On 23 October 2026, Čačak hosted a successful WB Maker Bridge workshop attended by 60 participants, including secondary school students, their teachers and university students. Strong interest in practical learning and technology applications led to the programme being organised in two groups, with participants and organisers working together throughout the activities.
The workshop introduced the WB Maker Bridge platform and its role in connecting project activities, educational content and opportunities for continued learning. Participants became familiar with the platform as a place to find information about the project and access materials on electronics, programming and microcontrollers. This connected the workshop with resources they can return to after the event.
Particular emphasis was placed on connecting electronic components and exploring microcontroller applications. Working alongside the organisers, participants explored how components are connected and how basic technical concepts can be applied to practical tasks. Rather than learning about technology through explanations alone, they had the opportunity to take an active role and gain experience working with electronic components.
Participant interest and a positive atmosphere characterised the practical sessions. Working together brought different levels of prior knowledge into the same learning environment and demonstrated the value of secondary school students, teachers and university students engaging with a shared technical task. This format creates opportunities for exchanging experiences, supporting one another and developing an interest in further work in STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The involvement of teachers also provides an important link between project activities and educational settings. Practical tasks and open learning materials can inspire classroom teaching, clubs and other activities that introduce young people to technology through experimentation. For school and university students, the workshop offered an opportunity to explore microcontrollers and find encouragement for the next steps in their learning.
The Čačak event forms part of the regional cooperation developed through WB Maker Bridge by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of East Sarajevo, BADEN in Serbia and IMTM in Montenegro. The project connects hands-on learning, mentoring support and knowledge sharing, aiming to make digital technologies more accessible to young people and encourage cooperation between educational communities across the region.
The interest in the Čačak workshop highlights the importance of opportunities in which young people are not simply listeners but active participants in exploring and applying technology. Materials on the WB Maker Bridge platform provide a foundation for continuing this learning beyond the workshop through practice, independent exploration and the development of new ideas.
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This project is co-funded by the Western Balkans Fund and the European Union, as part of the WBF-EU Joint Action.
