Intel® Education Initiative
Intel® Education Initiative is focused on partnership with educators around the world to improve the quality of science and mathematics education and to help students develop the higher level thinking skills they need to participate and succeed in a knowledge-based society.
Last year Intel Ireland contributed more than EUR 1 million to local and national education programmes including the Science in Schools programme, the Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, post-graduate research projects and equipment donations to schools and universities.
Objectives of Intel's education policy
Support science, mathematics and technology education
Support strategic research in 3rd level colleges
Support the professional development of educators in the use of ICT in the classroom as a pedagogic tool
Volunteer Matching Grants
Under the Volunteer Matching Grant Program, Intel donates $200 for every 20 hours of Intel employee volunteer time at a school or qualified education activity. During the 2006–2007 school year, over 150 employees volunteered 1,840 hours at 24 schools, which resulted in $18,400 being donated.
Science in schools programme
Intel's Science in Schools programme consists of a number of curriculum interventions at post primary level designed to encourage more students to take the physical sciences and engineering subjects at leaving certificate level.
'Intel Junior Physics Investigations' is an on-line tool featuring investigations from the junior certificate science curriculum. This tool has been developed in association with the Department of Education's Junior Science Support Service.
'Design and Discovery' is an exciting new hands-on, project based course for transition year students. The module encourages an inquiry based experience by encouraging students to identify and design creative solutions to everyday problems in the world of design and engineering.
The Science in Schools programme also promotes science and engineering at primary level through the Intel Mini-Scientist Competition and the K'nex Challenge for local primary schools.
Science fairs
Intel is a Gold sponsor of the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition. The Intel award, for the best-placed project in the chemical, physical and mathematical category is an all expenses paid trip to America to compete in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Intel provides similar sponsorship for the Young Innovators Fair organized annually in Northern Ireland. More recently Intel in association with Discover Science and Engineering has launched its SciFest initiative a festival of science open to all second level students.
Intel® Teach Program
The Intel® Teach Program is a worldwide initiative to address the barriers teachers face in effectively applying computer technology to improve student learning. 7,500 teachers have taken this curriculum in Ireland.
Higher education
Intel supports university based research in nanotechnology, ICT, manufacturing technology and Digital Health research. Intel funds over 50 PhD’s in Irish and European universities and has close research links with the CRANN Nanoscience Research Centre in TCD, the Tyndall National Research Institute in Cork and the Innovation Value Institute in NUI Maynooth.
The site hosts two research centres, the Technology Research for Independent Living Centre and the IT Innovation centre. It was here that the award winning schools portal website www.skoool.ie was developed.
