Education – KigaliTech

Ericsson Innovation Awards 2022 invites university students to tackle sustainability challenges

Ericsson is inviting university students the world over to propose innovative technology solutions to help tackle sustainable development challenges. Impact Our Sustainable Future is the theme of the Ericsson Innovation Awards (EIA) 2022 challenge, with more than EUR 50,000 in prizes up for grabs.

Heather Johnson, Vice President, Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, Ericsson, says: “There are less than 10 years until the conclusion of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and it will take a collective effort from all sectors of society to achieve them. Ericsson is a champion of the role technology and innovation can play in scaling sustainable development efforts.

She adds: “University students around the world are among the most passionate and determined advocates of the need for action to meet global sustainability challenges. That’s why we’ve chosen sustainability as the focus of this year’s Ericsson Innovation Awards to help catalyze action.”

Participating university teams are asked to take inspiration from the United Nations’ 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) to identify a sustainability challenge to tackle with a technology solution that can make a lasting change.

Interested teams of two-to-four students currently enrolled in university studies should submit team names and ideas by 13.00 (CEST), August 5, 2022.

As an extra incentive, the first seven submissions per region as of 13.00 (CEST), June 16, 2022, will have the opportunity to access extra support and feedback from Ericsson mentors.

Johnson adds: “Imagination is the only limit to the range of ideas that can be submitted. From past Ericson Innovation Awards’ experiences, we know that university student talent is exceptional in proposing and developing creative solutions.”

Prizes

Overall winner: EUR 25,000
As a Nobel International partner, Ericsson will also offer the winning team the opportunity to join a virtual conversation with a Nobel Prize laureate.

Overall runner-up: EUR 15,000
Overall third place: EUR 5,000

Social Media Prize: EUR 2,000
The three finalists’ ideas will be uploaded to @inside_ericsson Instagram. A public vote – in the last 24 hours before the Grand Finale – will determine which team who wins the EUR 2,000.

Regional winners
Each of the seven regional winners will receive EUR 1,000.

In some cases, additional special recognition and prizes will be offered from the respective region.

The 14 semi-finalists, including the regional winners, will receive eight weeks of comprehensive mentorship from Ericsson experts in innovation and business, as well as recognition on Ericsson’s social and digital media channels.

Further details, including registration information, is available on the Ericsson Innovation Awards site.

www.ericsson.com

Google announces 30,000 scholarships under African developer scheme

Opportunities for software developers in Africa are at an all time high, according to the 2021 Africa Developer Report by Google and Accenture, opportunities for software developers in Africa are at an all time high, driven primarily by the booming startup ecosystem and the global demand for remote work. Local businesses are also contributing to this demand as they seek to hire more developers to help them build a better online presence.

The report also looked at ways that technology companies can accelerate access to these opportunities through education and training programs that improve on job readiness. At Google we have been supporting developers in Africa through community and training programs for over 10 years. Today, there are more than 180 active developer communities in 30 countries across Africa. These local developer communities provide developers with the opportunity to connect, learn and grow together. The research report showed that nearly 1 in every 2 developers in Africa has been through a Google developer training or community program.

Mampho and Christopher are two software developers based in Johannesburg and Lagos respectively who have graduated from the Google Africa Developer Scholarship program. They both heard about the opportunity online and decided to apply for the Google Cloud learning track. After completing the training, they went a step further and took the Associate Cloud Engineer certification. This has enabled them to be more productive at work, and opened up a world of new opportunities for them. To quote Mampho, “The GADS program empowered me, and showed me that I could be a world class developer”

Google is announcing an additional 30,000 Android and Google Cloudtraining opportunities for aspiring and professional developers in Africa. «We are pleased to be partnering with Andela and Pluralsight on this program for the 5th year in a row, continuing our commitment to Africa’s developer ecosystem.» Developers selected for the program will gain access to carefully curated training content and hands-on learning experiences. They will also access a pan-African network of peer learning groups and community mentors who will guide them on the learning journey.

Follow this link to apply for the scholarship.

africa.googleblog.com

Next Engineers programme launches in Johannesburg

General Electric (GE) in partnership with FHI360, PROTEC and the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) officially launched the Next Engineers programme in Johannesburg to increase the diversity of young people in engineering. The programme launch, which was officiated by the Gauteng MEC for education, Panyaza Lesufi, will provide more than 3500 students between the ages 13 to 18 over five years with hands on exposure to engineering concepts and careers, and ultimately award financial support to students pursuing engineering degrees.

Next Engineers, funded by the GE Foundation, has also been launched in Cincinnati, Ohio and Greenville, South Carolina in the United States of America, and Staffordshire in the U.K. Since announcing the selection of Johannesburg as one of the four launch cities to implement Next Engineers globally last year, PROTEC and the GDE ensured Next Engineers garnered significant interest in the programme from high schools across Johannesburg’s five educational districts. In fact, approximately 1100 students have applied to be among the first to participate in the programme’s exciting Engineering Discovery, Engineering Camp and Engineering Academy pillars. Today over 550 high school learners have been selected as the first cohort of students to develop their engineering identities through programme’s Engineering Discovery and Engineering Academy pillars.

Nyimpini Mabunda, CEO of GE South Africa says, “As we slowly start recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is evident that we require more diverse solutions that will contribute to the growth of the economy. Through GE’s Next Engineers programme, we are not only exposing tomorrow’s engineers and changemakers who will solve society’s most pressing challenges to invaluable hands-on learning experiences but we are playing our part in increasing the representation of females in the engineering sector”.

“As the GDE, we welcome this initiative and are grateful that GE will be investing in transforming our engineering sector, especially through our learners. As we are aware, the engineering sector has a critical role to play in ensuring that Gauteng achieves its goals as articulated in the Growing Gauteng Together Vision 2030,” said Gauteng Education MEC, Mr. Panyaza Lesufi.

The total $2.5 million USD investment in Johannesburg will cover funding to PROTEC to implement and grow the programme, provide financial support for up to 150 Engineering Academy participants and funding for tuition for 800 youth to attend Engineering Camp.

“Working with the GE Foundation is a key step to uplifting the lives of many potential engineers in Johannesburg while also contributing to the acceleration of the engineering industry. Through this collaboration we look forward to mentoring and exposing students to endless possibilities brought by the engineering sector and giving them an opportunity to turn their passion into a career in engineering”, says PROTEC CEO, Mr. Balan Moodley.

Across South Africa, while education has made vast improvements, particularly in the past 15 years, there remains various challenges regarding access to varying levels of education. The Next Engineers programme starts with raising awareness as early as age 13 (grade eight), igniting interest throughout high school (ages 14 to 18), and alleviating financial barriers to higher education through financial support.

Students, educators and the community can obtain updates and more information at https://bit.ly/3HmEu10.

www.GE.com

Accenture, Dubai Cares, Microsoft and UNICEF launch digital education platform

Accenture, Dubai Cares, Microsoft and UNICEF announced the launch of a global, digital learning platform for young people. Operating under the Generation Unlimited partnership, the Passport to Earning platform aims to address the global education crisis, currently exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare the next generation for decent work.

The platform will provide young people aged 15-24 across the world with free, certified education and skills training—with content spanning across digital, foundational, role-based, and technical skills. Young people using the platform will be able to use the certifications gained to support future employment and entrepreneurship opportunities made available on the platform. The Passport to Earning platform was unveiled today at the RewirEd Summit, the largest global education summit of its kind, led by Dubai Cares, in partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai and in close coordination with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC), and delivered in partnership with global stakeholders.

“The youth of today represent the leaders of tomorrow. Preparing and equipping them for the challenges that lie ahead of us is critical to ensuring that our future is in capable hands. Passport to Earning will provide young individuals with an effective tool to strengthen and upscale their skillsets and empower their professional journeys towards greater goals. In addition, the RewirEd Summit proved to be a fitting gathering to launch this platform in line with the conversations we hosted around the summit’s first day theme: Youth, Skills and the Future of Work,” said His Excellency Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of Dubai Cares.

Passport to Earning is built on Microsoft’s Community Training (MCT) platform and will form an extension of UNICEF and Microsoft’s Learning Passport, a digital learning platform aimed at school-age children struggling to access mainstream education. Operational in 20 countries, the Learning Passport was recently identified by Time Magazine as one of the 100 best inventions of 2021.

“We’ve seen first-hand how technology can be used in transformative ways to reach and connect learners—even in the most challenging scenarios. Passport to Earning is a powerful tool that allows us to reach young people and provide them with digital skilling opportunities at scale. We’re thrilled to work with UNICEF, GenU, Accenture and Dubai Cares to bring this program to life,” said Kate Behncken, Vice President and Lead of Microsoft Philanthropies.

The platform will offer online and offline digitalized curricula with supplemental content curated at the national level. It will keep young people learning—both inside and outside of classrooms—with content that is not dependent on a consistent web connection. It will also build government capacity to provide sustainable skilling and employment opportunities in the digital economy.

“Young people across the world are poised to advance their societies and economies. Yet, without access to relevant, quality education and training opportunities, they are unable to truly participate in the 21st century workforce. The Passport to Earning, which builds upon proven solutions in delivering education in the most challenging of environments, will provide young people with the skills and certification they need to create a better, more sustainable world,” said Omar Abdi, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director.

According to a recent World Bank-UNESCO-UNICEF report, the current generation of students risks losing $17 trillion in lifetime earnings—around 14 per cent of today’s global GDP—as a result of COVID-19 pandemic-related school closures. However, even before the pandemic, young people were not learning the skills necessary for future work. Pre-pandemic data showed that without immediate action, by 2030 an estimated 825 million children will not acquire the basic secondary-level skills—such as transferable, digital and job-specific skills—needed to support lifelong learning and employment.

“The fourth industrial revolution is bringing with it irreversible changes for the education sector and the labor market—and we must not fail to do our part in enabling young people to prepare for what’s ahead. Passport to Earning exemplifies what partnerships between the public and private sectors, the UN and young people can achieve. It’s a new, modern, and inclusive global skilling solution that will connect millions of underserved youth worldwide with state-of-the-art curriculum, certifications, and ultimately jobs,” said Kevin Frey, Chief Executive Officer of GenU.

Rapidly advancing digital solutions have the potential to reach all young people and help them to access world-class learning. Accenture will bring expertise in digital learning and a user-centric design approach to Passport to Earning.

“The need for digital skills has never been greater, especially in those regions hardest hit by global inequalities and the impacts of COVID. We are proud to partner with UNICEF, Microsoft and Dubai Cares on Passport to Earning to support many thousands of young people get a job or start a business. Working with our global partners, Accenture’s Skills to Succeed initiative has equipped over 4.5 million people with the skills to make substantive improvements to their lives,” said Jill Huntley, Managing Director for Corporate Citizenship at Accenture.

www.unicef.org

Mastercard Foundation and Light For The World Launch online platform for persons with disabilities

Light for the World Uganda, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, launched an online platform, Cap-Able, which will enable higher education institutions, primarily Scholars Program Partner Universities, to become more disability inclusive.

Cap-Able is a digital toolkit designed to equip administrators, lecturers, and management with the information, knowledge, and tools to create more inclusive learning institutions. The toolkit offers best practices for higher education institutions to improve enrollment and learning practices, create inclusive learning environments, and help young people effectively transition to the world of work. It is a one-stop-shop for educational material on disability inclusion in higher education.

“We need to come together and explore every avenue to facilitate access to education for people with disabilities,” said Musa Mwambu, a Disability Inclusion Advisor at Light for the World Uganda. “Through strong partnerships like the one between Light for the World and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, we can swiftly deploy innovative, scalable solutions for students and educators. The accessibility nature of Cap-Able is a powerful reminder of what we can achieve together as we bridge the education gap for people with disabilities.”

Cap-Able will provide key resources to Scholars Program partners, educators, and students on understanding disability and inclusion, detailed information on different types of disabilities and inclusion needs, practical guidance on disability inclusion throughout the different phases of the university experience, as well as a range of educational materials, quizzes, and games. The platform also provides an opportunity for users to share their experiences and other best practices on disability inclusion.

Creating prosperity across the continent requires leaders of all backgrounds and experiences who will work to ensure that emerging economic and social benefits are available to all. Equity and inclusion are central to the realization of the Mastercard Foundation’s vision and mission. It is reflected in the Foundation’s strategy, Young Africa Works, which has set out to enable 30 million youth, particularly women, to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.

“The Scholars Program seeks to inspire an inclusive approach in which all young people, no matter their starting point in life, have an equal opportunity to succeed,” said Andre Okunzuwa, Program Partner, Mastercard Foundation. “By leveraging technology, our hope is that Cap-Able will contribute to ensuring equitable access for all young people, including those underrepresented in higher education by supporting institutions to access the knowledge needed to put disability inclusion into action.”

The Cap-Able website has been designed to ensure a user-friendly experience with robust navigation and functionality features. Created with the user experience in mind, the website includes an accessibility menu that will ensure users are able to customize anything and control everything based on their unique accessibility needs — preferred button types, language and locales, size, position, colour, and more.

Cap-Able, while designed to support partners of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, can also be useful to other institutions, staff, and students who are interested in taking on a more active role in creating an enabling environment for people with disabilities.

www.mastercardfdn.org

Mou signed to launch Huawei ICT academies in Rwanda as seeds for the future 2021 program is flagged off

Huawei, a leading global ICT Solutions provider has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with University of Rwanda and Rwanda polytechnic to officially become Huawei ICT Academies in Rwanda.

The ceremony that took place this afternoon at Ubumwe Grande Hotel also flagged-off the 2021 edition of the Seeds for the Future training Program that will happen virtually.

The Huawei ICT Academy is a Huawei-authorized project for industry-academy cooperation. It aims to provide students the latest ICT technologies and knowledge, as well as to develop professionals that can meet the requirements of customers and partners from Huawei’s industry chain. It is a non-commercial agreement between Huawei and universities, colleges that brings the latest professional certifications.

This partnership between Huawei, MINEDUC, MINICT and the universities of Rwanda is geared towards ICT talent development in Rwanda.

The ceremony was graced by the State Minister of Education Hon. Claudette Irere (Guest of Honor), the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and Innovation Mr. Iradukunda Yves, Economic and Commercial Counsellor, Mr. Wang Jiaxin and the Huawei Managing Director Yangshengwan.

PS of MINICT, Mr. Yves Iradukunda said that they are willing to work together with companies like Huawei that contribute towards the ICT development of the people of Rwanda. He also encouraged more institutions to join initiative like the Huawei ICT Academy that will quicken the teaching of new ICTs to the students in Rwanda.

The Hon. Claudette Irere noted a need to reform traditional teaching content in order for Rwanda to keep with the emerging cutting edge technologies in the world today such as 5G and A.I among others. She also expressed the need to have more certification programs to nurture the available ICT talent. “As new technologies such as A.I, 5G rise, there is a general need to reform existing one and focus on the new so that we keep up with the times. This starts by reforming traditional teaching content to guarantee that it relates to industry practices. To meet this need our education sector needs to work with private sector such as Huawei to train, skill and jointly develop courses needed by the industry”, She said.

“I believe those will take part will make Rwanda proud as you interact, participate and share knowledge with other students,” she said.

The State Minister called upon the students to use the seeds for the future program to create networks that will further their ambitions in life and also added that she is honored to flag off the 2021 seeds for the future program.

The Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Wang Jiaxin said that he has witnessed Huawei Rwanda’s seeds for the future program since 2018 till today and he appreciates such initiatives Huawei Rwanda is doing for the people of Rwanda. He also stated that such initiatives from Chinese companies in Rwanda till this year also mark a milestone of the 50 years relationship between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Rwanda.

Huawei aims to establish more ICT Academies in Rwanda and with universities in order to skill more ICT talents of the country and contribute to the ICT talent pool. According to the Country Director Huawei Rwanda Mr. Toni Yangshengwan, the company looks to train and certify over 1000 students through Huawei’s various programs in the next two years.

“With the Huawei ICT academy in Rwanda, we aim to connect universities with industry to gain new insight into new technology trends, to open our doors for universities and students to access latest technologies and Huawei online learning resources and enhance student career competitiveness and employment rate among others. We shall train and certify more than 1000 Rwanda students and professionals in the coming years with our recognized ICT professional courses. So we request all universities in Rwanda to open doors for us,” he said.

The Huawei certification courses at associate, professional and expert level include; 5G, A.I, cloud, Wlan, Datacom and IOT among others.

The Seeds for the future program in Rwanda started in 2018 and over 15 Rwandan students have gone to Chine up to 2019. Since 2020, the program was moved online and since then the number of students tripled. This year’s online training program has attracted 30 students from majorly University of Rwanda, Rwanda Polytechnic and also a selection of students through MINICT from other institutions that are not yet Huawei ICT Academies.

This eight day virtual training consists of three hour pre-recorded courses and 13 hours of live stream in technology entry level and advanced sessions such as 5G, A.I and Cloud. The seeds for the future program shall cover hot topics of the tech industry such as cyber security and also give interactive visit sessions to the Huawei’s exhibition halls etc.

Mr. Tonni Yang Shengwan further encouraged the students to attend the virtual training fully for them to be able to graduate, acquire Huawei certification, goodies and internship opportunities.

www.minict.gov.rw

Andela Announces $200M Investment Led by SoftBank

Andela, the global network for remote engineering talent, has announced $200 million in Series E financing. The financing round which was led by Softbank Vision Fund 2 now values the company at $1.5 billion.

Other participating investors include WhaleRock and existing investors including Generation Investment Management, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and Spark Capital. Lydia Jett, Founding Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers and one of the most respected consumer technology investors in the world, will join Andela’s Board of Directors.

Andela helps companies build remote engineering teams by providing them with access to the best software engineers in the world. Launched in Africa in 2014, the Andela network today represents engineers from more than 80 countries and six continents. Through Andela, thousands of engineers have been placed with leading technology companies including Github, Cloudflare and ViacomCBS.

“Andela has always been the high-quality option for those building remote engineering teams. Now that the world has come to embrace remote work, Andela has become the obvious choice for companies because we can find better talent, faster,” said Jeremy Johnson, CEO and co-founder of Andela. “If you are a talented engineer, Andela opens up a world of possibilities for you, no matter where you are based.”

With a successful placement rate of 96%, Andela has mastered the ability to evaluate the technical skills and soft skills of engineers to match them to the teams they’ll be most successful in. With the new capital, the company will invest in developing products to simplify global hiring and make engineers’ lives easier. In addition, Andela will continue to expand its talent offering beyond software development to include new verticals such as design and data after launching Salesforce development earlier this year.

“Hiring remote technical talent is one of the top challenges that companies face today. We believe Andela will become the preferred talent partner for the world’s best companies as remote and hybrid work arrangements become the norm,” said Lydia Jett, Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers. “We are delighted to support Jeremy and the Andela team in their mission to connect these companies with brilliant engineers, and in the process, unlock human potential at scale.”

A fully remote organization with more than 300 employees around the world, Andela is hiring top talent across the board, particularly in product, engineering, and growth.

andela.com

University of Rwanda and Mastercard Foundation launch $55 million partnership for African leaders

The Mastercard Foundation and University of Rwanda announced a 10-year, $55 million partnership to enable higher education access for 1,200 young Africans with a focus on women pursuing STEM, young people with disabilities, and refugee and displaced youth as part of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. Launched in 2012, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is committed to developing Africa’s next generation of transformative leaders by providing economically disadvantaged students with skills training, leadership development, counselling, mentoring, internships, and career services. The Scholars Program has committed nearly 40,000 scholarships to date.

Established in 2013, the University of Rwanda is the largest and most comprehensive higher education institution in Rwanda with a mission to produce transformative and highly enterprising leaders who contribute to building a more just and sustainable world.

“We are thrilled that the University of Rwanda has become a partner in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program,” said Reeta Roy, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation. “The mission and programs of the University are inextricably linked to the country’s national goals. That’s why this partnership is especially compelling as it will be preparing young people for careers across multiple disciplines and for real-life problem-solving,” she added.

The new partnership will build the University of Rwanda’s capacity to deliver inclusive, blended learning and contribute to a robust knowledge ecosystem that supports new and meaningful pathways to work for young people. It is aligned with the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy to enable 30 million young Africans, particularly young African women, to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.

“The University of Rwanda believes strongly in the vision of the Mastercard Foundation,” said University of Rwanda Vice Chancellor Professor Alexandre Lyambabaje. “That is why we made the decision to partner with the Foundation to scale up our efforts in training transformative leaders and highly enterprising graduates and prepare them to make meaningful change on the African continent. This program aligns with the Rwanda National Transformation Strategy and its impact will resonate at the University of Rwanda, among our stakeholders, and through the larger East African Community.”

The University of Rwanda joins a global network of 29 Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Partners committed to ensuring that all young people, no matter their starting point in life, have an equal chance to obtain quality education and pursue their aspirations.

www.mastercardfdn.org

University of Rwanda

Microsoft to partner with Kenya and African governments to transform education for Millions of students

Microsoft has committed to collaborate with the Ministry of Education in Kenya as well as governments across Africa to transform the education sector.

During an event in London by The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and hosted by hosted by the UK Government and President Kenyatta of Kenya, Microsoft acknowledged the importance of public and private partnership to enable educators and education leaders to best use technology to dramatically enhance learning and improve outcomes.

“Microsoft has formidable partnership with the Kenya’s Ministry of Education and all its stakeholders that spans over two decades,” said Angela Nganga Microsoft Education Industry Lead, MEA Emerging Markets. “We affirm our commitment to addressing the urgent challenges presented by the global pandemic but most importantly be a strategic and resourceful partner in designing scalable and sustainable solutions for the education sector.”

Since the onset of Covid, digital transformation of education to enable access to quality education has become more critical than ever. At the same time, education financing is at risk as countries have scrambled to rally public funds to support health systems and investments. To address this critical challenge, Microsoft is proud to be working together with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the largest global fund solely dedicated to transforming education in lower-income countries.

GPE recently convened governments and the private sector at the highest level online and in London, to commit to education funding of $5 billion over the next 5 years, along with commitments from GPE partner countries on domestic financing for education.

The event attended online and in person by Heads of State from countries including Ghana, Afghanistan, and Nigeria, as well as several European nations, and parts of the private sector also included a round table focusing on the growing role business partners and philanthropy play in addressing challenges related to girls’ education and data.

Led by Julia Gillard, former Australian Prime Minister and Helen Grant, UK’s Special Envoy for Girls’ Ed, this discussion included Microsoft’s Steve Beswick, Education Director for Europe, Middle East & Africa. Heads of State from several countries were in attendance for the meeting in addition to Kenya, including Ghana, Afghanistan, and Nigeria along with serval European leaders.

‘Microsoft is proud to be working with Global Partnership for Education for this new phase of education transformation. We are excited to engage in the Education Data Leadership program (EDLP), an important initiative to enable education systems to gather more accurate education data, analyze it and make use of it in effective decision-making. It will capitalize on the existing investment we are making in countries supported by GPE.” said Beswick.

“Microsoft is one of our highly valued allies in the drive to address partner countries’ needs for strong, clear and actionable education data. Colleagues from Microsoft contributed their expertise to the Education Data Solutions Roundtable, including in developing guidelines for strengthening education management information systems. Now this business partner is similarly providing in-kind its technical know-how to the new Education Data Leadership Program – which will boost the data skills/capabilities of education ministries. Those skills can be game-changing, and we’re delighted to have this strong working partnership with Microsoft to help advance education system transformation.” Noted Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer of GPE.

The EDLP aims to support partner countries to strengthen data competency and enhance its education data management systems. Collaborating with business and country partners, the EDLP will provide the Data Boot Camp to the Ministry of Education data teams—professional development sessions that will elevate skills and produce data leaders. The Bootcamps aim to develop a generation of high-performing education data scientists in GPE partner countries. For the EDLP, the initial key countries identified are Kenya, Uganda, Tajikistan, Nepal, and DRC.

Through Microsoft Office 365 A1 for Education, offered for free to education systems, Microsoft is already supporting GPE beneficiary countries by providing Microsoft Office 365 A1 for Education at no cost to education systems, with an estimated value of several million dollars per year. The EDLP will enable Ministries of Education to leverage data available to them in Office 365 to gain insight into teaching, learning and administration taking place in schools using the platform.

Microsoft will also bring together training and support based around Microsoft’s platform for digital skills training, Microsoft Learn as well as Open Edu Analytics a fully open-sourced data integration and analytics architecture and reference implementation for the education sector.

www.microsoft.com

Devotra offers Smart Classrooms for Technical Vocational Education and Training in Rwanda

The Smart Classroom Concept was originally designed in 2010 as part of the Kenya-The Netherlands TVET Project: “Rehabilitation and Upgrading of KTTC and 9 Regional Centers of Excellence (phase 1)”. In 2015 the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (Directorate Technical Education) has reviewed the concept together with Devotra and the Smart Classroom was fully updated based on the latest concepts and technologies available.

The Smart Classroom will provide Rwandan TVET students with world-class learning facilities without any equivalents in the world. The Smart Classroom introduces a unique TVET teaching and learning concept, combining state-of-the-art technologies, software, simulations, experiments and hands-on practical education, making the 10 Centres of Excellence future proof for Rwandan students.

The Smart Classroom acts as an incubator area for ideas based on industry and labour market requirements. It will change students and teachers mind-sets and will bring innovation, spur creative and catalytic thinking, triggers students’ exploration skills, enhance problem solving based learning, and provide the opportunity to teach and learn design, programming and production skills.

The Smart Classroom improves the traditional TVET teaching at the 10 Technical Training Institutes that are working with it now, through further introduction of student-centred learning, interdisciplinary work, Competence Based Education and Training (CBET).

www.smartclassroom.nl