Share:
The 49ers Foundation and Beyond Sport are delighted to announce the 2nd instalment of Beyond Innovation, an interactive gathering dedicated to exploring how we can better leverage sport as a tool to improve, empower and create new approaches to STEM education.
Hosted, for the second year running, at the iconic Levi’s® Stadium on May 22-23, Beyond Innovation 2018 will expand on the successes of last year’s event and the subsequent launch of the Sport & STEM Alliance, to bring together global experts, inspirational innovators, and committed decision-makers to discuss how we can tackle one of the world’s most pressing issues. Delegates will explore the opportunity for sports to be part of the solution to the very real challenge of preventing the predicted shortfall of 85million skilled jobs in the global economy by 2020.
The world needs a workforce of skilled STEM innovators to address not only the most pressing global challenges of the coming century: food shortages, exponential increases in non-communicable diseases, climate change, energy shortages, and more, but also for governments to drive their economic prosperity.
In the next decade, 80% of jobs will require STEM skills; responsible, leading, organisations know that their future workforce will rely on the next generation being inspired to engage in STEM education from a young age. STEM jobs are growing at 1.7 times the rate of non-STEM jobs, and the U.S. is not producing enough candidates to fill them. Only 16% of high school seniors are interested in pursuing STEM careers, according to the Department of Education.
The partnership between Beyond Sport and the 49ers Foundation was born out of the belief both organizations have in sport’s role in promoting STEM education. Together we advocate that, when used correctly, sport’s influence, platform and inherent values can provide a unique opportunity to tackle this global challenge.
“The Foundation’s 49ers EDU program embodies the spirit of innovation and we are honored to showcase our work in STEAM education to the world through the Beyond Innovation platform,” said Justin Prettyman, executive director, San Francisco 49ers Foundation.
This year, we’ll bring this belief to life with innovative content focusing on: education’s role in activism and citizenship; the impact of technology on society, both positive and negative; and the potential of esport, virtual reality and experiential learning.
“There is no greater facilitator of change in society than innovation. Applying that through the prism of sport offers us all an opportunity to create a more peaceful, functioning and dynamic community. Education sits at the heart of this and there is no better organization than the San Francisco 49ers to partner with in bringing that belief to life,” said Nick Keller, founder and president, Beyond Sport.
The two days will be packed with events and exciting sessions, expert panel discussions; practical workshops; hands-on demos taking place in the two state-of-the-art classrooms located inside Levi’s Stadium which house the 49ers’ award-winning STEAM education program; and showcases of best practice from around the world.
Aiming to produce actions beyond the gathering itself, the event will seek to create tangible solutions and actions from cross-sector industries, all of whom have a unique role to play in addressing the STEM education crisis. In partnership with Chevron, NYU, Beyond Sport’s Academic Partner, will also be sharing the results of their innovative research project that is helping to educate and inform members of the Sport & STEM Alliance.
ESPN, Beyond Sport’s International Media Sponsor, will support the event, bringing to life our shrared shared values that help to promote, develop and fund sport’s role in social change in communities around the world.
This event is invite-only and free to attend.
SIGN UP TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HERE.
Also, make sure to register your interest and find out more about the Sport and STEM Alliance here. The Alliance is a membership network of forward-thinking organizations committed to investing, promoting and implementing programming that uses sport as a tool to promote the STEM subjects. The conclusion of this year’s event will feature another call to action, as the Alliance and its members make a new commitment to sport’s role in promoting STEM.
Founding Members of the Alliance are Beyond Sport, 49ers Foundation, Chevron and Verizon. Member organizations include UNICEF, Everfi, Two Circles, Chelsea Fc Foundation, HP, DirecTV, i-tri girls, Zhang Sah, ESPN, NHL, MLB, NBA Cares, WNBA Cares, the good.group, STEM Achievement, STEM Sports, 360 Skills Academy and #YesWeCode.
To learn more about 49ers EDU, the organization’s arm dedicated to creating and bringing to market STEAM education programming for the Bay Area’s students and families, click here.
Share:
