News
15.10.2012
Victor Pinchuk Foundation and Winner of 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Prof. Dan Shechtman launch “Science in Kindergartens” project in Dnipropetrovsk
The Victor Pinchuk Foundation announced the launch of a new project that will be jointly implemented by the Foundation and the winner of 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, renowned Israeli physicist and chemist, Professor Dan Shechtman.
The official project presentation hosted by Victor Pinchuk and Professor Dan Shechtman took place on Friday, October 12, 10:30, at the Educational complex No 108 located at 16a Berezynska Street, Dnipropetrovsk. The event was also attended by kindergarten tutors and headmasters, junior school teachers and students of the Pedagogical College of Dnipropetrovsk National University.
Victor Pinchuk: "Our foundation has always focused on education. We want to change young people's thinking so that they can change their lives, our country and the world. The earlier you start, the better. It is a great investment in the future to teach children already in kindergarten to how scientists think. It gives every child an early chance, and it will develop our nation's minds, the crucial resource.
It is my pleasure to start a pilot project in my native city - Dnipropetrovsk - with a Nobel Prize winner who has roots in Dnipropetrovsk, too. I am happy to start the pilot in the district and city where my factory is located. In two ways: as a philanthropist who wants to complement the government’s efforts, and as a businessman who understands he needs to help create a healthy, smart society with chances for everyone, for his business to be successful. And maybe, in the mid term, this approach could inspire educators all over the country."
Dan Shechtman: “We need new generations of young people who have rational thinking, who think logically about facts. We need children that ask questions – why is it so? We need to raise a new generation of people who have free mind and free thinking. These are the people who will convert our world into better world. And hopefully many of these young children will continue their studies and when they reach the age of university they would choose to study science and engineering. You see, scientists and engineers would build our world. These are the people that open start-ups, these are the people who open new companies, these are the people who provide employment.”
Photo gallery of Prof. Dan Shechtman's visit to Dnipropetrovsk
New to Ukraine, the project “Science in Kindergartens” - which is to be implemented in the city of Dnipropetrovsk - is intended to promote study of natural sciences, and to unlock children talents on early stages. Its key objective is to encourage development of the rising generation through increasing their knowledge, and to cultivate in preschool children skills needed for exploring the world around them, employing interesting methods to teach the basics of natural sciences.
At the presentation the Nobel Prize winner talked about the project idea and its main tasks, and presented a program of activities planned as part of the “Science in Kindergartens”. In addition, Professor Shechtman held an open demo lesson with the pupils of the Educational complex No 108.
The project is based on a special educational method which has been developed by Professor Dan Shechtman together with Israeli teachers to boost child’s intellect and critical thinking in early years. According to the Nobel Prize winner, this method will help develop both scientific thinking and intellectual potential of the following generation.
Professor has already started implementation of the project in 60 kindergartens throughout Israel, and parallelly the Victor Pinchuk Foundation will be realizing it in Dnipropetrovsk.
“Science in Kindergartens” is an absolutely new initiative for Ukraine, which can significantly influence the country’s traditional approach to primary education.
As part of his visit to Ukraine, Professor Dan Shechtman met with the students and Zavtra.UA scholarship winners from Dnipropetrovsk, and visited the new Interpipe Steel plant.
