The 3rd International Conference on Hands-on Science is over! It was an exciting week full of activities undertaken with great enthusiasm by all ~300 participants that came to us from all over Europe and the World.

Over 450 persons from 41 countries registered to the conference. 270 works where published in an over 700 pages proceedings book. 1000 CDroms where also produced and will be offered to schools all over Europe. The effectivelly presented communications (over 95%), in pdf powerpoint or video format will be published in a DVD later this month. The online real time transmission of the conference will be processed saved in compressed video format and made available to all interested persons. All those, we truly believe, will represent and invaluable tool to help school teachers to implement hands-on experimental activities on their class room, as well as the schools, teacher trainning institutions, universities, national and local government bodies, associations and NGOs, the population in general and politicians to develop better approaches to School' Science Education.

One book with a selection of the most remarkable works presented at our 6 anual conferences and workshops will be published later one as well as it will be the proceedings book "Livro de actas" of the special session on science education in Portugal "Educação para a Ciência".

The Science Fair that included several dozens of experience for all age levels were enthusiastically visited by the conference participants and over 500 students, teachers and population in general. As well the robotics Festival raised a great deal of interest and enthusiasm among participants and visitors.

The next Hands-on Science conference was tentatively scheduled for Azores late July 2007. Next spring the follow-up of our workshops on Scientific Literacy and Life Long Learning will be organised in Romania. And by mid April the 3rd Trainning course in School Robotics will be organised in Malta.

THE HANDS-ON SCIENCE NETWORK WILL BE MAINTAINNED IN THE FORM OF AN INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION

AND WILL KEEP GROWING ENLARGING ITS MEMBERSHIP AND THE IMPACT OF ITS ACTIVITIES AND PROPOSALS IN OUR SCHOOLS AND EU' SOCIETIES

... INDUCING A BETTER SCIENCE EDUCATION...

IN FAVOUR OF A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

... TOWARDS A BRIGHTER FUTURE OF HUMANKIND ...