We are working with six education charities and social enterprises in the United Kingdom (UK) to co-create a bespoke training program to help address gaps in STEM education and strengthen existing programs through funding, volunteering and the development of new AI resources .
Access to STEM education remains a challenge for many young people in the UK, especially those from under-represented backgrounds. Research shows that 38% of schools do not offer GCSE computer science at all, and many schools, mostly in disadvantaged areas, do not enroll students in triple science subjects (physics, biology and chemistry) – limiting opportunities for higher level science studies. These barriers not only contribute to the existing achievement gap, but directly affect the number of opportunities students have to pursue a career in STEM-related fields, including artificial intelligence.
Developing new AI resources with the Raspberry Pi Foundation
We will work closely with Raspberry Pi Foundation, a charity promoting the study of computing and digital technologies, to develop new resources focusing on artificial intelligence, including lesson plans for students and training for teachers. Created to be culturally relevant and accessible to all students aged 11-14, the resources will be designed to help them better understand artificial intelligence and the role it will play in their future.
More than 20 volunteers from DeepMind, across teams and disciplines, will work closely with Raspberry Pi to help shape these resources and ensure they reflect current thinking and emerging topics in AI. Once completed, all resources will be freely available to every school across the UK.
Register your interest with Raspberry Pi here to learn more about the new resources or participate in piloting the materials.
Strengthening the reach of existing programs
DeepMind will also provide funding and volunteer support to five other organizations. This will help bring new AI content to their existing operations, increasing the reach and number of young people who can benefit from their programs.
In these programmes, we hope to reach over 500 schools (over 10% of UK secondary schools) and over 100,000 young people, with a focus on state schools and pupils from under-represented groups.
An ongoing commitment to inclusive education
At DeepMind, we know that to build a strong, fair and effective AI community, we need to ensure that technology is created by – and for – those who represent the diverse world in which we live. This journey begins with access to education. We are incredibly proud to have launched various university and postgraduate initiatives like this DeepMind Fellowship Program and DeepMind Academic Fellowship program, and today, we are excited to expand our reach through these partnerships to help younger students.
We know that accessibility and inclusion in early education is only one part of addressing long-standing structural imbalances in AI, but it is vital. We hope this program can help encourage and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers – especially those who never imagined it was a possibility.
To learn more about DeepMind’s educational programs, visit our partner organizations and our website.