Thanks to cooperation between Prague and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, the first technological aids from Taiwan will arrive at Prague schools this week. Robots will help in lessons for lower grades at the grammar school in Cakovice, while spectrum analysers will be utilised at the Secondary Industrial School of Electrical Engineering in JeCná. This is the pilot phase of joint projects that Prague is preparing in cooperation with Taiwan. Cooperation projects in the field of education are being prepared, with their implementation planned for this year. These include digitisation in the field of children's education, IT innovation and climate change awareness.
"At the beginning of 2020, we raised the partnership that Prague had had with Taipei since 2001 to a new level of sister cities and deepened our cooperation with Taiwan. I value the fact that our cooperation is based on mutual respect and reciprocity and is consistently bearing fruit. These school aids are another specific and practical result of this inspiring collaboration. Robots for Prague schools are only the first step in this area and will be followed by other projects that we are currently preparing," says Prague Mayor Zdenek Hrib.
"We are grateful for the opportunity for this mutual cooperation allowing chosen Prague schools to move a step further. In cooperation with The Prague Innovation Institute, we are preparing comprehensive projects for establishing Prague-Taiwan collaboration in the field of education. In addition to helping with the material equipment of schools, we are mainly planning joint projects and activities of students at our secondary schools and, for example, the joint organisation of scientific competitions. As such, this will be a mutual exchange of know-how," adds Vít Simral, Prague councillor for the field of education.
"Prague is known for its rich history and quality architecture, but current city management is focused on the future. It is using technology and innovation to raise the standard of living of its citizens. As part of our partnership, we share best practices to help us grow together. I am delighted that we have agreed on a joint approach in the field of science and education," says Director of the Taipei Economic Office Ke Liang-ruey.
"The donated robotic arms are a great help for us in expanding the teaching of computer science at our grammar school. Thanks to Taiwan, our students will have the opportunity to become acquainted with the practical teaching of robotics on a much larger scale and at a higher level than before. Robotics will gradually become part of general education. Although we are not a vocational school directly preparing students for the challenges of Industry 4.0, it is necessary to familiarise them, among other things, with the possibilities of industrial automation," says Iva Nosková, headmaster of the Cakovice Grammar School.
According to headmaster Nosková, the donated robotic arms are a great interactive tool that will help students prepare for the dynamic development of society. The school will use these robots in teaching computer science and in project lessons - students will become acquainted with a wide range of practical tasks, such as building a model house, robotic chemistry and a model production line.
"We will use spectrum analysers for teaching electrical measurement, electronics and automation, where we work with analog, digital and modulated signals and deal with their time and frequency analysis. This gift will be used every year by over 250 students at our school and we are convinced that students will take their experience with the use of these spectrum analysers with them into Czech industry as graduates," said Ondrej Mandík, director of the Secondary Industrial School of Electrical Engineering in Jecná.