Education and science are a precious resource
Research and the education of young people are crucial to the future of the human race – but also to the future of our company.
Education forms the basis for the future of every individual and is a never-ending task. Promoting education is rightly one of the United Nations’ millennium development goals. Investing in the education of young people, in particular, is the prerequisite for the development and sustainability of society. As a good corporate citizen, we also feel it is our responsibility to engage in this societal duty.
Commitment to education has a long tradition at Siemens. With our extensive, long-term education program for gifted children, teenagers and young adults, we impart scientific and technical knowledge, and raise awareness for sustainability. Our aim is to inspire young people to become involved in technical professions, teach them key skills, and thus counteract the impending shortage of skilled workers.
Our objective is to engage in ongoing dialog with young people to discover talent at an early stage and promote its development. We are also committed to supporting educational opportunities for disadvantaged young people. At the same time, we want to promote upskilling and lifelong learning for experienced professionals.
Our success is largely built on a leading position in scientific, technical and medical research and development. Top quality scientific and medical research is a substantial asset to a society. In particular, we want to
- raise interest in science and technology, two of the Company’s core competences,
- prepare for the technical and societal challenges of today and the future, and
- engage people in topics relevant to Siemens at schools, universities and other educational institutions.
Our educational programs provide early support for talented young people in the sciences and technology.
A capable partner for universities
We work on a variety of levels with numerous universities all over the world. We have set ourselves the goal of discovering talented people early and encouraging them to develop. We maintain contact with hundreds of university-level institutions around the world, and each year we participate in numerous research cooperation projects. In joint research projects, we help transfer findings and developments from the academic sphere to practical use.
Our cooperation projects in research
We delegate staff to teach and give lectures at universities, thus presenting attractive examples of the many challenges in technical and scientific professions and arousing young people's interest in the associated courses of study. In tandem with practical assignments within our company, this gives students a broad view of fascinating tasks and issues. We explain opportunities for joining Siemens in personal conversations at in-house events, job fairs and a variety of other events.
Promoting talents through fellowships and assistance programs
Through assistance programs and fellowships, we aim to attract qualified students and graduates in the natural sciences and technology to join our Company. Some examples:
- The Company’s Young Ladies’ Network of Technology mentoring program (YOLANTE), for example, is designed to increase the relatively low number of women in Germany majoring in the natural sciences and engineering.
Young Ladies’ Network of Technology (YOLANTE) (in German)
- TOPAZ – The Siemens Student Program provides assistance to up and coming talents from among outstanding working students and interns at Siemens.
TOPAZ – The Siemens Student Program (in German) - The Siemens Masters Program (SMP) provides support for outstanding students at German university-level institutions in master’s degree programs in electronics, mechanical engineering, and information technology.
The Siemens Masters Program (in German) (SMP) - The Siemens Graduate Program (SGP), the international program for outstanding university graduates, has been developing future managers since 1922.
The Siemens Graduate Program (SGP)
Interdisciplinary networks build connections
We also provide material support, and thus actively contribute as a partner to social discourse on science, technology, research and education on many different levels.
We work especially closely with ten partner universities all over the world in our “Center of Knowledge Interchange (CKI)” program, which offers an opportunity to do research and work together on strategically significant issues with a long-term perspective.
Siemens Center of Knowledge Interchange
Today’s universities must provide training with an international perspective. Early discussions with peers and top scientists from other countries are important steps in helping students develop their own networks. For that reason, each year Siemens invites selected students and promising young scientists from all over the world to meet Nobel Prize Laureates in Lindau, providing an opportunity to talk with these leaders in their fields and to make contact with other young researchers.
Assistance for disadvantaged groups
We believe it’s important not just to support the development of especially outstanding next-generation workers, but also to seek out and support talent among disadvantaged groups. For example, we provide focused assistance in societies where ethnic groups have little or inadequate access to education. A good professional education is a crucial prerequisite for permanently overcoming social marginalization.
You can find further exemplary initiatives related to education and science on the references page.
2011-Feb-23 | Author
- Corporate citizenship - Management approach
- Overview
- Our work for education and science
- Our work for the environment
- Our work in social engagement
- Our work for the arts and culture
- Implementation and measurement of effectiveness
- Siemens foundations