On April 28, UNIST has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Aramco Asia Korea Ltd., a fully-owned subsidiary of Saudi oil giant Aramco, and MIDAM Scholarship Foundation (MIDAM) to provide coding programs to underprivileged students in Ulsan.
The primary purpose of this initiative is to help bridge the educational gap in computer science amongst elementary and middle school students in Ulsan. It aims to provide coding programs to about 140 underprivileged students in Ulsan by the end of this year.
The selected students will be given the opportunity to learn the basics of computer programming, as well as a chance to participate in the nationwide Aramco Coding Hackathon and Aramco Coding World Cup. In addition to this, these students will also be educated on the principles of climate change, environmental issues, and the benefits of eco-friendly energy. Based on those lessons, they will then receive instruction on developing their own computer applications for environmental protection using 3D printers and tablet PCs. Those majoring in computer science from UNIST will also participate as mentors, helping them with software development and programming.
From the left are Aramco Korea Representative Director Mutib A. Al-Harbi, MIDAM Standing Director Neung-in Jang, and UNIST President Yong Hoon Lee.
“We live in an era where the importance of environmental and AI cannot be overemphasized,” said UNIST President Yong Hoon Lee. “We are delighted to help young people in our communities through this program, hoping it will serve as a valuable opportunity to boost their interest in science and technology.”
“Learning computer science is becoming increasingly essential, as computers are going to be even more interwoven into the fabric of our future lives. We hope this meaningful program will empower the students to grow as future leaders to create the world of tomorrow,” said Mutib A. Al-Harbi, Representative Director of Aramco Asia Korea Ltd. “We are proud to team up with the MIDAM Scholarship Foundation and UNIST for this program, which is designed to make coding education more accessible to the less privileged students in our communities.”
“Building on the successful execution of the ‘Aramco Coding School for Earth’ program in 2020, we are pleased to continue this computer program, with more students joining this year,” said Neung-in Jang, Standing Director of MIDAM. “We will make our utmost efforts to operate the program to narrow the learning gap that had been widened by COVID-19.”
Meanwhile, the MoU signing ceremony has been attended by UNIST President Yong Hoon Lee, Representative Director Mitib A. Al-Harbi of Aramco Asia Korea Ltd., Standing Director Neung-in Jang of MIDAM, and other key officials from each organization.
