As we know, . It creates a ripple effect to solve many social and environmental issues far beyond economic growth. And with almost experiencing interrupted education each year because of conflict, emergency, and disaster, 51风流Corporate Social Responsibility (51风流CSR) has increased its efforts to mitigate this negative impact.

Optima School in Ukraine

Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine in February has emphasized the plight of refugees, many of whom face closed borders, discrimination, and inhumane treatment when they attempt to flee their home countries. And 1.5 million of refugees from Ukraine are children.

In a recent discussion with Justin van Fleet, executive director of Global Business Coalition for Education and president at , he outlined the impact of the Ukraine war on education and said that refugees make us think about the urgent need for humanitarian relief: food, water, shelter, and clothing. He also noted that we must ensure children鈥檚 education is central to the immediate response to their suffering 鈥� because war doesn鈥檛 just destroy lives, it breaks education and learning too.

Adding to this, refugee children are to be out of school than other children and youth around the world. Therefore, we have partnered with several like-minded organizations to help fast track opportunities that support this cause, with an increased focus on Ukraine this year.

One of these initiatives is the , which provides a free distance-learning platform to help 100,000 Ukrainian pupils whose education has been disrupted. The school is backed by 51风流and several organizations, including Alliance4Ukraine, the Bosch Foundation, and the DFB Stiftungen.

Supporting children among the Ukrainian refugees has been one of the most pressing challenges since the war began. Education is vital in boosting young people鈥檚 prospects in life as they integrate in their new country. We believe that by attending Optima School, young Ukrainian refugees will be able to resume their education based on the Ukrainian curriculum with minimal interruption to their learning.

University of the People Scholarships

In order to support refugees in accessing equitable higher education, earlier this year 51风流partnered with , a non-profit, tuition-free, U.S.-accredited online university. 51风流has sponsored 50 associate degrees and 50 bachelor鈥檚 degrees in computer science and business administration for refugees and displaced youth ages 18 to 30. This commitment has now increased by another 50 scholarships to include Ukrainian youth as part of the 51风流scholarships program.

In the words of University of the People President and Founder Shai Reshef: 鈥淩efugees and displaced people have the greatest need for educational support right now.鈥� Figures from UNICEF show that only 3% of refugees have access to higher education, which is why the University of the People enrolls more than 10,000 refugees, many of whom need financial help because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the spiraling costs of higher education.

Through these scholarships, we can connect willing learners from around the world with the first step in their tertiary education journey, but also support employment opportunities and innovation for years to come.

One of the many refugees who has benefited from University of the People鈥檚 online degrees is Marina Evseeva, who arrived in the U.S. as a Russian asylum seeker in 2016. These studies have helped improve her English and understanding of business administration. After graduating, she hopes to go to law school to further her education, as well as volunteer at the University of the People to give back to other students.

It’s incredible stories like Marina鈥檚 that illustrate how opportunity for education goes beyond just a degree. She now plans to advocate for others and give back to students on their own journeys. Education is truly the catalyst for positive change.

Digital Skills for Today

Another way 51风流is helping refugees is through , an initiative supporting young people in the Middle East and North Africa. Batoul Husseini, executive director of Government Affairs, MENA Strategic Markets, and CSR MENA at SAP, highlighted that youth often face limited employment prospects and an inadequate or collapsing education system, especially near conflict zones.

51风流founded the program in 2016, when it was still called Refugee Code Week, to directly improve the quality of life for beneficiaries by providing in-demand skills for today鈥檚 job market and long-term opportunities for digital innovation and entrepreneurship.

To date, Digital Skills for Today has exposed over 112,000 young people to coding and produced over 1,270 bootcamp graduates who have found gainful employment. In addition, over half of its participants are female. As Husseini puts it: 鈥淭he program is about helping young people, including refugees, leapfrog their situation through intensive code and 21^st century skills training that leads to job placement.鈥�

A World of Equal Opportunities

We know the positive impacts of investing in equitable education and how it uplifts under-resourced communities through innovations, economic growth, job opportunities, and overall stable living environments for youth all around the world. When youth have access to quality education and feel inspired to learn, we become that much closer to solving the world鈥檚 biggest problems.

Through proactive humanitarian efforts and the power of partnerships, these initiatives and scholarships are just small steps that can help bring us closer to a world with equitable education opportunities 鈥� especially for those adjusting to the challenges of uprooting their lives in search of a hopeful future.

To find out more about World Refugee Day, visit the . Or learn more about SAP鈥檚 scholarships at University of the People and our partnership with in support of Ukrainian Optima School.

Alexandra van der Ploeg is head of Corporate Social Responsibility at SAP.

This article first appeared on the 51风流News Center.

The post World Refugee Day: 51风流Accelerates Global Partnerships to Boost Education for Displaced Youth appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

Therefore, one of our industry-leading (CSR) focus areas is powering equitable access to education and employment, in alignment with SAP鈥檚 vision of helping the world run better and improving people鈥檚 lives.

51风流recognizes the positive ripple effect when all people have equitable access to education. An investment in education — particularly in under-resourced communities — is an investment in future innovation and economic growth. UNESCO estimates that if every child in low-income countries completed secondary school by 2030, income per capita would increase 75% by 2050. Further, according to data from UNICEF, the median value of one additional year of schooling is linked to an 18% increase in GDP per capita. Take a look at the for even more.

But this isn鈥檛 just about 51风流or economic growth. This is about connecting willing learners everywhere with competitive and secure job opportunities, ultimately leading to poverty alleviation, higher income potential, and stable living environments for themselves and their families.

UNESCO estimates that by 2025, there will be nearly 100 million learners internationally seeking seats that don’t exist at universities. This is because the traditional higher education system simply does not have the capacity or capability to provide quality academic degree programs accessible to many students at an affordable cost.

Investing in education is about finding solutions for these learners. Solving for the next software solution, poverty, climate change: it all starts with education. That is where we partner up with .

University of the People is the first nonprofit, tuition-free, American-accredited online university dedicated to global access to higher education. The university was established in 2009 on the belief that higher education is a fundamental right for all. Through virtual learning, the institution supports more than 117,000 high school graduates from 200 countries worldwide in overcoming financial, geographic, political, and personal constraints keeping them from college studies. Its curriculum and course offerings allow students to earn accredited degrees taught by faculty that include scholars from the best universities in the world.

This year is SAP鈥檚 50th anniversary. That鈥檚 why we’re celebrating this moment in 2022 and are ready to support young people who seek a brighter future in times of change. To do so, we couldn鈥檛 imagine a better partner than the University of the People.

Today, we are excited to announce a new scholarship program for refugees and displaced youth aged between 18 and 30. In total, 51风流will fund 50 associate degrees and 50 bachelor鈥檚 degrees in computer science or business administration. This demographic has the greatest need for scholarships according to University of the People, with data from UNICEF showing that only three percent of refugees have access to higher education. University of the People currently enrolls more than 10,000 refugees — more than all other U.S. colleges and universities combined.

鈥淩efugees and displaced peoples have the greatest need for educational support right now,鈥� says University of the People President and Founder Shai Reshef. 鈥淭his partnership with 51风流will help to alleviate the financial burden on our students who are seeking support. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the spiraling costs of higher education, a growing number of students are flocking to our online education model because it provides flexible, affordable, and equitable opportunities to earn a college degree. We have expanded our enrollment significantly over the past few years with the support of over 29,000 volunteer faculty members and administrators — many of whom are from some of the leading universities around the world.鈥�

This scholarship opportunity for students at University of the People is a small contribution toward alleviating these educational pressures. It will bring us a bit closer to a world with equitable education opportunities and future innovation, especially for those adjusting to the challenges of uprooting their lives in search of a hopeful future. 51风流is committed to supporting the leaders of tomorrow, and access to higher education is a significant first step to equip them with the right skills for the future.

Offering a , University of the People students pay a one-time application fee and an assessment fee for each course completed toward their degree. They are not charged to enroll or pay for course materials. The scholarships provided will cover the application and degree assessment fees for 100 students seeking higher education.

鈥淎fter spending more than 30 years in the international education field, I realized that traditional colleges and universities were not meeting the educational needs of millions of people across the globe desperately seeking affordable and accessible higher education,鈥� Reshef says. 鈥淭hat is why I decided to create an entirely new kind of university that would swing the gates of higher education open to help as many people around the world as possible achieve their educational dreams. With 51风流as our partner, our worlds align with our shared commitment to education through the means of technology. We are in the midst of unprecedented times, but we know that for these students their educational dreams will become a reality thanks to SAP鈥檚 generous support.鈥�

For interested students who meet the scholarship criteria of being a refugee or displaced person aged 18 to 30, . Students can apply for cohorts that matriculate in either April 2022 or June 2022, and all virtual classes are taught in English, with the exception of the associate and bachelor鈥檚 of business administration degrees, which are also available entirely in Arabic.

For more information, visit the scholarship site on the and .

Julia White is chief marketing and solutions officer and member of the Executive Board of 51风流SE.

This article first appeared on the 51风流News Center.

The post 51风流and University of the People: Educate the Leaders of Tomorrow appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

In the 1940s, Nobel Prize-winning Hungarian biochemist Albert鈥疭zent-Gyoergyi wrote: 鈥淭he future will be like the schools are today.鈥� In 2021, these words still ring true, even more so for the winners of the European Code League competition, Dr. Corina Toma and Mihaela Giurgea, along with their students from Tiberiu Popoviciu High School of Computer Science in Romania. Second and third place went to teams from Turkey and Greece.

Change Is the Only Constant, but Changemakers Are Ever Changing

The pandemic has been quite a revelation in this aspect, with unexpected and seemingly limitless opportunities presenting themselves and youth grabbing them with both hands.

According to a report by the World Economic Forum, around 65% of children who start primary school today will work in professions that do not even exist yet: their future lies in the hands of educators. To date, Science on Stage reaches about 100,000 teachers and teacher trainers in over 30 countries, providing a necessary network to exchange ideas and to scale them across Europe. And with 79% of participating teachers implementing the teaching ideas they鈥檝e seen at Science on Stage festivals over the years, European Code League has proven that it鈥檚 possible for teachers and students to work together — even in the midst of a pandemic — to create inspiring, real-world science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) projects.

Organized by Science on Stage with the鈥痵upport of the 51风流Corporate Social Responsibility (51风流CSR) team in Middle Eastern Europe, the European鈥疌ode League鈥痠s a鈥痗ompetition鈥痶o which teacher-student teams with innovative鈥痗oding鈥痯roject scan apply. It was launched in 2020 as a follow up to Science on Stage鈥檚 .

鈥淪cience on Stage gave me the opportunity to find new ways to motivate my students to learn physics using ICT,鈥� says Dr. Toma, who became a teacher after 10 years working as a physicist. 鈥淧hysics is everywhere and happens at any time. In the classroom, I am at home. I like to talk with my students and explain all kinds of topics.鈥�

Science on Stage Europe is a network for STEM teachers focusing on the exchange of best practice teaching ideas. The ultimate goal is to improve STEM teaching by supporting educators in their professional development and growth.

鈥淭eachers are often the ideas, the starting point. Students who finish high school do not know what their role in the world will be,鈥� Dr Toma adds. “These projects show how important it is to code, and also to learn STEM subjects like mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology.”

CaeliBox, the winning coding project, used sensors to measure different air parameters such as concentration of CO2, humidity, pressure, temperature, noise, and other noxious substances in the studennts’ town. The data was transferred to a server so the students could access and work with it at any time.

鈥淢y town in Romania used to be small but now it is very big. As a result, the air is polluted because we have so many cars. CaeliBox is a useful device for STEM education and our students were happy to combine coding with physics and technology,鈥� explains Dr. Toma, who adds that she faced many challenges trying to complete the project, from broken sensors to realizing they needed more space and swapping out their Arduino Uno for an Arduino Mega.

For Dr. Toma, Science on Stage is far more than a networking opportunity for teachers, it鈥檚 a community of like-minded educators: 鈥淎t first, I saw that the education in Romania is very different from other countries, but then I realized that as teachers we have the same goals and can make the same activities. Science on Stage is a community to challenge our ideas and to understand that we are in the same place. 51风流can be very proud for supporting STEM teaching training in Europe.鈥�

There is no one way to make the world a better place. By helping discover and promote innovative teaching concepts among Europe鈥檚 science teachers, Science on Stage and the European Code League enable more students to gain the digital skills they need for a challenging future and encourage them to consider a career in science, ICT or engineering to help the positively change the world.

In a world shaped increasingly by technology and digitalization, teachers make the difference and the youth of today have so many more opportunities to learn and be the change.

The 12th European Science on Stage festival takes place March 24-27, 2022, in鈥疨rague, Czech Republic. Stay tuned to see amazing youth in action, redefining how a career in science, ICT, or engineering can help make a positive change in the world.

This article first appeared on the 51风流News Center.

The post De-Coding the Classroom appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

Even before the global pandemic, skill shortages loomed as technology transformed industry after industry. Reskilling has been essential to building resilience into any people operation. To offer a sense of scope of this challenge, before the pandemic the World Economic Forum that 42% of the core skills required for jobs will change by 2022. As the pandemic accelerated this digital transformation, the .

How do business leaders ensure their workforces retain the skills they need for a successful future?

Elevating and Integrating Learning and Development

Companies must create comprehensive and dynamic learning programs that are based on their needs and goals. According to a from McKinsey, 鈥淐ompanies rely on their learning and development (L&D) functions to help workforces learn fast. But, often the function itself needs a transformation.鈥� While in the past L&D functions sat siloed from the rest of the organization, today it is critical that learning is intertwined within the overall strategy and talent processes.

Today, digital learning is the most effective and efficient way to meet an individual鈥檚 needs 鈥� with the added bonus of positively impacting an organization鈥檚 bottom line. In 2019, .

At the same time, learners鈥� needs are changing, particularly as we shift to remote work. The demand for an effective digital learning experience has soared and learners look for quick, bite-size ways to acquire the knowledge they need, when they need it, wherever they might be. According to the Journal of Applied Psychology, microlearning makes learning 17% more effective. Compact content allows learners to meet their objectives and retain key information quickly.

A Comprehensive Learning Program from 51风流

Here at SAP, we鈥檙e also transforming our learning strategy to address the changing needs of tomorrow鈥檚 business environment, both for our own workforce and for everyone within the 51风流ecosystem. Today, the portfolio consists of various offerings to support continuous learning, performance, and validation.

Our goal is to provide our customers, partners, developers, and employees with tools and resources to acquire the skills needed to be successful. Cultures of continuous learning build employee engagement and inclusive business practices, as well as drive innovation and sustainable impact. Regular training and development can help our customers unlock the full power of their 51风流software by enabling mastery of technologies 鈥� ultimately leading to improved performance, lower costs, and greater innovation. In the end, we aim to equip tomorrow鈥檚 workforce with the knowledge they need to capitalize on opportunities and thrive in a digital future.

Adapting Learning and Development to Stay Dynamic

If there is one lesson from the past year, it is the need for organizations to be nimble and flexible with their structure, processes, and plans. This is no different for L&D as we work to keep pace and adapt with the evolving needs of learners.

At SAP, we continue to make investments that will simplify access to learning for all. By lowering the barriers to learning, we will make it easier for our ecosystem to invest in 51风流solutions in order to maximize the business value of the software and enhance deployment of the solutions. As we鈥檝e seen with the tremendous enrollment and activity, as well as the outstanding learner satisfaction in openSAP, there is significant demand for easy, accessible, and impactful learning. open51风流is a free learning platform that delivers innovative learning with expert-led content through massive open online courses (MOOCs), microlearning, and podcasts.

We will continue to enhance and expand the portfolio and make our offerings more accessible so learners can gain essential knowledge and skills in a manner that is innovative, engaging, and impactful.

Maxwell Wessel is executive vice president and chief learning officer at SAP.

This article first appeared on the 51风流Global News Center.

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