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After a long hiatus since 2018, the Go Digital Night a learning celebration made a grand return!
On a lovely Friday afternoon on August 2nd, the SAP Headquarters in Walldorf hosted an amazing learning party! More than 250 tech enthusiasts aged 12 and up, as well as educators, gathered for this special event, and the air was filled with curiosity and passion for continuous learning. During the event, we had international scientists, educators, and SAP teams leading workshops on various topics, from programming a microcontroller to understanding artificial intelligence or shaping an own sustainable business model or exploring SAP business software such as Success Factors and SAP Business Technology Platform. Or you could participate in crafting activities, such as using a digital embroidery machine or working with mandalas. There was something for everyone!
As the event kicked off, with an inspirational introduction by Christiane Bauer, the founder of SAP Young Thinkers and Jadga Huegle, researcher and part of the Snap! team, everyone dived headfirst into a world of creativity and innovation. This scene was followed with a role-playing warm-up lead by Matthias Haase from the Wissensfabrik where the participants could be a part of the internet and get an overview of how data and requests are transferred.
The theme "Code, create, celebrate" set the tone for the evening, guiding us through a series of awesome workshops led by enthusiastic experts.
- Pixel Art: In this workshop, Michael Winckler from IWR University of Heidelberg, showed participants how images were created from numbers. “We didn't even need a computer because the translation of images into numbers, called "coding," could also be understood without electronics”.
- Snap!GPT: In this workshop, Jens Mönig, a researcher at SAP, showed the functionality and intelligence of AI language models using Snap!, together they programmed an algorithm for generating stories, and examined how different media influenced artificial creativity.
- Mandalas Ojo de Dios: In this workshop, Jana Podobnik an enthusiastic SAP UX designer, created with the participants their own mandalas from wool. Experiencing in this way the cultural and spiritual significance of the "Ojo de Dios" tradition and promoted mindfulness and creative expression in the middle of digital atmosphere.
- Art with Snap!: In this workshop, Gerd, Volker and Kitty Luise from “Mit Rat und Tat” presented how to create fascinating artwork using the Snap! programming language through creative use of movement, color, and randomness, with the option to experience this in teams of two.
- Robotics: In this workshop, one of the longtime Next – Gen 4 ALL ambassador, Andreas Huppert, introduced the participants to the challenge of building and programming robots like Lego EV3, Boost, and mBot without prior knowledge.
- Sustainable Business Model: In this workshop, former working students who founded their own company, WÖRK.APP taught the participants about how to use the Business Model Canvas method to develop and validate a startup idea from different perspectives in small teams.
- BTP Diamond Game: In the SAP BTP Diamond Game, Yuri Kupriianov, a SAP University Alliance team member, invited older participants like parents to playfully experience the SAP Business Technology Platform by making strategic decisions as executives and overcoming business challenges to gain practical insights into the application of SAP BTP.
- MicroBlocks: In this workshop, Peter Mathijssen, the organizer of fosdem junior showed the participants how to control a computer remotely as if with a remote control. They programmed a microcontroller in MicroBlocks that interacted with their Snap! game or artwork. Through this, they discovered the world of sensors and what was possible with them.
- Turtlestitch: In this session, Jadga Hügle and the TurtleStitch Gang (educators who joined the event after attending Snap!Shot 2024) programmed patterns with Turtlestitch and transferred them to the real world using an embroidery machine or a cutting plotter. It was amazing! They even sewed a small Alonzo, the sweet character of Snap!
In summary, there was a lot explore everything from programming languages like Snap! to virtual reality, coding, AI, robotics, and even how to develop sustainable business ideas. Not only our young audience was busy learning but also engaged parents, colleagues and teachers participated in workshops designed for adults. The learning opportunities were practically endless!
But it wasn't just about the workshops – the sense of community and teamwork was just as exciting. We found ourselves sharing knowledge, collaborating, and cheering each other on. The SAP University Alliance team wants to extend our biggest thanks to our amazing collaborators from other SAP teams and our external community members:
- SAP Vocational Training: Together with the vocational training team we learned directly from the source about the training and study opportunities at SAP.
- SAP Experience Garage: At this stand, visitors had the opportunity to experience augmented reality in both "old" and "new" forms through two different examples, showcasing the advancements and changes in technology over time.
- Virtual Reality with SAP Success Factors: Visitors had the opportunity to immerse themselves in virtual worlds and explore how VR technology is utilized in companies, offering a glimpse into the future of digital innovation.
- Core Game with School 42 | Heilbronn: Here, School 42 a tuition-free, non-profit and innovative coding school offered a unique approach to education. The International Bot Game Coding Competition provided programmers of all levels with the opportunity to enhance their skills, take on challenges, and engage in discussions with fellow enthusiasts.
- Wissensfabrik: At this stand, participants were able to independently test the IT2school AI materials and learn through unplugged examples how machines could become artificially intelligent, such as classifying monkeys or defeating individuals in farmers' chess.
- TUMO Mannheim: TUMO Mannheim, a creative learning center that provides practical workshops in technology, design, and media for young people to develop their creative and technical skills in an interactive setting, also was present and showed our offers and resources with the audience.
Thanks, big time also to all of our SAP Next- Gen 4 ALL ambassadors, Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing “IWR” (University of Heidelberg), University of Berkeley, University of Warwick and our external partners. Your contribution made this event truly special, impactful and unforgettable.
The event was filled with dynamic energy and provided a rich learning experience, as captured in these heartfelt interview highlights.
- "I think it was very nice how the Go Digital Night was designed. It was very appealing for both young learners and adults."
- "I liked that each stand had several people and that thee workshops were very individual as a result."
- "I really enjoyed it. It was a fun experience, and I learned something new."
- "The Virtual Reality workshop was really great, the (technology) is just incredible!"
- "I learned something new and beautiful (Mandalas Workshop)!"
- "I think that the Go Digital Night was great! You could decide for yourself what you wanted to learn, and I learned a lot of new things today!"
- “I'm thrilled to be here, because I am receiving such valuable feedback for our product from the GDN participants”. – SAP Success Factors colleague
As the evening progressed, we took a break to refuel with some delicious pizza and recharge our energy for the rest of the event. The lively atmosphere continued with a spontaneous dance party, complete with colorful balloons bouncing around the room. It was a joyful interlude that added an extra layer of fun to an already incredible evening!
As the night came to an end, we left with hearts full of inspiration, looking forward to the next exciting chapter of Go Digital Night. It was an unforgettable night, filled with laughter, learning, and the joy of discovery!
Thank you to all the supporters and organizers, we would love to celebrate more learning next year.
Event video:
You'll rather get an impression through moving images? Then check out our event recap video:
Key resources:
If you would like to take part next time, please check our SAP University Alliances and SAP Young Thinkers offerings on our website.
- SAP Young Thinkers | Who we are: link
- SAP University Alliances | Who we are: link
- SAP Young Thinkers | SAP Community: link
- Student opportunities at SAP: check it out here!
If you are already in the mood of getting started on your own dive into our online learning offerings here.
- Student Zone: Curated learning content for students.
- Snap!: Fun programming language.
Do not hesitate to reach out for any questions or to engage via youngthinkers@sap.com.
