Geocentros (Geoschools) is the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara UGGp educational programme.
Geocentros (Geoschools) is the educational programme of the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara UGGp, reflecting the Geopark’s strong commitment to education as a cornerstone of heritage conservation and sustainable development. The initiative is fully aligned with the #ESDfor2030 framework. Geocentros is a collaborative initiative involving the Regional Ministry of Education of the Government of Extremadura, the Cáceres Provincial Council and the University of Extremadura.
In formal education, the network includes early childhood (preschool), primary and secondary schools, adult education centres, the Teacher and Resource Centres of Trujillo and Navalmoral de la Mata and UEX. To recognise the commitment of participating schools and increase the visibility of the Geopark, each Geocentro displays a plaque identifying it as a member of the Geocentros Network. In addition, each geocentro has metal panels with the geopark map, collections of books, leaflets and board games, and other materials developed jointly.
The Geopark coordinates and supports the educational activities carried out by the Geocentros through both financial assistance and technical guidance. The Geocentros Working Group on Education (GWG), which meets 2-3 a year and maintains continuous collaboration with the Geopark’s Educational and Scientific Committee (ESC), oversees the programme. Chaired by the Geopark staff, the GWG brings together representatives of the Regional Ministry of Education, members of the ESC, representatives of the Teacher and Resource Centres, and one teacher from each participating Geocentro. Together, they design, coordinate and evaluate the educational projects, activities and initiatives developed across the network.
The programme aims to strengthen knowledge of the Geopark’s geological, natural and cultural heritage, integrate this heritage into educational practice, and transform the Geopark into a living outdoor classroom that promotes hands-on learning, collaboration between educative centres and a stronger connection between students, teachers and their local environment. By encouraging young people to discover, appreciate and protect their local heritage, the programme fosters a sense of pride and responsibility, empowering students (and teachers) to become true ambassadors of the Geopark and contributing to the long-term conservation of its outstanding values.
In non-formal and informal education, the educational project transfers what has been developed in Geocentros. Thus, the dissemination of knowledge in interpretation centers and in activities throughout the year (talks, workshops, informational materials, etc.), for both the local population and tourists, enjoys a proven quality.
Besides we can highlight some recent cooperation activities:
- Geoconvivencia: Is the annual gathering of the Geocentros educational project. It brings together hundreds of students, teachers, and educational communities from participating educational centres to share experiences, strengthen the bonds forged throughout the scholar year, and highlight the geological, natural, and cultural heritage of the geopark. Through workshops, educational activities, performances, games, and visits to geosites, students learn experientially, foster a sense of belonging to the Geopark, and reinforce values such as sustainability, cooperation, and heritage conservation. Its main objectives are to promote interaction among schools, disseminate the results of projects developed during the scholar year, promote the exchange of best practices, and bring the Geopark’s heritage closer to the entire educational community. Last four editions has been celebrated in Peraleda de San Román, Robledollano, Aldeacentenera and Villar del Pedroso, bringing together more than 1000 participants (in 2025 and 2026 editions almost 1400 people, more than 10% of the geopark’s population) including students, teachers, families and volunteers from the venue, becoming an example of how education and local participation are essential and two of the main drivers of our geopark. SDGs 4, 11, 13 and 17.
- Letters from the Geopark. The educational activity “There is a letter for you!”: A Pen Pal Project which brings together students from the Geocentros through the traditional exchange of handwritten letters, encouraging friendship, literacy, and cultural exchange beyond digital communication. By sharing experiences, local heritage, and everyday life, students improve their reading, writing, and communication skills while strengthening their sense of belonging to the UNESCO Global Geopark. During the 2023–2024 school year (and from then on in subsequent school years), the project involved 325 students from nine Geocentres across 17 towns, including participants from ASDIVI, promoting inclusion and cooperation. The initiative supports the GGN educational mission and contributes especially to Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), culminating in the Geoconvivencia, where pen pals meet in person after months of correspondence.
- International Letters from the Geopark: Following the success of the “There is a letter for you!” initiative, the EGN Working Group on Education launched the project internationally. The initiative encourages students to connect beyond digital communication while supporting SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by fostering intercultural understanding and cooperation among UGGps. During the 2024–2025 school year, the project brings together 1,757 students from 36 educational centres in 11 UGGps across 9 countries (China, Finland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Tanzania, and the United Kingdom). Teachers from all participating geoparks have worked collaboratively to organise the exchange, pairing schools according to shared themes and interests. Students exchanged at least two letters throughout the school year, with the initiative laying the foundations for long-term international collaboration between Geopark schools.
- “Geocentres for Cultural Identity” project: Is a collaboration between CRA La Jara (grouped rural school in Villuercas-Ibores-Jara UGGp) and CEIP Los Alcalá Galiano (school in Sierras Subbéticas UGGp, Andalusia, Spain), supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education’s Groups of Educational Centres programme. During the 2024–2025 and 2025–2026 school years, the project promotes sustainability, educational innovation, and cultural identity by helping students explore their geological, natural, and cultural heritage while comparing the realities of both geoparks and strengthening their commitment to their local communities. Through regular collaborative activities (including handwritten letter exchanges, joint school magazines, radio programmes, virtual escape rooms, and reciprocal school visits) students, teachers, families, and local communities share knowledge and best educational practices. By fostering cooperation, intercultural learning, and community engagement, the project strengthens the educational networks of both geoparks and contributes to their long-term sustainability and conservation. See EGN Magazine #23.
- Some of our Geocentros have had preliminary contacts with Grutas de Palacio UGGp (Uruguay) and Vulkaneifel UGGp (Germany), participating in online activities about the knowledge of their own geopark and how to transmit it to students from other geoparks.
- Participation of teachers in the EGN Education Working Group, open days of the Spanish Geoparks Network, and international conferences: The Geopark aims to ensure that everyone involved with its organizations can participate in networking. Thus, several teachers, recognized for their initiatives in Geocenters, participate in the meetings of the EGN Education Working Group and have traveled to participate in the open days of the Spanish Geoparks Network (sometimes also with students; e.g., Origens and Granada UGGps) and in the GGN meetings (e.g., Marrakech 2024) to share good educational practices.
Noteworthy is the new relationship with rural schools for unemployed people. The subject of this training is agreed upon with the municipalities according to the needs of the geopark. Although the environmental awareness module, focused on the geopark’s heritage, has been taught annually by the geoscientist in each of the vocational training programs (masonry, photovoltaic installations, home care, forestry, leisure activity monitors -new in 2026-, etc.), this collaboration has been formalized during this period by establishing these schools as Geocentros.