FIRST Robotics UDEM SDG Alliance

#SDGAction42167

Description

Promote innovative education through the implantation of robotics in schools and community-based groups. Through the opening of multidisciplinary teams, students well be able to learn STEM skills and promote to other schools/local government/students the importance of supporting SDG goals to improve our society. FIRST Robotics teams, additional to build robots, participate in projects to help their community, thereby working in developing SDG-based, sustainable, SMART-designed projects to help our community. With the endorsement of this partnership well be able to convince many other stakeholders to take part in projects that contribute to the efforts of SDGs.

Expected Impact

We participate in the FIRST Robotics Competition, an international program that promotes the learning of STEM skills in young students while at the same time participate as changemakers in their communities. Our teams have a special and unique focus towards working with projects based on the SDG, which in the long-run will have a positive effect in the members own skills development, their formation as leaders & global citizens, and the impact they will make to others. 
 
How does FIRST Robotics work? 
Each year teams work in training and preparation for the official season to being. On January, the organization FIRST (which leads the FIRST Robotics Competition program) launches a challenge to which students are required to build a robot in a six-week span that complies with the elements of the game and in accordance to the rules. Students must also create a business plan and a Projects Plan that explains the adminstrative work they did to sustain the group, promote STEM education, and the impact done to their community through their projects. Teams participates in qualifiers all over the world which lead to the FIRST World Championship in Houston, Texas on April. 
 
Robotrojans STEAMex and Huaztech 
Our teams, conformed by high school students and lead/mentored by college students, work upon three key areas: Engineering, Business, and Projects. Our own program includes an innovative and personalized formation-pedagogical model, which seeks to improve the leadership/group-working/technical skills that students acquire, as well as a career-orienting guidance that will aid them get into university, hopefully with a scholarship. Furthermore, we work with a Projects' model based in mentor-guidance, where students are able to identify on their own the issues that occur in their community, come up with a solution based on the SDGs, and have a mentor (college student) that aids him/her in the process of carrying out their project using SMART goals.

Capacity

This project aims to fully work in capacity-building and technology transfer. The latter, in our projects, applies in the fact we work with our students to transfer our knowledge for them to get to have skills required to build a robot and apply engineering skills. Furthermore, some of the projects we work with our community involve our students transfering their technological skills to teach low-income children at public schools and community centers through workshops and the opening of more robotics teams. This creates a chain where us, as mentors, transfer our knowledge to our students, which later they will transfer other students to multiply the outreach of STEM education. Additionally, students, in their efforts of getting more sectors/stakeholders involved in the initiative, transfer their knowledge to government or even companies for them to support the project and potentially get them to be scouted by them for further job opportunities. As for capacity-building, this is a self-sustainable, exponentially-growing initiative. As we teach our students the necessary skills and knowledge for them to carry out their products (being a robot, a business plan, or a project), season after season we will be having students graduating and passing on to become university students. Letting them be passionate and involved in the project will make them capable to add up as mentors of the team, helping new generations to continue with the work that has been done and even improve as experience goes on. This will increase the number of people involved in the teams and thus multiply our capacity to make an impact with the initiative.

Governed

The FIRST Robotics program has been active since 1989 and more than 80,000 students participate currently, being our teams part of the 90 teams in Mexico that participate in this international competition. In our case, both robotics teams (Robotrojans STEAMex 6832 and Huaztech 13653) are managed by eight freshmen and sophomore college students from the Universidad de Monterrey, whilst 40 high school students participate as members (from UDEM High School Campus San Pedro and the community-based team in Santa Catarina). These teams are multidisciplinary, for which we include engineering and business areas where students learn the necessary skills to carry out functions such as building a robot and creating a business plan, even if being only high schools students. It is to highlight that teams have the responsibility to create partnerships and alliances with NGOs, schools, government, organisms, private-sector, and other teams to multiply the impact they do through their projects, having students be part of real scenarios of project management and raising awareness of problematics they might work through their activities. Thereby, our team has a special Projects department, where our students have the opportunity to develop SDG-based projects for the community with the guidance of college students that serve as mentors for our kids. With this guidance, our students are able to plan, register, document, and give continuity to their projects using a SMART goals methodology.

Partners

Robotics teams conforming the "FIRST UDEM - Robotrojans Project": FIRST Robotics Competition team Robotrojans STEAMex 6832 & FIRST Tech Challenge team Huaztech 13653 (High School students from UDEM High School Campus San Pedro, students from the community of La Fama in Santa Catarina, Nuevo Leon, and college students from Universidad de Monterrey [UDEM])

SDGS & Targets

Goal 9

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

9.1

Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all

9.1.1

Proportion of the rural population who live within 2 km of an all-season road

9.1.2

Passenger and freight volumes, by mode of transport

9.2

Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries

9.2.1

Manufacturing value added as a proportion of GDP and per capita

9.2.2

Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment

9.3

Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets

9.3.1

Proportion of small-scale industries in total industry value added

9.3.2

Proportion of small-scale industries with a loan or line of credit

9.4

By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities

9.4.1

CO₂emission per unit of value added

9.5

Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending

9.5.1

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP

9.5.2

Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants

9.a

Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States

9.a.1

Total official international support (official development assistance plus other official flows) to infrastructure

9.b

Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities

9.b.1

Proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added

9.c

Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020

9.c.1

Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology

Goal 4

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

4.1

By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes

4.1.1

Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex

4.1.2

Completion rate (primary education, lower secondary education, upper secondary education)

4.2

By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education

4.2.1

Proportion of children aged 24–59 months who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well-being, by sex

4.2.2

Participation rate in organized learning (one year before the official primary entry age), by sex

4.3

By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university

4.3.1

Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex

4.4

By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship

4.4.1

Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill

4.5

By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations

4.5.1

Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile and others such as disability status, indigenous peoples and conflict-affected, as data become available) for all education indicators on this list that can be disaggregated

4.6

By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy

4.6.1

Proportion of population in a given age group achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills, by sex

4.7

By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development

4.7.1

Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education and (d) student assessment

4.a

Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all

4.a.1

Proportion of schools offering basic services, by type of service

4.b

By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries

4.b.1

Volume of official development assistance flows for scholarships by sector and type of study

4.c

By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States

4.c.1

Proportion of teachers with the minimum required qualifications, by education level

Goal 10

Reduce inequality within and among countries

10.1

By 2030, progressively achieve and sustain income growth of the bottom 40 per cent of the population at a rate higher than the national average

10.1.1

Growth rates of household expenditure or income per capita among the bottom 40 per cent of the population and the total population

10.2

By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status

10.2.1

Proportion of people living below 50 per cent of median income, by sex, age and persons with disabilities

10.3

Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard

10.3.1

Proportion of population reporting having personally felt discriminated against or harassed within the previous 12 months on the basis of a ground of discrimination prohibited under international human rights law

10.4

Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality

10.4.1

Labour share of GDP

10.4.2

Redistributive impact of fiscal policy

10.5

Improve the regulation and monitoring of global financial markets and institutions and strengthen the implementation of such regulations

10.5.1

Financial Soundness Indicators

10.6

Ensure enhanced representation and voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions in order to deliver more effective, credible, accountable and legitimate institutions

10.6.1

Proportion of members and voting rights of developing countries in international organizations

10.7

Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies

10.7.1

Recruitment cost borne by employee as a proportion of montlhy income earned in country of destination

10.7.2

Number of countries with migration policies that facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people

10.7.3

Number of people who died or disappeared in the process of migration towards an international destination

10.7.4

Proportion of the population who are refugees, by country of origin

10.a

Implement the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, in accordance with World Trade Organization agreements

10.a.1

Proportion of tariff lines applied to imports from least developed countries and developing countries with zero-tariff

10.b

Encourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to States where the need is greatest, in particular least developed countries, African countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their national plans and programmes

10.b.1

Total resource flows for development, by recipient and donor countries and type of flow (e.g. official development assistance, foreign direct investment and other flows)

10.c

By 2030, reduce to less than 3 per cent the transaction costs of migrant remittances and eliminate remittance corridors with costs higher than 5 per cent

10.c.1

Remittance costs as a proportion of the amount remitted

Goal 17

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

17.1

Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries, to improve domestic capacity for tax and other revenue collection

17.1.1

Total government revenue as a proportion of GDP, by source

17.1.2

Proportion of domestic budget funded by domestic taxes

17.2

Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments, including the commitment by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of ODA/GNI to developing countries and 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries; ODA providers are encouraged to consider setting a target to provide at least 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries

17.2.1

Net official development assistance, total and to least developed countries, as a proportion of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee donors’ gross national income (GNI)

17.3

Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources

17.3.1

Additional financial resources mobilized for developing countries from multiple sources

17.3.2

Volume of remittances (in United States dollars) as a proportion of total GDP

17.4

Assist developing countries in attaining long-term debt sustainability through coordinated policies aimed at fostering debt financing, debt relief and debt restructuring, as appropriate, and address the external debt of highly indebted poor countries to reduce debt distress

17.4.1

Debt service as a proportion of exports of goods and services

17.5

Adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for least developed countries

17.5.1

Number of countries that adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for developing countries, including the least developed countries

17.6

Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism

17.6.1

Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by speed

17.7

Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed

17.7.1

Total amount of funding for developing countries to promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies

17.8

Fully operationalize the technology bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism for least developed countries by 2017 and enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology

17.8.1

Proportion of individuals using the Internet

17.9

Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation

17.9.1

Dollar value of financial and technical assistance (including through North-South, South‑South and triangular cooperation) committed to developing countries

17.10

Promote a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization, including through the conclusion of negotiations under its Doha Development Agenda

17.10.1

Worldwide weighted tariff-average

17.11

Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of global exports by 2020

17.11.1

Developing countries’ and least developed countries’ share of global exports

17.12

Realize timely implementation of duty-free and quota-free market access on a lasting basis for all least developed countries, consistent with World Trade Organization decisions, including by ensuring that preferential rules of origin applicable to imports from least developed countries are transparent and simple, and contribute to facilitating market access

17.12.1

Weighted average tariffs faced by developing countries, least developed countries and small island developing States

17.13

Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence

17.13.1

Macroeconomic Dashboard

17.14

Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development

17.14.1

Number of countries with mechanisms in place to enhance policy coherence of sustainable development

17.15

Respect each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development

17.15.1

Extent of use of country-owned results frameworks and planning tools by providers of development cooperation

17.16

Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries

17.16.1

Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals

17.17

Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships

17.17.1

Amount in United States dollars committed to public-private partnerships for infrastructure

17.18

By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts

17.18.1

Statistical capacity indicators

17.18.2

Number of countries that have national statistical legislation that complies with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics

17.18.3

Number of countries with a national statistical plan that is fully funded and under implementation, by source of funding

17.19

By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries

17.19.1

Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen statistical capacity in developing countries

17.19.2

Proportion of countries that (a) have conducted at least one population and housing census in the last 10 years; and (b) have achieved 100 per cent birth registration and 80 per cent death registration

SDG 14 targets covered