O FIRST Global ‘Higher Education Network’

INSPIRE, MOTIVATE, AND EMPOWER FUTURE LEADERS THROUGH STEM EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES.

Among several programs designed to engage a variety of individuals and institutions in support of the FIRST Global mission, the FIRST Global Higher Education Network (the Network) presents a unique opportunity to leading national and international colleges and universities. The Network is a connected and collaborative global community of leaders in post-secondary STEM learning, teaching and career preparation. Active engagement with the Network will partner you with your national FIRST Global Challenge team, as well as with the worldwide FIRST Global community of young people, mentors, volunteers, and an advocacy community of business and government leaders from 190 countries around the world.

 

We invite you to get involved with the Network. The gift of your participation will empower thousands of young people with the inspiration, motivation, access, and educational opportunities they need to become our future leaders, innovators, and changemakers. Your participation is not a “one-way street”; you will get back so much more than you give. Your institution will be sharing the spotlight, as well as best STEM thinking, practices and programs, with known academic leaders worldwide – together uniting the world through collective influence and actions. Join now!

A FEW WAYS TO PARTICIPATE

PROVIDE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO TEAMS ENGAGED IN THE FIRST GLOBAL CHALLENGE.

      1. Let FIRST Global staff help you get to know your national team. More information on national teams can be found here.
      2. Contribute proven learning modules, technical training videos, or “meet the expert” webinar content on robotics, leadership or team building.
      3. Arrange visits or donate work space in your design, science or tech labs. Together with your national team you can learn a lot from what you have, as well as create new materials to share with FIRST Global teams around the world!

 

COMMUNICATE WITH THE FIRST GLOBAL STUDENT COMMUNITY WITHIN YOUR NATION AND AROUND THE WORLD.

      1. Connect with FIRST Global students and alums anywhere in the world, where they already are – on the dynamic FIRST Global web and social media platforms! Post news of interest to these high-achieving STEM learners. You know these are the kind of young people you and your institution want to know.
      2. Share information about opportunities for student engagement in your own academic community, including relevant academic scholarships, your student recruitment and admission processes, and non-traditional programs such as summer camps and technology clubs.
      3. Introduce students to opportunities offered by your institution or through connections with your own network of academic, business and government advocates and supporters – such as campus visits, internships and apprenticeships, summer job or work-study opportunities.

 

MAGNIFY YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE NETWORK THROUGH USE OF THE FIRST GLOBAL HIGHER EDUCATION NETWORK WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.

      1. Dialogue with other like-minded leading academics and institutions around the world on the Network forum – a platform for discussion and collaboration on a regional or global scale. These are the leaders in STEM you might never otherwise get to know! And this is all in effort to raise the global STEM learning game and advance FIRST Global’s mission. The Forum will be up and running early summer 2021.
      2. Work with the FIRST Global staff team to develop webinars, links with your website and communication vehicles, and design of outreach efforts directed to the FIRST Global community.

 

ENRICH AND EXTEND YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE NETWORK THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN OTHER FIRST GLOBAL PROGRAMS, PROJECTS AND EVENTS.

      1. Qualified individual students or faculty from your institution can join the FIRST Global STEM Corps to assist a national team with specific aspects of the FIRST Challenge competition. For more information, please see the Global STEM Corps page.
      2. Join FIRST Global advisors or partners developing innovative programs, relevant resources in multiple languages, sponsorship opportunities, and advocacy networks.
      3. Join the FIRST Global worldwide community of volunteers – education, business, government, and non-profit professionals from Switzerland to the South Pacific, from Bhutan to Brazil and dozens of countries in between. These peers of yours are passionate about improving our society and planet; about encouraging and preparing young people to meet the future with hope and knowledge; and about remembering again “why” they became involved with and remain active in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics PLUS the Arts in all forms! Volunteer to judge; use your social media to promote the amazing positive impacts of FIRST Global; participate in the online speaker series with an audience from around the world.
      4. Give FIRST Global the benefit of your best thinking, volunteer time of your great institution, tips for best practice developed by your Corporate Social Responsibility team, and the contribution of employee matching funds through your giving program.

You and your post-secondary education team will love both the “give back” and the “pay it forward” satisfaction that comes from participating in the Network. Our world needs the tested talent, innovative thinking, and passionate commitment to a healthy, working and sustainable society and planet you can instill in the FIRST Global student community. There are thousands of young people from 190 nations ready and eager to meet you, and engage with you.

 

There’s so much you can do to help. Join the Network now! To do so, please fill out this short form and someone will get back to you soon.

Perguntas Frequentes

What is FIRST Global?

FIRST Global is a nonprofit organization that promotes science, technology, engineering, and math education and career development by involving students from around the world in a robotics competition modeled after the Olympic Games. One team from each nation is invited to participate in the FIRST Global Competition where they design, construct, and program a robot for a sports-like competition using a standard kit of components. The teams of high school youth, mentored by adults, design and build their robots between March and the summer, convening for the competition.

Why is FIRST Global important?

The world faces many challenges that can only be solved through the applications of science and technology. Science and technology do not have national borders. FIRST Global is an important program to empower youth with knowledge and help them understand that cooperation and collaboration can solve the world’s grand challenges and improve the future.

What is the role of the FIRST Global Higher Education Network?

O FIRST Global Higher Education Network is an affiliation of institutions of higher education that support their nation’s FIRST Global team. FIRST Global Higher Education Network institutions primarily provide technical mentorship to their national team in the areas of robot design, mechanical and electrical systems integration, and programming.

What responsibilities would my University have as a member of the FIRST Global Higher Education Network?

Each participating institution in the FIRST Global Higher Education Network can develop a level of support that best serves  the institution and their national team. While some institutions may host the national team on their campus and provide technical mentors, other institutions may simply elect to periodically send mentors to the local team’s off-campus work site. The level of involvement is a decision made by each institution.

What are the benefits to my institution of joining the FIRST Global Higher Education Network?

FIRST Global Higher Education Network institutions are important collaborators in a new global movement to inspire and unite students and prepare them for their futures. The inaugural FIRST Global Competition was held in 2017 and attracted 157 nations. Participating institutions are united in their focus to bring together individuals and organizations who can then solve the world’s most pressing technology problems. In addition to the prestige associated with this endeavor, FIRST Global Higher Education Network participants have an opportunity to use this program to attract their nation’s top students to their institution.

What resources are available to help FIRST Global Higher Education Network institutions succeed?

A kit of components is provided to the national team. On-line text and video resources on robot design, fabrication, and programming are provided to FIRST Global Higher Education Network institutions. In addition, technical assistance on robot design, fabrication, and programming is provided to FIRST Global Higher Education Network institutions from experienced volunteers. This assistance is commonly provided using internet-based technologies, including email and live-streaming services.

Should we appoint a faculty member as a leader of such an activity, or should this activity be organized only by students?

It is advised that a faculty member lead an institution’s involvement in the FIRST Global Higher Education Network, supported by student mentors who could work with the national team members.

How do we register as a member of the FIRST Global Higher Education Network?

The institutional lead can fill out the form at the top of this page and we will be in touch.

Should the university commit to any financial expenses if we join the FIRST Global Higher Education Network?

It is not expected that the FIRST Global Higher Education Network participants provide financial support to their national FIRST Global team.

Who covers the expenses of the high school students who participate in the FIRST Global Competition?

The cost for participating in the FIRST Global Competition is the responsibility of each nation. Most participating teams receive funding from a combination of government, industry, philanthropic and personal support.

Can you provide information regarding the national teams in FIRST Global?

A list of participants is available at https://first.global/fgc/attending/.

If we agree in principle to participate, when is the starting date?

FIRST Global Higher Education Network institutions can immediately begin to become familiar with the FIRST Global Competition and robot resources. Each institution will be introduced to your national FIRST Global team as soon as they are identified, thereby allowing local connections to follow. For the 2019 cycle, this is likely to begin in late winter or early spring of 2019.

Organizing such activities on campus may require dedicated manpower. Would FIRST Global help me to identify financial sources to support FIRST Global Higher Education Network activities?

FIRST Global will inform FIRST Global Higher Education Network institutions of existing supporters of the national team. FIRST Global is not positioned to assist FIRST Global Higher Education Network identify additional potential supporters.

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