In March, 2004, IBM announced that its award-winning, U.S.$70 million Reinventing Education program would be expanded to include the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under Reinventing Education partnerships, IBM technologies and expertise are used to help induce systemic educational change. The Chinese effort will be called “Basic Education, Innovative Teaching and Learning.” It is expected to reach thousands of Chinese teachers and students over the next two years.
“[IBM's] contribution to education is far beyond only IT applications,” said Ms. Chen Xiao Ya, Deputy Minister of Education and Director-General of Basic Education Division. “IBM [also] underpins the development of not-for-profit organizations and education institutions with its advantage in technology, capital and global resources.”
Stanley Litow, Vice President, IBM Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs enjoys his tour of Cuiweilu Elementary School in Beijing. Litow was in the country to announce IBM's first Reinventing Education grant in China.
The Reinventing Education grant is a joint effort by IBM and the People's Republic of China Ministry of Education. A key feature of the effort is utilization of educational experts and practitioners from within China and abroad to share innovative teaching methods and skills with in-service teachers.
Already, 24 leading Chinese teachers from 12 schools representing four regions of China have participated in skills-transfer sessions led by leading Australian education experts benefiting 3,200 students. As the program expands over the next two years, 1,200 teachers will be trained, directly benefiting 60,000 students.
“IBM believes that a strong community is a key to a company’s success,” said Litow. “To this end, a key focus of our work has been on raising the quality of public education and bridging the digital divide. Reinventing
Education is IBM’s flagship philanthropic grant program.”
The new Reinventing Education initiative represents the latest step in an ongoing collaboration between the company and the Chinese Minister of Education that includes the IBM University program and
the IBM KidSmart Early Learning program which targets preschool students and teachers.
During the past five years, IBM has donated $80 million in cash,
equipment and expertise to not-for-profits organizations and education institutions in China. On January 15, 2004, IBM received from the PRC Ministry of Education the inaugural “Outstanding Contribution to Education Award” in recognition of IBM's outstanding contribution to China's education community.
