Video of the event:

Hanover, State Museum. On November 04, 2021, the non-profit Robokind Foundation awarded the seal of approval “robotikaffine Schule” to schools in Lower Saxony for the first time under the patronage of Mr. Grant Hendrik Tonne, Minister of Education.

In the future, digitization will no longer end at the screen. A new generation of so-called tactile robots – with integrated artificial intelligence – will be part of the digital transformation of our society. The nominated schools demonstrated their commitment to digitalization by integrating the future technologies of robotics and artificial intelligence into their teaching concepts.

The teachers, who accepted the award on behalf of their schools, showed particular dedication and creativity in creating and designing appropriate teaching concepts and imparting relevant knowledge. The prerequisite for the seal of approval was the acquisition of a tactile robot and the training of at least one teacher as a “trainer for collaborative robots (IHK)”.

The festive event at the Landesmuseum Hannover was opened by the founder of the non-profit Robokind Foundation Prof. Dr. Sami Haddadin. With a cocktail freshly prepared by two students of the ForscherGeist e.V. working group and the tactile robot arm Franka, Prof. Haddadin also welcomed the State Secretary in the Lower Saxony Ministry of Culture, Gaby Willamowius.

“The competent, critical and creative use of digital technologies has become a basic prerequisite for participation in society and professional life,” said Willamowius, adding, “It is therefore important that young people gain their first experience with future technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence at an early age. Our schools have already set out in many cases to prepare their students for this key new discipline. The schools receiving awards today are a confirmation of their success. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Robokind Foundation for its commitment to playfully introducing the topic of robotics to schoolchildren.”

Before the certificates were handed over by the State Secretary, honorary jury member Mr. Reinhard Biederbeck acknowledged the special commitment of the award-winning schools in his laudation. The award ceremony was moderated by the honorary foundation councilor and project manager of the Robonatives Initiative, Dr. Jasmin Grischke.

A total of four schools were honored and can now call themselves “robotics-affine schools”: the Humboldt School in Hanover, the Max Planck Gymnasium in Göttingen, the Realschule in Calberlah and the Berufsbildende Schule in Neustadt am Rübenberge.