BUSINESS: 515 PRACTICES
National Bank of Greece leads the largest financial group in Greece and SE Europe, boasting a dynamic presence in 12 countries. Altogether, it runs 10 banks and 62 financial organizations.
Read more: www.nbg.gr
The Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs (YPETH) in collaboration with Building Infrastructures S.A. and the sponsoring support of the National Bank's i-bank, took the initiative of creating open technology laboratories "Edulabs" in the school units built in 2016-2017 with the aim of upgrading their digital infrastructures.
The initiative is part of the Bank's participation as the Urban Development Fund of the Attica Region in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects, which concern the Study/Financing/Construction/Technical Management of School Units in Urban Areas.
Primary/Secondary Education
2016-2017
Between 2016-2017, 22 Edulabs were set up in 17 of the schools that joined the PPPs where IT rooms are provided, giving more than 5,000 students and teachers the opportunity to utilize their infrastructure.
These are the units:
The 22 Edulabs support 13-28 student seats/room (total 459 seats) and include:
For the 22 rooms, 88 arduino and 44 BBC:MICRO robotics sets were provided. In the composition of the school laboratory based on ubuntu linux, the linux server has been properly configured to filter the traffic of the laboratory, either with lists of desired locations, or based on content, preventing students from navigating, either intentionally or by mistake, to online sites that contain pornographic content, malicious, gambling, etc.
This sponsorship concerns:
Edulabs powered by i-bank NBG are specially designed classrooms that provide students/teachers with all the appropriate infrastructure, based on open technologies and in a modern, functional and pleasant environment, in order to gain access to the digital age and the advantages it provides to education. The purpose of the workshops is not only to teach the "informatics" lesson in them, but to be used by all teachers as a learning tool.
The added value provided by Edulabs is reflected in the words of the users/IT managers of the units themselves who convey the enthusiasm of the end users, the children.
Mr. Libertas, Music High School: "Students get excited at the idea of entering the workshop. They come into contact with open software and open standards. They learn to interact with the equipment and not just through the screen. The teachers enjoy the interactive whiteboard, which is the most modern a school can have and can be used by all colleagues. The children are looking forward to doing projects with the 3d printer and robotics".
Mr. Skarlis, Elementary School of D. Kropias: "It is like night and day compared to what we have seen so far. It is the most modern we could have and teachers and students enjoy it. Enthusiasm is the word that would describe the feeling of anyone who enters the laboratory, student and teacher".
Mrs Kountouri, 42nd High School of Athens: "The mere existence of the workshop is in itself news for the school. Children gain access to equipment and know technologies that might not be readily available to them under other circumstances.”
Mainly Attica and Hellas-wide
Special coordination was required between all the agencies: 4 different Directorates of the National Bank, Ministry of Finance, Building Infrastructure SA, Construction Companies, technical contractor, furniture manufacturer, printing house for wall decorations.
A technically/aesthetically flawless result was finally achieved.
Executives of all levels from the involved departments of the Bank actively participated
i-bank, which is the innovation and technology platform of the National Bank, contributes in the long term to a new generation that will find open doors and have the opportunity to test their ideas in practice, confirming the Bank's timeless role in supporting of Greek Society, Education and Culture.
Given the context, i.e. the creation of Edulabs in highly innovative and modern school units operating through PPP, the objectives have been achieved to the maximum extent, judging by the reactions of the users. At the same time, it gave the Ministry of Education and Culture the opportunity to examine at a pilot level the application of the "Edulabs" standard so that useful conclusions can be drawn and it can be gradually extended to the entire school network. It is already in the process of expanding to 120 school units.
The ultimate goal of the National Bank's i-bank is for these digital rooms to become places of knowledge, learning and information for students on issues of innovation, technology, environment, etc., through programs in collaboration with reputable bodies and public benefit institutions.
At the level of the Bank, Edulabs is part of a wider strategic cooperation with the Ministry of Health. In addition to the 22 Edulabs, the donation of 1,000 tested computers was officially announced for 834 Primary Schools (single, double, triple) located in remote areas of the country. The equipment has been in use since September to teach and meet the educational needs of more than 10,000 students.
