International school invests in STEAM design center

Inauguration ceremony of Saigon South International School's Secondary School and STEAM Design Center - Photo: SSIS

Center area ^7,100m2

The center is located on the new SSIS secondary school campus, which includes two buildings with modern design and facilities. The school aims to educate young generations with high knowledge and skills, especially in science and technology, expecting them to have the stature of leaders, capable of creating the future.

The campus has a total area of ^{​​56,600m2} , of which the secondary school building is ^10,600m2 and the STEAM Design Center is ^7,100m2 . The project was designed and constructed by Flansburgh Architects (Boston, USA), Phu My Hung Company and VICONS.

The STEAM Design Center includes 17 learning spaces with two makerspaces, independent science research, art, and multiple private group work spaces.

In addition, in the secondary school building, the school built a Blackbox art house; a sports gymnasium; a dance room and 35 classrooms with flexible seating, 10 collaboration rooms; two libraries with more than 6,000 books, 18,000 online publications...

According to the founders, Mr. Lawrence Ting and Mr. Ferdinand Tsien, education is the foundation of progress, helping each individual to maximize their potential. During the inauguration ceremony, Dr. Catriona Moran - Principal of Saigon South International School - shared that the school meticulously designed its facilities to maximize creativity, innovation and collaboration skills.

'Considering the learning space as a 'third teacher', together with the training program and highly specialized teachers, we want to help students develop comprehensive knowledge and personality. They will grow up to be talented in science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics and maybe more,' she emphasized.

Therefore, after the inauguration of the center, SSIS will add 12 new STEAM-related courses to the curriculum.

Starting from the 2024-2025 school year, the school will offer courses in Design Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Automation, Fashion and Garment Materials. In parallel, SSIS will expand the VEX Robot competition and send students to compete in FIRST Robotics for the first time in 2025-2026.

SSIS Secondary School Campus and STEAM Design Center - Photo: SSIS

Dr. Catriona Moran added that the opening of a new secondary school and STEAM Design Center gives SSIS students the opportunity to learn and gain knowledge, and apply knowledge to practice right at school.

STEAM plays an important role

The interdisciplinary knowledge of STEAM subjects including Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics plays an important role in today's society.

Therefore, with the STEAM Design Center, students can experience real-life creative tools, thereby developing creative thinking in an era of rapidly developing technology.

Attending the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu - Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City - said that Nam Saigon International School is the first unit in the locality to invest in building a STEAM design center, equipping the necessary facilities for students to focus on learning according to the STEM method.

He highly appreciated the living, studying and researching space at the center, which gives students many experiences, creates conditions for exchanging and applying knowledge of subjects to solve practical problems.

'Students can work together in groups. With individual creativity, they research to create products that serve their studies and are useful to the community,' he added.

In addition, the school plans to continuously improve and update, upgrade standards to accompany teachers and students of public schools in the city. The unit wants to turn this STEAM space into a place where teachers and students throughout Ho Chi Minh City can study, discuss, and share with SSIS.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/truong-quoc-te-dau-tu-cho-trung-tam-thiet-ke-steam-20240525103118885.htm