Increasing the interest level in the subject of physics by more practical work in the teaching environment, and thereby encouraging the employees of tomorrow while still at school - this is the aim of the project "Schulphysik-Offensive Optimaler Lernerfolg (SchulPOOL)" ("School Physics Campaign for Optimum Learning Results") organised by the Physics Faculty of the Bergische Universität, together with companies and grammar schools in the "Bergisch Triangle" as part of the strategic approach "Living Company Culture" of "Regionale 2006".

The declining interest of school pupils in the subject of physics is a generally accepted problem. The reason for this lies in the teaching material, often considered irrelevant by pupils, and the lack of experimentation facilities brought about by the often incomplete, defective or outdated equipment available to schools.

The result: important basic knowledge and the fun in learning physics is lost, making it then extremely difficult for pupils to have access to physics studies, and therefore also most engineering science courses. A fatal consequence for the commercial region of the "Bergisch Triangle" and its many small and medium-sized companies with their great need for engineers when young, new talent is simply not available.

In order to counteract this development, and restore the enjoyment of learning physics for pupils by stronger reference to practical applications, the Physics Faculty of the Bergische Universität at the beginning of 2002, with the financial support of the Robert-Bosch Foundation, put together various experimentation kits in such a way that they can be used jointly and effectively by several schools within the region. These can be ordered online by teachers, transported to the schools by commercial delivery services, set up in a few minutes and then used by pupils.

And the concept is growing in popularity: 14 schools in the region now take advantage of SchulPOOL, awakening new interest in physics thanks to the additional experimentation possibilities.

The second phase of the SchulPOOL project, in which experiments will be augmented by PC-assisted evaluation, is being supported financially by companies from the region, providing necessary support at school level for the potential employees of tomorrow.

15 companies are now "on board", thus ensuring the financing of the second phase of the SchulPOOL project.

Above and beyond the purely financial participation, many of these companies will by arrangement be giving school classes a look "behind the scenes" of their production, which brings with it benefits for both sides - pupils experience close-up the practical application of what they have learnt in the classroom, and companies are able to make early contact with potential future employees.

SchulPOOL is thus an exemplary project for involving companies in shaping the future of the region, and will form the model for further projects based on the "Living Company Culture" of the "Bergisch Triangle".

Further information is available from www.schulpool.uni-wuppertal.de.