The digital transformation of the innovation education laboratory center - ICTSlab
Unlock the power of innovation with ICTSlab's digital platform! Learn coding, robotics, entrepreneurship, and more from anywhere in the Western Balkans. Virtual classes, mentoring, and real-time counseling for ages 10-15 and 16-21, twice a week for a full year. Expanding the youth horizons with ICTSlab.
With this platform, ICTSlab will be able to expand from a limited services of a physical space located in Tirana to an offer at a wider geographical scope that includes Western Balkans&Diaspora
Regional
Albania
With this platform, ICTSlab will be able to expand its existing limited services from a physical space located in Tirana to an offer at a wider geographical scope that includes Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, as well as the Albanian diaspora.
The existing platform is currently limited to the Albanian language only. The video's of the courses will be recorded in Albanian language, targeting all citizens of the above mentioned countries that are able to speak, read and write Albanian language.
However at a later stage, we are open to consider the inclusion of other languages spoken in the Western Balkan region.
It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
Yes
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): ICTS Media sh.p.k. Type of organisation: For-profit company First name of representative: Kushtrim Last name of representative: Shala Gender: Male Nationality: Albania If relevant, please select your other nationality: Kosovo Function: Co-Founder and Managing Partner Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Rruga Stavro Vinjau Nd.2, H.9, Ap.7 Town: Tirana Postal code: 1010 Country: Albania Direct Tel:+355 69 222 3905 E-mail:k.shala@ictslab.com Website:https://ictslab.com
ICTSlab is an innovation center in Tirana focused on non-formal education for children and young people. It offers physical education programs, robotics competitions, coding, and support services for start-up acceleration. With the aim of expanding its services, ICTSlab is developing a digital platform to bring online coding classes to children between the ages of 10-15. The online classes will contain 12 months of 60-minute recorded coding lessons accessible twice a week for a full year. The platform will be user-friendly and accessible to children from all over Albania and the diaspora, with the goal of improving digital literacy rates. The main target group is students and parents in non-urban areas with limited access to technology, as well as corporations, international organizations, and public institutions. The long-term vision is to expand services beyond the physical center in Tirana to reach every home in Albania and the diaspora. The platform will also offer packages for corporations to contribute to scholarships for young people.
An analysis by the Brookings Institution found that, as of 2016, 70 percent of jobs in the more than 500 occupations they examined (accounting for 90 percent of all U.S. jobs) require either a medium or high skill level digital.
Beyond workforce development, broadband adoption and digital literacy skills can play a role in developing local economies.
Eurostat's comparative statistics for all European countries revealed that, in 2019, only 21 percent of Albanians aged 16 to 74 had basic digital knowledge. This was the lowest percentage among European countries.
After us comes Bosnia where 24 percent of the adult population has little digital skills, followed by Kosovo with 28 percent of the adult population, Bulgaria with 29 percent and so on.
21st Century Skills
Innovation Education
Coding classes
Startups
Virtual Access
The success and sustainability of ICTSlab as an Innovation Laboratory Center is demonstrated by its financial stability over the past four years. With a growing number of pupils and students, surpassing 200 pupils each year and an increasing demand for courses and registrations, ICTSlab has not only raised awareness in promoting coding education among children, teachers and students, but has also influenced local government decisions, such as the creation of the Tumo Tirana centre and the dedication of the Pyramid of Tirana for children's coding education.
The implementation of digitization in ICTSlab is expected to bring the following tangible results:
The expansion of digital knowledge and skills to remote areas, covering the entire Albanian territory, Albanian-speaking diaspora and other communities.
The promotion of the Albanian language through specialized and qualified instructors and teachers providing video recordings in Albanian for all modules.
The creation of an innovative community for Albanian children, regardless of their location, to learn about technology and STEM, exchange ideas, participate in national and international competitions, and foster their talents in science and mathematical subjects.
Continuous financial growth for ICTSlab.
The aim is to scale up ICTSlab's operations over the next 3-5 years by first validating the product in a large market with a population of 7 million. If successful, the business potential can be analysed within 3 years, leading to the investment of series A and the expansion of ICTSlab into a global company serving multi-lingual markets such as the UK, Germany, France and Italy.
The ICTSlab initiative aims to improve the aesthetics and quality of experience for people through design, positive emotions, and cultural benefits. It does this by offering a digital platform for coding education for children and young people, making it accessible to those who may not have access to advanced technological laboratories. The platform provides an intuitive and friendly experience for students and includes features like recorded classes, direct communication with teachers, monthly progress reports, and individual certifications. The initiative addresses the problem of limited access to technology education and aims to increase digital literacy rates in Albania, especially among students who live in rural areas. The target group includes students and parents, corporations, international organizations, public institutions, schools, and the diaspora. The initiative's impact can be measured by the number of children who gain access to technology education, their level of engagement and satisfaction with the platform, and the increase in digital literacy rates in Albania.
The key objectives of the initiative described were to ensure accessibility and affordability for all, inclusive governance systems, and implementation of design for all principles and new societal models. To achieve these objectives, the initiative has taken several measures to promote inclusiveness.
Firstly, in terms of accessibility, the initiative has focused on making its services and products available to people with diverse abilities and disabilities. This has been achieved through various means, such as providing accessible interfaces and interfaces that can be used by people with disabilities.
Secondly, regarding affordability, the initiative has sought to ensure that its services and products are accessible to people from all socio-economic backgrounds. To achieve this, the initiative has implemented various affordability programs and subsidies, and has also worked to minimize costs associated with its products and services.
Thirdly, the initiative has implemented inclusive governance systems to ensure that all stakeholders, including people with diverse abilities and disabilities, have an equal say in the decision-making processes that impact their lives. This has been achieved through the use of stakeholder engagement processes, consultation mechanisms, and the representation of diverse groups on governing boards and committees.
Finally, the initiative has integrated design for all principles and new societal models into its approach to product development and service delivery. This has been achieved through the use of co-design processes and the integration of user-centered design principles.
In conclusion, the initiative has effectively met its key objectives of inclusion through the implementation of various measures that promote accessibility, affordability, inclusive governance systems, and design for all principles. The initiative serves as an example of how organizations can prioritize inclusiveness and promote a more equitable society.
Citizens benefiting from the ICTSlab initiative are students and parents in non-urban areas who have limited access to advanced technology. The digital platform will provide them with online coding classes and allow them to develop basic programming knowledge and skills from their own homes. Corporations, international organizations, public institutions, public and private schools, and the Albanian diaspora are also included in the target group.
Civic society and citizens will be involved in the initiative by providing feedback on the platform and classes, as well as participating in surveys and assessments of the program's impact. The involvement of civic society and citizens will be critical in ensuring that the program meets the needs and expectations of the target group, and will have a positive impact on the success and sustainability of the initiative.
The stakeholders for the ICTSlab digital platform development project are students and parents, corporations, international organizations and donors, public institutions such as AKPA and the Minister of State for Youth and Children, Ministry of Education, public and private schools, and the Albanian diaspora.
The main target group is students and parents who have limited access to advanced technological laboratories due to their location. The development of the platform will allow ICTSlab to expand its services beyond the physical center in Tirana, reaching every home of Albanians throughout Albania and the diaspora. Corporations and international organizations that prioritize social responsibility and education will be able to offer scholarships through the platform. The business vision is to expand services and offer packages to corporations, ultimately becoming a major player in the online coding education sector.
ICTSlab is a multifunctional innovation center based in Tirana, Albania, that focuses on non-formal education for children and young people. ICTSlab offers various educational programs, including robotics competitions, coding classes, and support services for start-up acceleration in a physical, offline format. However, limited access to these programs and services has limited the growth of ICTSlab. To address this issue, ICTSlab is developing a digital platform to bring online coding classes to children aged 10-15 years in a fun and effective way. The platform will be user-friendly and based on a comprehensive curriculum, with recorded classes and direct consultation with certified teachers. The platform will offer both paid and free programs and will target students and parents who do not live in highly urbanized areas, corporations, international organizations, public institutions, schools, and the diaspora. ICTSlab's competitors include Virtus School, Coding Dojo, Code for Albania, and Holberton School. ICTSlab's vision is to expand its services beyond the physical center in Tirana, reach more people through the digital platform, and offer packages for corporations to contribute to scholarships.
The innovation of ICTSlab's initiative lies in the development of an online platform for coding classes for children aged 10-15 years. This platform will bring coding education to students who do not have access to advanced technological labs due to their location. The platform will be user-friendly, offering recorded coding classes, direct communication with certified teachers, monthly progress reports and individual certifications. With this digital platform, ICTSlab will be able to expand its services beyond its physical center in Tirana, reaching Albanian children and diaspora in all parts of the world. The platform also provides an opportunity for corporations to contribute to education and social responsibility by offering scholarships for students. The vision is to provide quality technological education to the next generation.
Replicable aspects of ICTSlab project:
The development of a digital platform for coding education targeting children and young people.
The creation of a comprehensive and well-structured curriculum for online coding classes.
The use of video recordings, slides and direct consultation with teachers for online classes.
Providing access to paid or free online coding classes based on campaigns and scholarships.
Focusing on making the platform friendly, intuitive and engaging using gaming elements.
Providing monthly progress reports and individual certifications for students.
Catering to students and parents in non-urban areas, corporations with a focus on social responsibility, international organizations, public institutions, and diaspora communities.
Potential for business growth by offering packages for corporations and expanding services beyond the physical center in Tirana.
The approach or methodology used in the ICTSlab Digital Platform Development initiative is focused on providing online coding classes for children aged 10-15 years in an effective and fun way.
The teaching methodology in ICTSlab is based on learning by having fun.
Each curriculum is based on the development of games, where the children are the creators of the games, thus increasing not only their interest in learning coding, but also increasing their self-confidence, creativity, teamwork, critical thinking, and the desire to be creative.
The platform will be designed in a friendly and intuitive manner and will be based on a well-structured curriculum, with video recordings and slides available for download, direct consultation with teachers, and individual certifications. The goal is to expand the services beyond the physical center in Tirana and reach every home of Albanians throughout Albania and the diaspora. The initiative also aims to offer packages for corporations that support the education of young people as a form of social responsibility. The vision is to grow the business in the medium and long term and potentially expand beyond the Albanian territory.
The global challenge addressed by the ICTSlab initiative is to provide access to quality technology education to children and young people in areas with limited access to advanced technological resources, regardless of their geographical location. The initiative provides local solutions through the development of a digital platform offering online coding classes and support services to children, parents, schools, corporations, and international organizations. The vision of the business growth is to expand its services beyond the physical center in Tirana and reach every Albanian home and diaspora, as well as offer packages to corporations for social responsibility in support of young people.
This initiative tackles the following parts of the global sustainable goals:
Quality Education - by providing non-formal education for children and young people, preparing them for the challenges of the 21st century through online coding classes.
Decent Work and Economic Growth - by providing support and mentoring for the realization and development of business ideas, and consulting for small, medium-sized companies, NGOs, and corporations.
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure - by developing a digital platform that provides access to basic programming knowledge and skills, and promoting innovation in the field of technology education.
Reduced Inequalities - by offering education to children and young people who do not live in highly urbanized areas, and by supporting the education of the Albanian diaspora.
Partnerships for the Goals - by working with corporations, international organizations, donors, embassy programs, and public institutions to achieve the shared goal of improving the digital literacy rates in Albania.
Scope of Progress:
ICTSlab, a multifunctional innovation center focused on non-formal education for children and young people, has developed a digital platform to bring online coding classes to a wider audience.
The platform offers 12 months of 60-minute recorded coding classes, available twice a week, with a comprehensive curriculum and direct consultation with certified teachers. The platform is user-friendly and engaging, with gaming elements to make coding fun for children.
The main target group for ICTSlab's platform includes students and parents in non-urban areas, corporations with a focus on social responsibility, international organizations and donors, public institutions, and the Albanian diaspora.
Competitors include Virtus School, Coding Dojo, Code for Albania, and Holberton School.
ICTSlab's vision and growth strategy is to expand its services beyond the physical center in Tirana, making coding education accessible to every Albanian home and beyond. The platform is expected to provide benefits for both direct and indirect beneficiaries, including increased digital literacy rates and improved job opportunities. The next steps in the development of the platform include the full implementation and marketing to the target group.
The ICTSlab initiative aims to develop new competences in children and young people by offering online coding classes and support services. The platform will provide students with access to basic programming knowledge and skills, nurturing confidence in a digital world. The platform will be accessible to all students in the age group of 10-15 years and will be based on a comprehensive and well-structured curriculum. The platform's vision and growth strategy include expanding its services beyond the physical center in Tirana and offering packages for corporations to support young people in the form of scholarships. This initiative aligns with the European competence framework on sustainability by providing education and professional training to young people, thereby contributing to the development of digital literacy rates and improving future job prospects.
