Hrvatski Telekom dd : presented the best Generation Next projects that prepare young people for jobs of the future

15.6.2018

• With the Generation Next donation project Hrvatski Telekom encourages the development of STEM skills for young people, preparing them for jobs of the future
• In the Generation Next donation contest season 2017/2018 more than 100 schools and associations participated, around 800 students and 130 mentors
• The best creative project is the automated chicken coop by students of Elementary school Iver, and all the institutions participated in the creation of interactive map of meteorological indicators

The automated chicken coop, managed by mobile phone, and a large collaborative project linking over 100 schools and various associations through an interactive map and featuring meteorological indicators across the country in real time, were selected as the best projects of the 2017/2018 Generation Next contest.

On the last day of the school year, project authors and mentors presented in Hrvatski Telekom the best projects they developed all year round. Automated chicken coop was created by students of Elementary school Iver from Sesvete, guided by the mentor Romano Rupčić, while the collaborative project was presented by Nenad Bakić, co-founder of the Institute for Development and Innovation of Youth (IRIM), as a partner of this donation contest.

This year as well, through the Generation Next donation contest Hrvatski Telekom supported with HRK 700,000 the development of the best projects based on advanced internet of things (IoT), applied by elementary and secondary schools and various youth education organizations throughout Croatia. In the Generation Next donation contest season 2017/2018 this year more than 100 schools and associations participated, around 800 students and 130 mentors.

HT as the leader of digitization in Croatia is constantly investing in the development of digital infrastructure and technology, where young creators as leaders of Generation Next will develop new solutions for the future. HT continuously moves the boundaries that enable digital infrastructure in Croatia. It is among the first operators in Europe to commercially introduce a 1Gbit/s symmetric internet speed, and in late April launched the first commercial NB-IoT network, i.e. a network specializing in internet of things. The full potential of these investments will be realized by the arrival of 5G technology.

'We are living in the fourth industrial revolution and there is a new wave of technological change ahead of us. The faster we adjust, the more successful as society we will be. That is why in the last two years through the donation contest as well as with various other activities we are strongly investing in the STEM education of the new generation - Generation Next. They are the future leaders who will learn, create and work on these technologies. They are our most important resource for future business, new jobs and the development of the entire society', said Boris Drilo, MB Member and CTIO of HT.

Hrvatski Telekom has been conducting the donation contest continuously since 2004 and in that period supported the realization of more than 300 projects with more than 10 million kuna. In the last two years, the Generation Next donation contest has been directed to STEM skills. More than 160 schools were equipped with advanced equipment for IoT based projects, and more than 2000 children participated in the projects with more than 130 mentors trained. Also, a one of a kind astrobiology lab in Višnjan was equipped. More than 700 children a year go through it and there have been more than 300 mentors educated.

'I'm glad that HT has recognized the project we have designed and supported it by a valuable donation, which we have upgraded with our own resources. We are focused on the Internet of Things technology because it enables students to develop projects that are close to useful applications, or - like this project - already are, and with these projects they get closer to innovation, entrepreneurship and the labor market. That is why we have included secondary schools in this project.' said Nenad Bakić, co-founder of the Institute for Development and Innovation of Youth - IRIM.

Hrvatski Telekom's Generation Next donation contest for season 2018/2019 is underway, and applications for all elementary and secondary schools and various associations that promote the development of STEM skills are open until July 1 (until midnight). As in the previous years, Hrvatski Telekom awards a total of HRK 700,000 in two categories - the category of digital innovations based on IoT and the category of research scientific projects.

AWARDED PROJECTS IN SHORT

Automated eco-friendly chicken breeding based on IoT technology

IoT chicken coop is managed by an application on a smart mobile phone, and serves automated eco-friendly breeding of chickens in and outside the building in the enclosed space. The automatic chicken coop automatically controls and manages humidity, temperature, lighting, and power, thereby saving electricity and water and preserving the environment.

Educational Collaborative Project 'Measurement of atmospheric variables'

The project has combined over 100 elementary and secondary schools and associations across Croatia, and each institution involved has created a small station for measuring atmospheric variables - temperature, humidity, pressure, UV index, amount of light, and amount of micro particles in the air to show air pollution. All this information is presented in real time on the interactive map of Croatia. The project demonstrates the true strength and acquired knowledge of the use of IoT technology in elementary and secondary schools.