CIAAC’s “Click the Future” project involves the participation of 131 secondary school students

The Avelar Brotero School hosted today, May 8th, an initiative within the scope of “Click The Future” promoted by the Information Technology Center of the Academic Association of Coimbra (CIAAC). The meeting was attended by 131 students. The project also aims to combat inequalities linked to gender and socioeconomic conditions.

The initiative’s main objective is to bring technology to secondary school students, promote closer contact and motivate them to pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers. “Click The Future” aims to make students think about society and how these careers can positively impact communities, as “we are increasingly hearing about the negative impacts of technology”. To promote proximity with young people in secondary school, who are closer to entering higher education, this activity was promoted.

The coordinators, Emília Oliveira and Matilde Palmeira, confirm good feedback from students who are motivated by the activities carried out. The IT Center addressed several topics such as the issue of raising awareness of gender inequality, highlighting it as one of the main objectives of the section, recognizing a ‘gap’ between men and women in these areas. Among the topics covered were university life, activities that can be carried out at an extracurricular level and explanations about social support. The students carried out programming and computer science activities, and covered the space sector and robotics.

Young people were challenged to find technological solutions to combat social isolation. In this way, it was possible to articulate the students’ ideas with the type of course they could follow if they wanted to implement them. In this way, they intend to awaken the interest of young people in an area that, initially, may not be an option.

Of the total of 131 students who participated, 20% were female. Therefore, they emphasize the importance of events such as “Click the future” to motivate young women to enter technology and IT areas. The coordinators are surprised by the low female participation, compared to the secondary school visited previously.

One of CIAAC’s main objectives is to bridge the gender gap, something they feel they are achieving. Only two sessions have been held in schools yet. The project was sponsored by UNESCO, the Alliance for Sustainable Development Objectives Portugal, the Office for Sustainable Development of the University of Coimbra, the Department of Computer Engineering of the University of Coimbra and the Centro Region of the Order of Engineers.

Photo: Avelar Brotero Secondary School website