SAP + EVERFI: Sport, Technology, Education & Partnership for the Global Goals
August 30, 2019
In less than two weeks, global leaders will gather at Beyond Sport House in New York to explore solutions to the world timeliest issues through a sporting lens – all in pursuit of the UN Global Goals. A concept that Presenting Partner SAP and Official Partner EVERFI have taken to heart as they work to create innovative approaches to address the STEM education crisis.
Science, technology, education and math have long played a role in sport - in how games are played, the venues and equipment, and statistics and strategy. But, increasingly, sport is playing a powerful role to spark student interest in STEM, which currently peaks around middle/secondary school.
Bringing to life UN Global Goals 4 (Quality Education), 9 (Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals),market leader in enterprise application software, SAP, and leader in social impact education technology solutions, EVERFI, Inc., have joined forces to inspire the next generation of STEM professionals.
Using EVERFI’s digital platform, the companies have created SAP Digital Scholars, an interactive educational program for 6th to 9th graders in the US and Canada, which looks to prepare students to become 21-century leaders. According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 80% of the nation’s fastest-growing careers require skills from one or more STEM fields.
“As digital knowledge becomes increasingly critical for future jobs, SAP feels it’s our responsibility to champion digital inclusion for the future of society,” said Dan Fleetwood, Vice President of Global Partnerships for SAP America. “By partnering with EVERFI, SAP is able to educate the next generation about STEM-based careers through the lens of sports.”
SAP Digital Scholars introduces and encourages students to pursue exciting careers in technical fields through gamified lessons, and will include a sport module called SAP Data Champions. The online course focuses on data literacy via sports analytics and how data and technology are used to inform business decisions, all presented using a digital sports arena theme. Students will compare, prioritize and manipulate data sets, connecting these problem-solving skills to STEM careers that require analysis and data-driven decision making.
Fleetwood went on to explain, “By using sports-based content to engage young people in the classroom, we hope to break down the barriers traditionally associated with STEM-careers and inspire future possibilities for all. At SAP, digital literacy is at the core of our vision and through our partnership with EVERFI, we have the opportunity to extend that vision using their extensive and amazing network.”
The program aims to reach 100 schools and will be available in California, Georgia, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, British Columbia and Ontario, at no cost to schools or students. When navigating the course, students reflect on activities they enjoy and receive feedback on how those interests can translate into new careers that power innovation.
“STEM-based careers are expected to grow exponentially in the coming years and it is incredibly important to educate our future leaders with the skills they need to be successful,” said Jon Chapman, co-founder and president of global partnerships at EVERFI. “We are delighted to work with a recognized leader like SAP to bring this engaging, interactive program to life for so many students.”
The SAP and EVERFI partnership is part of Learning for Life – a global initiative that demonstrates SAP’s commitment to building an inclusive, skilled workforce for today’s digital world. In 2018, SAP digital skills programs reached more than 2.8 million youth across 93 countries.
During ‘The Expo’ at Beyond Sport House on September 12, attendees will have the opportunity to experience SAP sport-focused technologies first-hand, including:
SAP Tennis Analytics for WTA Coaches: WTAShows, an iPad app developed by SAP in co-innovation with the Women's Tennis Association, which is used by coaches in preparation and during games. Data from cameras and scoring systems is sent to the SAP Cloud Platform, analyzed and presented to coaches in the app which is specifically designed to work well under the sun and with sweaty fingers.
Intelligent Stadium: A stadium is much more than just a place where sports and entertainment happen. It’s an integrated hub in which people move around, park, shop, eat and interact. A demo will show real time insights of a theoretical “smart stadium.”
NHL VR: Starring NHL All-Stars from the San Jose Sharks team playing against the NY Rangers, guests can test out their coaching skills in virtual reality. The interactive experience also leverages the SAP-NHL Coaching Insights App - an on-bench tool with near real-time data that will enable NHL coaches to make smarter and faster in-game decisions.
Smart Kicker: Guests can explore how the integration of data from a single high-speed camera can unveil hidden patterns using the playful example of foosball. The SAP Analytics Cloud delivers comprehensive statistics and insights into player performance and event highlights.
EVERFI will also be demonstrating its technology.
Register to join us at Beyond Sport House in September to experience the EVERFI/SAP demos in person. You can also hear directly from SAP’s Dan Fleetwood and SVP and Global Head of SAP Next-Gen’s Ann Rosenberg on global brands making an impact through localized approaches and on working with purpose in pursuit of the SDGs, respectively.
SAP is also supporting the Sport for Quality Education Award at the September 12 Beyond Sport Global Awards.