Five digital laboratories were inaugurated by EU4Moldova: Startup City Cahul in schools in the south of Moldova

On 16 May, EU4Moldova: Startup City Cahul inaugurated five digital laboratories in the south of the country within the Europe Day celebration. The newly equipped laboratories are aimed to support the digital education and help pupils to develop their abilities in a digitalized world. One of the laboratories can be found on the premises of “Mihai Eminescu” Gymnasium from Cantemir, which hosted the second edition of the “Digital Labs” initiative.

“With the help of modern technologies and the friendly environment created within the school premises, students and teachers manage to develop both their problem-solving skills and abstract thinking. The digital labs are meant to prepare students for the professions of the future. Such projects will create possibilities for the sustainable development of society from now on, as well as a freer path towards gender equality“, said Katarina Fried, Ambassador of Sweden to the Republic of Moldova.

The inaugural event included the presentations of projects with social impact, developed by students and teachers in the digital laboratory, after studying the professions of the future under the “Tekwill in Every School” brand.

Adam Grodzicki, Deputy Head of the Cooperation section of the European Union Delegation, congratulated the teachers, students and representatives of local public authorities for the effort put into equipping this digital laboratory: “Thanks to this effort and commitment we can admire a well-developed, modern equipped laboratory that will certainly allow you to be prepared to embrace the professions of the future“.

The initiative has three main goals: implementing innovations in education in schools throughout the country; setting up the spaces necessary for more than 10,000 students to develop their skills useful for the professions of the future and to practice in the region, at home; the possibility of using digital equipment for those who do not have it at home, in the development of IT skills.

Digital labs provide a safe and modern environment where students can learn and experiment with digital technology to develop the skills needed for an increasingly digitized job market.

“Currently, the devices in the computer room are outdated, there teachers cannot use applications such as Canva or Padlet. Here it will be completely different. First, new devices will allow different applications, platforms. New electives such as web development and design, emotional intelligence, graphic design are already being studied“, said Ecaterina Enciu, director of the Mihai Eminescu High School, from Cantemir.

The “Digital Laboratories” project in the Cahul area was developed with the financial assistance of the European Union in partnership with Sweden, implemented by the National Association of ICT Companies (ATIC).