By Simon Sung, President and CEO of Samsung Europe

Samsung Electronics celebrates its 54th anniversary today. For more than half a century, our company has been growing. We began operating in Europe in 1982 and today our divisions span mobility, appliances, networks and more. A feat of innovation, no doubt, but also a great test of cooperation and progress.

Samsung’s success coincides with that of the local communities that work alongside us. In Europe, more than 11,000 employees work in more than 44 headquarters and plants. Samsung’s size and scale now allows us to make a positive impact in many of the communities we work with. Working for the betterment of society and witnessing the positive impact we have on it is our greatest achievement to date.

To promote positive change, our greatest ambition is to help the next generation achieve their full potential. Today, young people are passionate and capable of showing us the way to positive social change. We believe that by supporting you in this effort now, we are making a better tomorrow possible.

That is why we have launched programs aimed at providing younger generations with the means and opportunities to build a better future for all. The programs implemented in Europe are truly inspiring. These are some of the initiatives that have already had a significant impact on the lives of thousands of people.

Solve for tomorrow

Solve for Tomorrow encourages young people to imagine the future and design solutions to address major societal challenges using science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This program takes the form of a competition. Since its creation in 2010, Solve for Tomorrow has expanded to 55 countries around the world, including 20 in Europe. The program has also been recognized with several awards for its innovative approach.

Key themes include education, environmental respect, health, well-being, equality, diversity and inclusion. Participants benefit from training and support to learn to define a problem, imagine solutions and develop a concept before defending their project. Along the way they are accompanied by Samsung employees who help them make their projects a reality.

In Hungary, the last phase of the program led to several projects, including recycling packaging and supporting educational needs. In Poland, the focus has been on bridging generational gaps through an app and magazine that introduces older people to new technologies. In the UK, which saw a record number of applications, it was mainly about inclusion. In Austria, projects highlighted the importance of unity and understanding, and one of the awards went to an app that promotes interfaith dialogue.

Elsewhere, mental health emerged as the key issue. In Italy, the program supported the creation of a podcast platform that allows young people to share their stories and help each other. In Switzerland, among the best ideas are “wellness rooms” for mental relaxation in schools, as well as an app dedicated to emotional awareness. Similarly, the Baltic Program is exploring ways to address concerns about student well-being to reimagine the school environment in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Since its creation in 2010, the Solve for Tomorrow program has expanded to 55 countries around the world, including 18 in Europe. Since then, it has been awarded several educational awards and festivals for its innovative and practical approach.

Samsung Innovation Campus

While Solve for Tomorrow focuses on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education, Samsung Innovation Campus focuses primarily on information and communication technologies (ICT). In a world of ever-changing technology, this offers young job seekers training in basic skills such as AI.[1]IoT[2]Big Data, coding and programming, as well as soft skills such as problem solving, communication and teamwork.

The program also aims to provide disadvantaged and unemployed youth with access to education and career opportunities to develop their skills. In partnership with universities and educational institutions, Samsung Innovation Campus offers online and offline courses, workshops, tutorials and resources to help participants learn and apply information and communication technologies.

In Italy, this initiative has allowed us to collaborate with more than 20 universities to train more than 10,000 students to date. The theme of the last edition was Human technology : towards technological progress where innovation aims to serve man and not replace genius or creativity. This training helps students acquire the skills they will need in the era of AI and the Internet of Things.

In Spain, which has seen 23 editions of the Samsung Innovation Campus in 3 years, a program is managed in parallel: Samsung DesArrolladoras. This aims to stimulate the talent of Spanish women in STEM professions and combat the wage gap between men and women. Samsung DesArrolladoras was launched in 2018 and has already trained more than 5,000 women, 64% of whom have found employment. The program was awarded at the Digital Skills Spain 2020 Awards in the category Digital skills for women and girls.

Towards a better world, one community at a time

Over the past 54 years, Samsung has experienced significant growth, both in technology and in the communities in which we operate. And, when we look back on our journey, nothing can change our commitment to empowering younger generations to create a better future, improve their lives and have a positive impact on the rest of society. With each initiative, we move one step closer to our vision: a world where responsible and inclusive technology helps build a better, more prosperous society.

[1] AI = Artificial Intelligence

[2] IoT = Internet of things