School of Creative Solutions
Innovative FOCUS forms the pedagogical foundation of every School of Creative Solutions. It is the evidence-based orientation model that shapes young people into creative problem-solvers and responsible changemakers. It builds education that not only transfers knowledge, but sustainably develops innovation capacity, mindset and implementation skills.
Why the world needs changemakers
To solve the major challenges of our time, it is not enough to learn about them. Young people need more than knowledge. They need problem-solving skills, creativity and a sense of agency.
Today it is no longer enough to understand the world – we must actively shape it.
PH-Prof. Dr. Kurt Haim, founder of the School of Creative Solutions and developer of the Innovative FOCUS programme.
The Innovative FOCUS programme turns classrooms into think tanks where real solutions emerge – scientifically grounded, developed since 2010, and tested in 65+ schools.
One method. Five dimensions.
The Innovative FOCUS programme combines flexibility, originality, creative personality, unconscious thinking and strategies into an evidence-based system.
FLEXIBILITY
Think from 1000 perspectives
Flexibility means looking at problems from different angles. With tools like Thinkflex, students learn to open their thinking and discover new paths.
Temporal perspectives
Past, present, future
Spatial perspectives
Local, regional, global
Personal perspectives
Different roles & viewpoints
ORIGINALITY
Create unique solutions
Originality is the ability to generate novel and unexpected ideas. With the PASSLA method, morphological analysis and more, innovations emerge that surprise.
APIFOS method
Generating novel ideas
Morphological analysis
Systematic variation
Reverse Brainstorming
Reverse thinking approaches
CREATIVE PERSONALITY
Strengthen your creative identity
Creative personality is the key to innovation. With BE A COMET and MISSION: POSSIBLE, students develop self-confidence and resilience.
Self-confidence
Trust in your own ideas
Openness
Daring new experiences
Resilience
Courage to fail
UNCONSCIOUS MIND
Activate your intuition
The unconscious is the source of spontaneous creativity. Through embodiment exercises, meditation and Qigong, we unlock hidden creative potential.
Meditation & mindfulness
Mindfulness & calm
Movement & juggling
Physical experience
Flow states
Effortless concentration
STRATEGIES
Turn ideas into action
Strategies turn creativity into concrete action. With design thinking and project management, visions become real solutions for sustainable development.
Design Thinking
User-centred solutions
Prototyping
Fast implementation
Impact Measurement
Making impact measurable
One programme – endless possibilities
Three ways the Innovative FOCUS programme transforms your school.
Teacher training
Become an innovation initiator with over 50 tools and a scientific foundation.
Student challenges
Students solve real problems and present their solutions to the community.
School Label
Become a School of Creative Solutions and connect internationally.
Evidence-based. Proven in practice.
Since 2010, the team at the University of Education Upper Austria has been developing the Innovative FOCUS programme – classroom-ready, scalable and published internationally.
Scientific publications
The effectiveness of the teaching program “scientific creativity in practice”
Abstract: This study examines the impact of the Scientific Creativity in Practice program on students’ scientific creativity. This compre...
View publicationFostering Scientific Creativity in the Classroom: The Concept of Flex-Based Learning
Abstract. To sustainably shape tomorrow’s world, young people must be prepared to develop successful solution strategies for problems tha...
View publicationInnovative FOCUS: A Program to Foster Creativity and Innovation in the Context of Education for Sustainability
Abstract: This study is based on the urgent need to adapt education systems to meet the challenges of the 21st century. It examines the i...
View publicationChangemakers in action
Real solutions for real problems. Developed by students, proven in practice.
Project Stratos – science takes off
Facade greening
Smart waste system
What teachers and school leaders say
The FOCUS framework has turned our students into creative problem-solvers. The methods are easy to teach and the results are impressive.
Through FOCUS, my son learned to look at problems from different perspectives. His creativity and self-confidence have grown enormously.
As a school principal, I am convinced by the changemaker programme because it is a great extension of our Matura subjects. Our students experience how teamwork and creative problem-solving skills turn into an innovative prototype – an experience that reaches far beyond school.
Ready for the next step?
Immediate start
Start with the FOCUS framework right away and turn your students into creative problem-solvers.
Proven methods
A proven framework with demonstrable results in over 100 schools.
Creative solutions
Develop innovative approaches to real challenges with your students.