Technology Partnerships Which Inspire the Next Generation of Innovators

Corporate Citizenship in Europe

Samsung Electronics believes that technology has great potential to make lives better. Through strengths in innovation and technology, Samsung will play their part in solving some of the global challenges and to contributing to a better society.

This is why Samsung has established 1,300 Smart Classrooms, 65 Digital Academies, as well as numerous other partnership programmes across Europe. These programmes are about more than just providing physical hardware. Teachers are trained and connected to a community which inspires curriculum enrichment. Students are empowered to learn important digital skills through coding, website and app development and enhance their learning through technology.

Samsung believes in creating the classrooms of tomorrow. In Europe there is a growing digital skills gap so all Samsung citizenship programmes aim to inspire the next generation of innovators and teach them 21st century skills. This will prepare students for the jobs of the future.

Digital skills for all ages

The programmes are also designed to activate digital learning at all ages.

Samsung Smart Classrooms teach the fundamentals of digital skills during the core developmental years, 6-16 years old; whilst Samsung Digital Academies are aimed at young people aged 16-24 who need digital skills to boost their employability.

Evelyn Nicola (Sustainability & Citizenship Manager, Samsung Europe) speaking at the IFA 2016 press conference about Citizenship programmes in Europe.

One example of a Digital Academy is the Samsung Campus in Paris. France’s top IT school EPITECH and non-profit ZUP CO offer intensive training for young people not currently in education. The programme inspires young people to re-join the job market with new skills.

Christophe, 26, is about to complete his training at the Samsung Campus in fall;

“The training at Samsung Campus has allowed me to develop sought-after digital skills and I have now secured a permanent contract for after I complete my training. I can enter the job market with confidence!”

In addition to Smart Classrooms and Tech Institutes, Samsung has worked tirelessly to develop partnerships with some of the world’s leading organisations to reach more people together.

In the United Kingdom, Samsung has been working with the British Museum since 2009; sponsoring an engaging and innovative digital learning programme and education space. The Museum’s Samsung Digital Discovery Centre (SDDC) offers free digital sessions for schools, families and teens.  Since opening the SDDC has welcomed over 80,000 visitors and technology is one of the top reasons teachers choose to book a session. Students are able to discover the Museum’s unparalleled collection in creative and educational ways, using Samsung’s latest technology. Visitors have even been taken back to the Bronze Age to see objects in their original settings, using Samsung Gear VR headsets. The use of virtual reality technology has proved to very popular with the Museum’s visitors, with one participant remarking:

“It made me feel as if I was actually there and gave me a sense of how things actually were in the Bronze Age”

New MakerBot Partnership

At IFA 2016, Samsung Electronics Europe announced its latest partnership with MakerBot EMEA, a global leader in 3D printing technology.

Andreas Langfeld (General Manager of MakerBot EMEA) speaking at the IFA 2016 press conference about the Samsung and MakerBot partnership.

The programme will launch its first phase in schools, colleges and museums within five key European markets: Germany, Italy, Spain, UK & Sweden. 3D printers and a full set of solutions will be allocated within the already established network of Samsung programmes.

This partnership aims to inspire creativity by combining design and coding classes with 3D printing so students can experience the full design cycle as a way to develop ideas and innovate. This will equip the next generation of architects, engineers, product designers and innovators are needed to keep up with the fast pace of technological advancement.

The future of Citizenship

The Samsung Electronics Corporate Citizenship team will continue to partner with like-minded companies that share the same ambitions in digital education and bring something unique to our network. Next steps will be to develop a network of excellence centres who can share their content. Samsung wants young people to tell their stories, and inspire others across Europe.

In the words of Evelyn Nicola, Samsung Europe’s Sustainability & Citizenship Manager;

“Along with MakerBot, we call on other brands at IFA to join us, as we prepare the young people of today for the jobs of the future”