Fujitsu Helps Create Costa Rica’s Scientists of the Future

News facts:
  • Fujitsu initiative creates three new STEM subject labs at local technical school for 5-12-year-olds, providing computers and robotics teaching equipment plus technical skills and engagement from local employees
  • Each of the school’s 250 students will use the labs at least twice a week, with a strong emphasis on encouraging STEM learning and careers across traditional gender gaps
  • Fujitsu has also engaged its partners Microsoft and AWS in the project, multiplying the total investment

Heredia – Costa Rica, March 16, 2022

Fujitsu has helped create three new school labs at the CTP-CIT School in Belén, Costa Rica. The goal is to encourage students aged 5-12 – particularly girls – to engage with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. An inauguration ceremony at the school marked the opening, where Andres Valenciano, Foreign Commerce Minister of Costa Rica, thanked Fujitsu and its partners Microsoft and AWS for their initiative.

The project aims to expand students’ interests in STEM topics and deliver greater insight into the power and opportunities for careers in these fields. The labs provide the necessary space, technologies and teacher training to expand the school’s STEM teaching capabilities, with three new teaching spaces in a Science Lab, a Robotics Lab and an Innovation and Technology Lab. Fujitsu donated 215 computers and teaching kits, other science equipment, and technical skills and engagement provided by local Fujitsu employees.

Each of the school’s 250 students will use the labs at least twice a week, with access also available for a further 250 students attending schools in the surrounding area. A key objective for the initiative is to encourage schoolgirls into STEM subjects. “Women in Costa Rica have traditionally not had a strong participation in STEM careers,” explains Alex Sanchez, Head of Cross GDC Networks at Fujitsu and part of Fujitsu’s Distinguished Engineers program. “We want to create exposure to those subjects at an early stage in girls’ education before biases from this gender gap become entrenched.”

Fujitsu is a significant employer in the Belén metropolitan area, with 425 employees at its Global Delivery Center, one of its eight centers of service delivery excellence located around the world. Fujitsu already has a strong relationship with the CTP-CIT school and has enabled it to provide remote learning for students since the COVID-19 pandemic began. “The CTP-CIT school is a specialist technical school within the Belén community”, says Jeannette Cortes, Director of the CTP-CIT School. “Partnering with Fujitsu is a natural fit for us in terms of helping to educate potential employees of the future. It opens the students’ minds to the great career opportunities available in science and technology and enables us to give them the excellent STEM skills they need to pursue that path.”

The initiative is part of Fujitsu’s Global Delivery Responsible Business Program (GRiP). This centers around supporting the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as eradicating poverty, providing quality education, and ensuring healthcare and wellbeing for all. For Fujitsu employees, the scheme involves engaging their skills and knowledge – both technical and soft – with the local communities in which they live and work.

Fujitsu’s Sekinin Fund supports the Costa Rican scheme. This accepts proposals from Fujitsu employees twice a year for projects that engage with the UN SDGs, based on both engagement and the potential benefit to the relevant community. From the fund, Fujitsu provided an initial US $16,000 contribution (now raised to $60,000) in the form of 215 computers for the programming and technology lab, Lego robotic kits, science equipment, furniture, and program support, as well as lab setup.

The estimated joint contribution from Fujitsu, Microsoft, and AWS is $88,000. Microsoft has provided 215 licenses for Minecraft for Education and shirts and tablets for kids during the inauguration event. AWS is covering some construction and decoration costs for the labs and onboarding the school as an AWS Educate institution to provide certifications and learning paths for students. All three partners will also donate paid employee time to lead “Tech Talks” in different subjects such as cybersecurity, networks, cloud technology, AI, big data, science, math, and statistics.

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About Fujitsu

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 126,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$34 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. For more information, please see https://www.fujitsu.com/

Fujitsu’s Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015 represent a set of common goals to be achieved worldwide by 2030. Fujitsu’s purpose – “to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation” – is a promise to contribute to the vision of a better future empowered by the SDGs.

Fujitsu’s Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015 represent a set of common goals to be achieved worldwide by 2030. Fujitsu’s purpose – “to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation” – is a promise to contribute to the vision of a better future empowered by the SDGs.

All other company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice.


Date: March 16, 2022
City: Heredia – Costa Rica