Tamil Nadu
Creating Change Makers of Tomorrow with 21st
Century Skills
Nurture a culture of social innovation and build skills while inspiring young people to become transformative leaders.
The School Innovation Development Project is being implemented by the Entrepreneurship Development and Innovation Institute in collaboration with the Department of School Education and the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
The Entrepreneurship Development and Innovation Institute has been implementing the School Innovation Development Project since 2022. The scheme is working with various objectives, such as encouraging innovation and fostering an entrepreneurial culture among students in classes 9 to 12, studying in all government, government-aided and partially aided higher secondary schools. It aims at developing leadership qualities among students, identifying problems, and motivating them to solve these issues.
The Tamil Nadu Entrepreneurship Development and Innovation Institute (EDII-TN) is a prominent institution specializing in entrepreneurship education and the promotion of innovation within the state. Established as a non-profit organization by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 2001, it falls under the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Department of the state government. Furthermore, EDII-TN serves as the primary state resource centre dedicated to fostering the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation across Tamil Nadu through educational programs, training initiatives, and research activities.
The Tamil Nadu School Education Department is one of the vital government departments in Tamil Nadu. The government of Tamil Nadu places significant emphasis on delivering high-quality education to its future citizens. Education serves as the gateway to a brighter future for today's children, and the early years of schooling establish the groundwork for student's future well-being. The Department of School Education, under the Government of Tamil Nadu, operates with the primary objective of ensuring quality and accessible inclusive education for all children.
The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund(UNICEF) was founded on December 11, 1946, by the United Nations General Assembly with the mission of providing food and healthcare to children in nations ruined by World War II. In 1953, it officially became a permanent institution within the United Nations. UNICEF operates in 155 countries worldwide, primarily focusing on improving community-level services to achieve its larger goal of child welfare and development. UNICEF also serves as a knowledge partner in the School Innovation Development Project.
UPSHIFT is a UNICEF global innovation for transferable skills building of adolescents and young people that is now in implementation in 45 countries. UPSHIFT is designed to build transferable skills and create opportunity, with a focus on the young people. UPSHIFT supports the development of skills for life and livelihood and supports youth to positively engage with their local communities as change-makers. [LEARN MORE ABOUT UPSHIFT ]
UNISOLVE is a digital platform designed to facilitate UPSHIFT delivery through a school-based, teacher-facilitated blended learning model.
UNISOLVE combines the advantages of distance learning opportunities and face-to-face activities to promote creativity and innovation among adolescents and young people. Designed with and for the education system keeping scalability in mind this specially designed platform, UNISOLVE, is a tool to skill students on social innovation and 21st century skills.
Learners are inspired to be part of program and teachers register teams onto the platform.
Learners are part of an interactive and gamified problem solving course by the end of which they solve a problem and submit the idea.
Quality ideas are shortlisted and the student teams are mentored, recognized and awarded.
Finalists are provided support to take their solution into the real world and implement it.