Bosch sponsors dedicated robotics lab at Deutsche Schule Pretoria, South Africa

Commitment to furthering science education in Africa
Young learners in Gauteng invent their future at dedicated school robotics lab
Outreach initiative to benefit a wider circle of learners

Johannesburg, South Africa – Bosch, a leading global supplier of technology and services in the fields of Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy & Building Technology, sponsors dedicated robotics lab at Deutsche Schule Pretoria (DSP, German School). The lab was officially inaugurated on 15 September 2015, in the presence of his Excellency, Mr. Walter Lindner, German Ambassador to South Africa and Dr. Markus Thill, President, Bosch Region Africa.

Skills building through applied robotics from Kindergarten to High School
“The DSP has shown forward-thinking by integrating robotics into its curriculum. The robotics teams have represented South Africa at the World Robot Olympiad, both nationally and internationally and their successes speak for themselves! Bosch is honoured to support the DSP’s robotics lab,” said Dr. Markus Thill.

Robotics was introduced at DSP in 2011 and is available to learners from Kindergarten to High School, offering increasing levels of complexity. Kindergarten learners start out by building robots with Lego robotics kits, and then gradually progress to solving technical challenges such as having their robots play soccer or navigate uneven terrain. At a more advanced level, the youth learn programming skills. Bosch sponsors the Lego robotics kits, learners’ competition shirts, and supported the recent refurbishment of the lab facilities.

Outreach initiative to benefit a wider circle of learners
The school recently started an outreach initiative, making its robotics programme available to learners outside of DSP, in the Pretoria area and eventually beyond – empowering the next generation of Africans to invent their future.
Warren Markley, Head of Robotics at the DSP, says: “We are very pleased to make robotics accessible to learners from communities outside of the DSP”.
The DSP German International School in Pretoria, founded in 1897, serves Kindergarten through grade 12, and has German and English streams. There are currently 846 pupils enrolled.

Bosch committed to furthering education and skills building in Africa
True to its claim ‘invented for life’, and in the spirit of its founder, Robert Bosch, the company is committed to improving quality of life wherever it operates. Bosch has been present in Africa since 1906 through its network of partners and distributors. The company sees Africa as a major long-term growth market and is currently present on the continent with subsidiaries in South Africa (Manufacturing plant for automotive parts and assembly of packaging machinery for the agri-food sector), Kenya, Nigeria, Angola, Mozambique, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, and Ghana. In 2014, Bosch generated sales of some 350 million Euro and employed more than 760 associates in Africa.

Bosch is committed to fostering young talent in Africa and is the initiator of “Afrika kommt!”, a programme for budding business leaders from the continent, sponsored by German industry leaders. A scholarships is offered to African junior executives, where they spend one year in Germany completing professional training at German companies. The 2015 intake hosts participants from Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana currently training at Bosch divisions in Germany. From March 2016 onwards Bosch will offer them available positions at Bosch in their respective home countries, thus fostering intercultural exchange and skills transfer.

For further inquiries and high resolution images please contact:
Miriam Daepp
Phone: Tel. +27 (11) 651 9609
Email: miriam.daepp@za.bosch.com

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 360,000 associates worldwide (as per April 1, 2015). The company generated sales of
49 billion euros in 2014.* Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology.
The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 440 subsidiary and
regional companies in some 60 countries. Including its sales and service partners, Bosch is represented in roughly 150 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. In 2014, Bosch applied for some 4,600 patents worldwide. The Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to create solutions for a connected life. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is “Invented for life.”

The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.

Additional information is available online on www.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com, http://twitter.com/BoschPresse

*The sales figure disclosed for 2014 does not include the former joint ventures BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH (now BSH Hausgeräte GmbH) and ZF Lenksysteme GmbH (now Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH), which have since been taken over completely.

Author: Miriam Daepp from Robert Bosch Pty Ltd.
More Info link: https://www.dspretoria.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Robotics-Classes-Saturdays-2015.pdf
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BoschAfrica

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