- Two-year partnership delivers successful outcomes
- STEM education for children and young people at some 2,900 schools
- Over 10,000 teachers trained
Munich. On World Education Day, BMW Group and UNICEF announce the successful achievements of their global partnership. In just two years, “BRIDGE. Educating young people for tomorrow, today” has reached around 330,000 children and young people at about 2,900 schools in India, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa – all countries where BMW operates production facilities. More than 10,000 teachers have received specialised STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) training.
Educational initiative reaches beyond the classroom
BRIDGE’s educational programmes are country-specific and specially tailored to each region. Today, some 2.7 million children and young people are already benefiting indirectly from the high-quality learning opportunities it provides and from structural improvements to their education systems. The impact of BRIDGE goes far beyond the classroom, extending to families, local communities and entire regions.
Joining forces for a future of self-determination
“Our partnership with UNICEF is impressive evidence of what can happen when two strong partners get together. In an ever more complex world, no one can drive change alone: the only way to create real impact is together. Our collaboration gives children and young people across the globe a genuine chance for education – and with it, the opportunity for a better future. By focusing on STEM subjects, we are specifically fostering essential skills for tomorrow – and building bridges to self-determined development,” says Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, HR and Real Estate, Labour Director.
Enduring collaborations strengthen social participation.
UNICEF also underscores the power of collaboration: “Young people are the most powerful drivers of success in any society or community. By empowering them, we are making a long-term investment in a sustainable future for all. Our partnership with the BMW Group demonstrates how effective long-term collaborations between UNICEF and businesses can create smoother pathways to employment for young people worldwide, enabling them to participate fully in social and economic life,” says Georg Graf Waldersee, Chairman of the Board of UNICEF Germany.
Bridging gaps in education – Empowering the specialists of tomorrow
STEM expertise is the foundation of technological innovation, economic growth and social progress. Yet in many countries, access to the necessary education remains limited – widening gaps in skills and specialisations. BRIDGE addresses this issue early on by closing educational gaps and equipping children and young people with the knowledge they need to enter the digital working world of tomorrow.
Regional education programmes support disadvantaged children
Developed in close collaboration with the educational authorities of the five countries involved, programme content is tailored to national and regional needs, with specific focus areas for each setting. A key emphasis is placed on supporting disadvantaged children and young people – particularly girls.
In Mexico the focus is on promoting gender-responsive STEM education, with a particular focus on empowering girls in rural and disadvantaged communities.
In Brazil STEM education is combined with life project counselling to help prevent children and young people from dropping out of school and provide online learning options for easier access to education.
In Thailand the programme works to improve the quality of STEM education and creating individualized support opportunities for disadvantaged youth. This includes STEM teacher training, extracurricular activities, STEM skills camps, science fairs, and youth guidance and counseling. The program also reaches vulnerable youth groups and NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) to provide them with opportunities to develop essential skills.
In India efforts centre on strengthening basic literacy and numeracy and expanding practice-oriented STEM courses and Maker Spaces.
In South Africa BRIDGE equips disadvantaged schools with technologies and integrates coding and robotics into the curriculum to help prepare children and young people for the digital world of work.
Clear goals, lasting impact
The BMW Group is committed to long-term, impact-focused partnerships with clearly defined goals. From the outset, BRIDGE was designed to span at least seven years, running until 2030. Together with UNICEF, the BMW Group aims to build on the success achieved so far and create lasting educational opportunities for children and young people worldwide.
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