Throughout Samsung’s history, we have made it our mission to devote our talent and technology in creating innovative products and services that contribute to the betterment of global society. As a global leader in technology, we also have a responsibility to leverage our innovations, skill and knowledge to bridge the widening digital divide and give more youths the opportunity to reap the benefits of digitalization.

Within the Southeast Asia and Oceania (SEAO) region, we are seeing rapid growth in the digital economy. This is fueled by factors such as increasing mobile penetration and social media usage, a booming e-commerce market, strong government push towards digitalization, and importantly, a population of young digital natives.

Youths are the future drivers for the region, both as consumers and innovators. As we celebrate Samsung Electronics’ 54^th anniversary globally on November 1^st, we remain committed to empowering our youth to meet the demands of the ever-evolving world, while at the same time, uplifting communities across the SEAO region.

Global programs with local impact

In the spirit of co-prosperity, we are committed to doing our part as a socially and environmentally responsible corporate citizen in the communities that we are in, and as champions of innovation, we continually push ourselves to do better in inspiring the next generation through technology. This year, we are excited to see Solve for Tomorrow (SFT), our global flagship STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) -based student competition, expand to more markets in SEAO, including Indonesia and the Philippines. SFT is also making headway in the Pacific Islands, with Samoa and Tonga kick-starting local editions for the very first time in August this year.

More than 500 students in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, participated in a SFT workshop in June 2023.

The 2023 edition of SFT is still ongoing in several SEAO markets, but we are already seeing massive momentum in the region, with projects covering creative solutions to address real-life challenges in a variety of themes including environment and sustainability, learning and education, wellness, and healthcare, and more. Beyond the technical competition element, our young participants also receive training in soft skills required for the future workforce, including the 4Cs of 21^st Century Skills – Communication, Collaboration, Critical thinking, and Creativity.

We estimate that over 110,000 students and over 1,000 schools are benefiting from this program so far this year, through the competition, online and offline workshops, and other SFT-related activities.

Recently, Samsung New Zealand announced its SFT 2023 winners. I am especially heartened by the winning submissions that are the embodiment of why we continue to dedicate our efforts for communities through this program. For example, 12-year old Thomas Costar’s hydro turbine mechanism that helps to generate electricity through household drainage systems – the scientific approach that he took is a great example of perseverance and design thinking.

For the 2021 edition of Solve for Tomorrow in Australia, students were encouraged to create fun videos that presented social issues of personal relevance while highlighting STEM-based solutions. Tasmania-based Meg Phillips emerged as the overall winner, driven by her passion for animal conservation, with an RFID-based system to warn animals of approaching cars, with the aim of reducing wildlife casualties, as well as to keep drivers safe.

Samsung Innovation Campus participants in Cambodia working diligently under the guidance of mentors

Beyond encouraging innovative thinking with SFT, we also want to empower the next generation with practical skills needed for success in an increasingly digital world. This is where Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) comes into play. Through SIC, we want to help youth develop real-world skills in the areas of AI, IoT, big data, and coding through formalized training programs, alongside other activities like Innovation Hackathons and IoT Bootcamps.

Since first launching in Indonesia and Vietnam in 2019, we continue to ramp up our work in SEAO. This year, we are excited to add Cambodia and Laos to the program roster. To date, we estimate that over 8,000 students are participating in the program from 135 schools across Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, along with significant interest from a number of national universities too. We are encouraged by the incredibly positive feedback received from students on how the SIC program has helped change their perspectives towards data science, as well as helping them better navigate their education journey.

We are immensely appreciative and humbled by all the cooperation, support, and the sharing of information and learnings from the various governmental agencies and educational organizations who have graciously partnered with us on this journey. These partnerships ensure that the local editions are tailored for the unique education needs of each community, enhancing the learning experience for students, and amplify the program’s impact across the region by increasing awareness of it and supporting its rollout in the markets.

There is no doubt that having passion for education played a significant role in the remarkable success that we have achieved in the spirit of co-creation with initiatives like SFT and SIC.

As an added plus, the activation of programs like SFT and SIC created more opportunities for Samsung to further contribute to local communities and education. For example, this year in Indonesia, we signed two agreements, one is with the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Republic Indonesia to roll out the ‘Samsung Digital for Indonesia’ program in support of the local smart madrasah program, and the other one with the Institute of Technology Bandung for developing digital technology on sustainable environmental conservation.

Looking to the next 54 years and beyond

At Samsung, we passionately believe that doing good is in fact, good business. We are committed to ongoing community engagements and impactful contributions, to continue growing with the SEAO region. At the same time, we look forward to working together with future generations of innovators, encouraging them to be bold and push the boundaries of innovation to shape a brighter future – not just for the next 54 years, but for generations to come.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. announced that three new Young Leaders had joined Generation17, an initiative in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support young changemakers working to achieve the 17 Global Goals.^[1] The addition of these three Young Leaders will help educate people about critical global challenges and the solutions needed to deliver a more prosperous future by 2030.

For the first time, Samsung and UNDP conducted an open call that rallied thousands of passionate young people from all over the world to apply to join Generation17. This new group of Generation17 Young Leaders, chosen from a competitive pool of candidates, will add new perspectives to the initiative, and their projects will bring forth new solutions in education, skills and training and health equity.

Mock Yi Jun is one of the newly appointed Young Leaders. Hailing from Singapore, Yi Jun is the co-founder of Advisory Singapore, an online portal dedicated to empowering young people from all walks of life to make informed education and career choices. He is passionate about providing quality education to youth to help them succeed in tomorrow’s economy.

The two other changemakers, Zubair Junjunia from the United Kingdom and Efe Johnson from Nigeria, have also been selected as Young Leaders. Zubair is the founder of ZNotes and Efe is a gender equality activist and founder of Xari Africa.

“I am truly excited about the selection of the three Young Leaders, especially Singapore’s representative Mock Yi Jun. We strongly believe that Yi Jun’s unwavering commitment and expertise will not only inspire the younger generation but also ignite their potential to drive impactful change. At Samsung, our commitment to nurturing and empowering youth runs deep, and we are always looking for opportunities to equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to forge a brighter future,” stated Dennis Jang, President of Samsung Electronics Singapore.

“At Advisory Singapore, we believe that every young person, regardless of their family background or schooling history, deserves the opportunity to pursue their aspirations. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of an initiative like Generation17, which is an incredible platform for my team and I to empower individuals, particularly Singaporean youth, to take control of their education and career journeys. My goal is to inspire and support young people, helping them to pursue their aspirations and find meaningful work,” said Mock Yi Jun.

One of the initiatives that Yi Jun will be actively involved in is the Solve for Tomorrow 2023 competition. Aligned with his passion to deliver quality educational and career guidance to youth, the competition aims to give secondary school students the platform and experience needed to unlock their technological potential and help explore their passions. The experience will not only give them the opportunity to cultivate their problem-solving and critical thinking skills, but also help them grow and thrive as global citizens.

Amplifying Youth Leadership on a Global Platform

Samsung and UNDP launched Generation17 in October 2020, with the goal of magnifying the voices of young people accelerating progress for the Global Goals. Since the program’s launch, Samsung and UNDP have gathered 17 Young Leaders across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North America who work on issues that touch all 17 of the Global Goals.

Together, Samsung and UNDP provide the Young Leaders with mentorship and the latest Galaxy technology needed to help progress their work. The Young Leaders also have the opportunity to participate in agenda-setting events to help elevate their platforms and connect with global decision-makers. Generation17 Young Leaders have participated in various events over the years, including Samsung’s Unpacked, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, UN ECOSOC Youth Forum, Stockholm +50 and the United Nations General Assembly.

Generation17 is grounded in Samsung and UNDP’s commitment to leveraging technology as a force for good. The two organisations first partnered in 2019 to create the Samsung Global Goals app, an education and donation-based mobile app that educates people about the Global Goals and encourages them to take action just by using their Galaxy devices. Since its launch, the app has been installed on nearly 300 million Galaxy devices worldwide, including smartphones, tablets and smartwatches.

^{[1] The 17 Global Goals, known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 and provide a blueprint to end poverty, protect the environment, reduce economic inequality and ensure peace and justice for all.}