a three years project focused upon enquiry based learning (IBSE)with the participation of 17 partners from 11 European countries.The project is funded by the European Union under the 7 Framework programme.Fourteen botanic gardens take part in the project, and each one of them is developing a one-year training course for teachers in enquiry based learning with the support on the part of the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) organization and of two highly respected universities – King’s College London, United Kingdom and Bremen University, Germany. The INQUIRE courses will inspire and train hundreds of teachers and trainers thus reaching out to thousands of children. The contents of the courses will be concentrated on the loss of bio-diversity and change of climate that have been acknowledged by scientific world as the major global problems of the 21 century.

The internet page of INQUIRE supports the project by spreading information and resources, and by encouraging dialogue between partners and teachers. Our goal is the INQUIREto keep enriching its opportunities, and to act as a catalyst by training and supporting a growing number of teachers and trainers to develop their skills in enquiry based learning, and to recreate what they have learnt in practice.

This means not just encouraging the teachers to appreciate the inherent curiosity of children, but also providing models how to provoke their interest: to seek, look around, observe, ask, analyze; feel the scientific approach potential – the true role of a teacher is not in being an authority who unconditionally knows all answers, but rather to be able to take the road of quests to discover the answers.In “Emile or On Education”, Jean-Jacques Rousseau says: “It is not a matter of teaching the student sciences, but rather to inspire his love for them and give him methods to study them when he has developed an affection for them.” Is there any other way for students to exceed their teachers?