Rise for the World: Building a Network of Academic Excellence to Drive Global Impact
Over the past few years, the world has become increasingly interconnected. However, with increased interconnectivity and better access to technology come benefits and unique challenges – from adverse effects to our climate, to cyber insecurity to global pandemics, there’s a crucial need to focus on creating sustainable solutions to global problems. To tackle these global challenges head-on, countries, organisations, and academic institutions must leverage their unique capabilities to provide creative solutions to some of our world’s most pressing issues to create a positive global impact. These unique strengths vary across the board, but the only constant most important variable is 'human capital”
It's no longer news that the world's greatest digital solutions and innovations are driven by human knowledge and capabilities. Human capital which includes knowledge, expertise and creativity has ensured steady growth from the conventional days till the current digital age. However, with each growth comes challenges that require solutions from nurtured and empowered minds. More than ever before, the world now faces complex and bigger global challenges such as climate change; lack of access to healthy food and safe water; educational setbacks due to COVID-19; and racial, gender, and other inequality that are transnational in nature and trans-institutional in solution. However, presently the world has better tools, innovations and educational systems that yield invaluable resources to help tackle these problems. One of such resource is the next generation of leaders equipped with the skills, innovative thinking and access to technologies and opportunities to create sustainable solutions to global issues affecting our world today.
According to research by the United Nations, youths worldwide are the most active users of technology, which has played a central role in their rise to prominence on a global scale. It has helped them to mobilise and collaborate, giving them a unified voice and a seat at the table, in discussions where their opinions and ideas are of value and importance. Experts also believe that the world's most important problems will be solved by the next generation of leaders. Yet too often, the most brilliant people never realize their full potential for global impact. Either they are never discovered, become isolated at a young age, lack access to opportunities to develop their ideas, or face social and economic barriers. Simultaneously, conventional systems for identifying talents — such as written classroom tests, long essays, and HR exams often leave countless exceptional people on the sidelines.
Also, another study shows that there are millions of brilliant people around the world who could have made a positive global impact had they been discovered and supported when they were young. In communities around the world, these young minds have missed great opportunities to develop their ideas and connect with like minds to create a pathway for global change due to the lack of opportunities that empower and support their ideas. A recent report by the World Economic Forum speaks to the "Schools of the Future", where content and learning experiences that provide both hard skills and soft skills are redefining education systems. According to this report, education models must adapt to equip children with the skills to create a more inclusive, cohesive, and productive world. This calls for a need to encourage programs that support skills development initiatives such as STEM, provide funding, and provides access to career opportunities as well as mentorship while charting the road to global development and solutions.
However, this doesn’t imply that there aren’t global initiatives that aim to unearth and realize the full potential of talented youths. Created by Schimdt Futures and Rhodes Trust, Rise is a program that finds brilliant people who need opportunity and supports them for life as they work to serve others. The program starts at ages 15–17 and offers access to benefits that last a lifetime including scholarships, mentorship, access to career development opportunities, funding, and more as Global Winners work toward solving humanity's most pressing problems.
Regardless of the country they live in, the background they come from, or the academic experience they have, there is an opportunity for each applicant with the Rise program. The program is also open to applicants interested in science, innovation, technology, art, policy, community organizing, or any other discipline. Through trusted partnerships with global institutions, the program has established unparalleled access to excellent students in low-resourced communities.
Research has shown that partnerships are integral parts of successful projects and businesses. RISE also depends on partnerships with global institutions that have long been committed to identifying and supporting young people with the potential to build a better world. Such organisations cut across the social, public, and private sectors —including schools, universities, non-profits, advocacy groups, businesses, and others. Leveraging partnerships has ensured the sourcing of the right talents who may have been undiscovered or unsupported and connected them to scholarships, internships, and opportunities around the world. Rise builds on an existing partnership between Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust, including the creation of the Schmidt Science Fellows program and each organization has realized the power of building a network of exceptional talent.
Each year, Rise invites 15–17-year-olds from around the world to participate in the Rise Challenge. Unlike many traditional applications, Rise uses videos, projects, and group interviews so applicants have multiple opportunities to showcase their potential. For applicants without access to technology, Rise offers alternative low-tech pathways through web browsers and paper applications. The Rise challenge occurs in three stages. Applicants introduce themselves through videos, create an individual project that demonstrates their talents and benefits their communities, and peer review other applicants' projects, among other activities.
After applicants complete the Rise Challenge, Rise selects up to 500 Finalists to advance to "Finalist Days," where they demonstrate their motivations, problem-solving abilities, and teamwork skills in an innovative interview format. From the 500 Finalists, Rise selects 100 Global Winners to receive a lifetime of benefits as they work to serve others.
Application for the year 3 cohort is currently open. For more information on the Program, interested participants are encouraged to apply here Rise | Apply to Rise (risefortheworld.org)
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Source: Legit.ng
