Putting its commitment to improve access to quality education and lifelong learning for all into action, HP Inc. has pledged $20 million in technology, training R&D and funding contributions between 2015 – 2025 at the 2017 Global Citizen Festival in Hamburg, Germany.
The announcement demonstrates how by aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals, industry leaders can bring about positive change. The pledge of support works towards the achievement of SDG 4, improving access to quality education in an effort to break the cycle of poverty for hundreds of millions of people across the globe.
Through the creation of new technology solutions designed exclusively for schools, scalable models that support digital inclusion and learning and insights that help governments creative effective human capital development policies and programs, HP is hoping to reinvent the classroom by empowering educators, engaging students and building strong and vibrant communities.
“HP’s efforts to advance quality learning and to support the Sustainable Development Goals are expanding social and economic opportunities for people all over the world,” said Nate Hurst, Chief Sustainability and Social Impact Officer at HP. “I’m proud to work for a company that creates and invests in technology that can help teachers teach and students learn while building the skills needed for future success.”
To increase the reach of its education initiatives by 2025, HP will expand programs such HP World on Wheels, which brings digital literacy to rural India through mobile learning labs. The company will also continue to provide refugees in the Middle East with access to personalized, blended learning experiences through six HP Learning Studios, equipped with hardware, software and teacher training services.
HP Learning Studios also drive experiential learning at more than 60 schools in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.S. and seven countries in Europe. In addition, HP LIFE, a global e-learning program of the HP Foundation, aims to empower another one million aspiring entrepreneurs by enrolling them in HP LIFE between 2015 and 2025, in support of the broader HP commitment.
With its National Education Technology Assessment (NETA), HP is also helping ensure that skills match between what schools teach and what employers require. Using a combination of macroeconomic analysis, hyper-local insights and predictive analytics, HP supports governments and policymakers around the world in creating effective human capital development policies and programs, including employer engagement programs.
“Education has the power to spur innovation, promote the prosperity of communities and empower vulnerable and marginalized groups,” said Sarah Brown, Executive Chair, Global Business Coalition for Education. “We commend HP’s commitment to enabling every person to unlock his or her potential and develop the talents and acquire the skills necessary for a better, brighter future.”
HP’s pledge follows a recent announcement of a new partnership with Thread, a B corporation that transforms trash from the developing world into recycled fabric, and the First Mile Coalition. As part of the partnership, HP will provide educational opportunities, including scholarships, medical care and health and safety training to children in the communities neighboring the Truitier landfill in Haiti.
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Published Jul 7, 2017 11am EDT / 8am PDT / 4pm BST / 5pm CEST