International Conference on STEM Education:

Innovative Responses to Adaptations, Opportunities, and Challenges in STEM Education





Conference dates

22 - 24 December, 2025

Organized by

Samtse College of Education
Royal University of Bhutan
Venue: Thimphu

Overview

Bhutan’s commitment to advancing Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is evident in recent initiatives that recognise science and technology as essential to the future. Policymakers and educators are prioritising reforms to spark scientific curiosity in students. The proposed International Conference on STEM Education at Samtse College of Education (SCE) presents a valuable opportunity for global and local stakeholders to exchange insights, fostering innovation in Bhutan’s education system.

Objectives

The initiative aims to unite global STEM experts to share insights, build collaborative networks, and explore innovative teaching practices. This effort supports Samtse College of Education and the Royal University of Bhutan in advancing STEM education with a global perspective on knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Subthemes

The following sub-themes provide a comprehensive framework for the conference, addressing various facets of STEM education, including pedagogy, technology, inclusivity, and adaptability to changing educational and societal needs:

  • Innovative Pedagogies in STEM Education
  • Technology Integration in STEM Classrooms
  • Equity and Inclusion in STEM Education
  • Assessment and Evaluation in STEM Education
  • Global Perspectives on STEM Education
  • STEM Education in Informal Settings
  • Future Trends in STEM Education

22 December 2025 – Conference Opening, Cultural Performances, Panel Discussion, and Gala Dinner
23 December 2025 – Plenary Session with Two Keynote Addresses, Video Exhibition, and Parallel Paper Presentations in Breakout Rooms
24 December 2025 – Two Keynote Addresses, Tradeshow/STEM Activity Exhibition, and Parallel Paper Presentations in Breakout Rooms
24 December 2025 – Cultural Tour
25 December 2025 – Free Time

Keynote speakers

Featuring esteemed experts in the field of science and STEM education.

Nawang Norbu
Nawang Norbu
Shauli Mukherjee
Shauli Mukherjee
Manish Jain
Manish Jain
Samiksha Raut
Samiksha Raut
Tony Burner
Tony Burner
Bodil Svendsen
Bodil Svendsen
Nawang Norbu
Priya Krishnan
Miral Shah
Miral Shah
Shiva Raj Bhattarai
Shiva Raj Bhattarai
Speaker Details
Speaker

Key Topics
    Session Information

    Contact

    The organising committee invites abstracts of approximately 200 words (max.250 words), Times New Roman, Font Size 12 with 1.5 line spacing. Use our online submission facility at icsteme.sce.edu.bt. Alternatively, abstracts will be accepted by direct e-mail as an attachment to the Conference Organising Committee icsteme.sce@rub.edu.bt

    The conference will be held in Thimphu, the vibrant capital city of Bhutan. Nestled in a picturesque valley in the country’s western interior, Thimphu serves as the administrative and cultural heart of Bhutan. It is home to the national government and is renowned for its rich Buddhist heritage and iconic landmarks, offering visitors a unique blend of tradition and modernity.

    Thimphu is approximately an hour’s drive from Paro, which is well-connected by air to several regional cities, including Delhi, Kolkata, and Bagdogra (India); Bangkok (Thailand); Kathmandu (Nepal); Dhaka (Bangladesh); Singapore; and Dubai. The organising committee will facilitate visa arrangements. The flight tickets can be conveniently booked online at www.drukair.com.bt or www.bhutanairlines.bt.

    Participants will be accommodated in a government-approved three-star hotel in Thimphu, with breakfast and dinner included. The hotel is located within a five-minute drive or a 15–20 minute walk from the conference venue.

    The conference organisers will receive and see off participants only at Paro International Airport.

    Participants arriving at Bagdogra Airport (India) will need to arrange their own taxi (approximately INR 4,000–4,500) for the three- to four-hour journey to the border town of Jaigaon, from where you can enter Bhutan via Phuentsholing. Please complete the permit form available on our website and send it to sangaylhamo.sce@rub.edu.bt. She will guide you through the immigration procedures at the border gate. The organising committee will then arrange onward transportation to Thimphu (a five- to six-hour drive).

    Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, is nestled in a valley in the country’s western interior, approximately an hour’s drive from Paro. Paro is well-connected by air to several neighboring cities, including Delhi, Kolkata, and Bagdogra (India); Bangkok (Thailand); Kathmandu (Nepal); Dhaka (Bangladesh); Singapore; and Dubai. The organising committee will facilitate visa arrangements, and flight tickets can be conveniently booked online at www.drukair.com.bt or www.bhutanairlines.bt. Accommodations will be provided in government-approved, star-rated hotels in Thimphu, all located within a 5 to 20-minute drive of the conference venue.

    Hotel Changangkha

    All accepted abstracts will be published in both print and electronic formats with an ISBN and will be made publicly available. Authors of IC-STEME25 who wish to submit full manuscripts will be invited to publish in Education Innovative Practices (EIP), the peer-reviewed academic journal of the college.

    📖 View Publication

    For VISA and Permit following are the documents requirement for international participants:

    1. Duly filled visa application form (Preferably typed and signed). Form can be downloaded from the conference website.
    2. Nationals of India are eligible for entry permit on arrival at the port of entry. Individuals must have a passport OR a Voter Identity Card. No other identity documents are accepted. Form can be downloaded from the conference website, please bring along the filled forms.
    3. Scanned copy of Passport (Passport should have a validity of at least 6 months from the date of intended departure from the country).
    4. Passport size picture in JPG format of less than 2MB.

    * Nationals of Bangladesh and the Maldives are eligible for visa on arrival. Nationals of Thailand and Switzerland holding diplomatic/official passports are eligible for visa on arrival.

    Please submit all your documents to sangaylhamo.sce@rub.edu.bt before 30 October, 2025.

    ⬇️ Download Visa Form
    ⬇️ Download Permit Form

    Call +97517958416 for queries related to VISA & PERMIT

    Who should attend?

    The target audience includes STEM educators and researchers globally, science and mathematics teachers from Bhutan and other countries, as well as educators, researchers, and scholars with a strong interest in STEM and science education. The event also welcomes the participation of all other relevant stakeholders involved in STEM education.


    The registration fee for international participants includes a 5-night stay (December 21–25, 2025) at a Department of Tourism-approved 3 star hotel that includes brekfast and dinner, one-time conference gala dinner, lunch and refreshments during the conference, and conference materials. It also covers a one-time visa fee, entry to historical and cultural sites, local transportation (airport transfers and daily transport between the hotel and conference venue), and the conference tour.


    Note: International participants arriving before 21st December or extending their stay beyond 25th December will be responsible for additional payments. For assistance, please contact the conference organisers.


    Conference brochure

    Download brochure
    Organization 1 Organization 2

    Contact us

    icsteme.sce@rub.edu.bt

    Why attend ICSTEME 2025?

    6+

    International experts

    6+

    Interactive sessions

    200+

    Expected attendees

    Presentation Guidelines

    Conference Schedule

    (I) 9:30 AM to 10:00 AM - Physical Registration, Distribution of Conference Materials, Arrival of Guests, Speakers & Participants
    (II) 10:00 AM - Arrival of Chief Guest
    (III) 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM - Marchang, Zhapten, National Anthem, Cultural Presentation
    (IV) 10:30 AM to 10:40 AM - Opening of the Conference
    (V) 10:40 AM to 11:00 AM - Welcome Address by President
    (VI) 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM - Address by the Chief Guest
    (VII) 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM - Tea Break
    (VIII) 12:00 PM to 12:25 PM - Keynote 1:
    Nawang Norbu (Climate Change).
    (IX) 12:25 PM to 12:35 PM - Question & Answer
    (X) 12:35 PM to 1:00 PM - Keynote 2:
    Manish Jain (Make school education meaningful and engaging - treading the AI/Tech double edge sword to overcome the challenge of distraction and disengagement).
    (XI) 1:00 PM to 1:10 PM - Question & Answer
    (XII) 1:10 PM to 2:00 PM - Lunch
    (XIII) 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM - Thematic Presentation in Break Out Rooms (15 minutes per presentation / 5 minutes discussion)
    Group 1:
    Karen Francois (STEM Education in Europe: What 25 years of policy tell us).
    Sanjeev Ranganathan (Addressing ethical needs in higher education through design and implementation, a case study of a bachelor's program in rural India).
    Norbu Wangdi (Affordances and barriers to technology use in Bhutanese secondary school science classroom).
    Sonam Zangmo Unlocking the complexity of osmosis concept for the 10th grade students through experiment-based experiential learning.
    Group 2:
    Saranya Barathi A values driven approach to foster equity and inclusion theough STREAM education from rural Tamil Nadu, India.
    Pushpa Thantry Mathematics teacher training at scale - the Ganitha Kalika Andolana (GKA) model.
    Sherab Tenzin Effect of 7E learning cycle on enhancing grade twelve students' conceptual understanding of gene expression.
    (XIV) 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM - Tea Break
    (XV) 3:30 PM to 3:50 PM - Plenary (Reporting by rapporteurs)
    (XVI) 3:50 PM to 4:00 PM - Video Presentation (About SCE - STEM focus)
    (XVII) 4:00 PM to 4:30 PM - Closing Remarks
    Kuenzang Gyeltshen
    (XVIII) 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Gala Dinner
    Chief Guest, Invited Guests, Speakers, International Participants, Bhutanese Paper Presenters, and SCE Team

    (I) 9:00 AM to 9:25 AM - Physical Registration, Arrival of Guests, Speakers & Participants
    (II) 9:25 AM to 9:35 AM - Welcome & Opening Remarks
    Kinley Sedey
    (III) 9:35 AM to 10:15 AM - Keynote 1:
    Kezang Yangden (Nature Education: building the foundations for scientific learning and curiosity).
    Samiksha Raut (Transforming Biology Education: Embarking innovation, inquiry, and STEM integration for a progressive future).
    (IV) 10:15 AM to 10:25 AM - Question & Answer
    (V) 10:25 AM to 11:05 AM - Keynote 2:
    Tony Burner & Bodii Svendsen (How do we best address gifted students in STEM?)
    Shiva Raj Bhattarai: (Learning science in Bhutan).
    (VI) 11:05 AM to 11:15 AM - Question & Answer
    (VII) 11:15 AM to 11:40 AM - Tea Break
    (VIII) 10:40 AM to 1:00 PM - Thematic Presentation in Break Out Rooms (15 minutes per presentation / 5 minutes discussion)
    Group 1:
    Priyadarshini Muthukrishnan (Double-Helix model of thinking framework for developing creativity and innovation).
    Neal Apte Pineda (Foundational learning in sigital system).
    Sonam Dorji (Exploring Bhutanese students' preceptions of flipped classroom instruction in Biology).
    Reeta Rai (Implementation of OER based educational innovation for the continuous professional development of secondary scienceand mathematics teachers in Bhutan).
    Group 2:
    Sanjeev Ranganathan (Designing STEM workshops: facilitating learning beyound theoretical knowledge towards skills and agency).
    Ugyen Pem (Unravelling Newtonian Knots: An investigation into misconceptions in Physics in Bhutanese secondary schools).
    Kinley Wangmo (Improving grade Two math performance through co-teaching in an inclusive classroom).
    Sonam Phuntsho (The effectiveness of using GeoGebra for grade Ten students in learning graphs of linear inequalities).
    (IX) 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM - Lunch Break
    (X) 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM - Thematic Presentation in Break Out Rooms (15 minutes per presentation / 5 minutes discussion)
    Group 1:
    Gomathi Shridhar (Formative assessment activities for the Chemistry classroom - An overviewe).
    Pratiksha Rajadhyaksha (Chemistry Lab: Text book to real life learning experiences).
    Sushma Pradhan (Integrating the CK-12 platform in Bhutanese STEM classroom).
    Thinley Wangdi (Using ChatGPT as an assessment tool in education: A systematic literature review of practices and limitations).
    Sonam Choden (Transforming organic chemistry education through a puzzle-based approach).
    Group 2:
    Vinodkumar C. Sonawane (Sharing learning experiences of school teachers in STEM workshops at HBCSE, TIFR, SSRD group).
    Purna Bdr. Subba (A Place-Based STEM Education Approach to Ethnomathematics: Exploring the Geometry, Design, and Ecological Knowledge in Woven Bamboo Doko of Southern Bhutan).
    Pema Chogyel (Investigating how curriculum, learning environment, and self-efficacy influence biology education for middle secondary students in Bhutan).
    Bijoy Hungmo Subba (Development of a constructivism based instructional model to enhance grade IX Bhutanese students' metacognition and mathematical problem-solving skills).
    (XI) 3:30 PM to 4:00 PM - Tea Break
    (XII) 4:00 PM to 4:30 PM - Trade Show Exhibition by SCE STEM department, RSSTEM, WWF, GovTech, BES.
    (XIII) 4:30 PM to 5:10 PM - Plenary Reporting by rapporteurs (10 minutes each)
    (XIV) 5:10 PM to 5:20 PM - Closing Remarks
    Kinzang Dorji
    (XV) 5:20 PM to 5:40 PM - Certificate & Token Presentation
    (XVI) 5:40 PM to 6:00 PM - Vote of thanks
    Kinley

    Cultural tour for international participants (Buddha Point, Sangay Gang, Takin Zoo, or Paro Taksang)

    Free time (Depart / Rest / Shopping)