CRYPTOPOLIS: Fostering Financial and Crypto Literacy in Secondary Schools

The project is born out of the recognition that secondary school education needs a transformative shift to address emerging topics, particularly in the realm of financial literacy and cryptocurrency education. In light of recent surveys and reports, the inadequacy of the current curriculum in preparing students for the complexities of the digital economy, especially in the context of cryptocurrencies, is evident.

Since its inception, cryptocurrencies have rapidly become a vital component of the digital economy. The demographic mega-trend in cryptocurrencies, led by younger age groups, reinforces the urgency of addressing financial and crypto literacy among the youth.

European project CRYPTOPOLIS recognizes the vulnerability of young individuals to high-risk investments due to a lack of financial and crypto literacy. Therefore, secondary schools are identified as the primary target group, aiming to equip students with essential skills and knowledge.

Selected partner countries—Austria, Spain, Slovenia, and the Netherlands—are chosen based on their unique perspectives and trends related to cryptocurrency ownership and attitudes. Each country contributes valuable insights into the specific needs of its youth.

CRYPTOPOLIS focuses on several key objectives:

• Increasing the capacity and readiness of secondary schools for effective digital education in the field of crypto and financial literacy.

• Developing purposeful use of digital technologies in financial and crypto education for teaching, learning, assessment, and engagement.

• Improving the financial management knowledge of teachers, acknowledging the influence of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies in this domain.

The primary outcome of CRYPTOPOLIS will be the development of an Online Academy for Financial and Crypto Literacy. This comprehensive platform will include innovative teaching tools, a financial market simulation game, and virtual teacher training.

The project is structured around four pillars:

1. Gather Information: Comprehensive research on the current status quo, including desk research, focus groups, and online surveys, to inform subsequent activities.

2. Definition of Master Concept and Strategy: Developing a holistic strategy, defining learning objectives, and creating an innovative teaching methodology toolbox.

3. Implementation: Core project activities, including the design and implementation of the Online Academy, creation of course content, development of the Financial Market Simulation game, and practical testing in partner schools.

4. Sustainable Dissemination: Ensuring the sustainable use of project results through video guides, evaluation, virtual teacher training, pilot phases, quality assurance, and roundtable discussions.

CRYPTOPOLIS aligns with the European Skills Agenda and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals. It aims to support teachers in delivering competence-based teaching, make teaching careers more attractive, develop innovative teaching and assessment methods, and include new topics in the school curriculum.

CRYPTOPOLIS is a project funded under the “Erasmus+ Programme, Key Action 2: Partnerships for Cooperation” scheme (Ref.: 2021-1-AT01-KA220-SCH-000032827), co-financed by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union spanning 24 months.