Collaboration with students seeks to create modern solutions for more sustainable communities
Elly Yates-Roberts |
A team from Microsoft Malta has volunteered with JAYE Malta – part of the JA Worldwide learning network – to run the Social Innovation Challenge. Now in its seventh year, the initiative is focused on United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11 – to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Throughout the day the team worked with students aged 15-16 from across the island at the Microsoft Innovation Centre. They explored the use of modern technology to create solutions for more sustainable cities and communities.
The students presented their ideas using Office Sway, suggesting innovative ways of combatting some of the island’s biggest issues such as pollution, water wastage, traffic congestion and transportation. Solutions such as transport apps and incentives using blockchain, artificial intelligence and the internet of things were proposed.
During the challenge, students learned the basics in creative thinking and put JAYE’s principle of ‘Learning by Doing’ into practice, helping them develop their problem-solving skills and learn to work under tight deadlines.
The winning team comprised six students from De La Salle College who proposed a national monorail system called MaltaLoop to lower emissions and reduce road congestion.