Adamed brings together leading young talents in one place. The ninth edition of the ADAMED SmartUP science camp has started.

Adamed Pharma has consistently been implementing a policy of responsible social impact. This idea is reflected by the long-standing successful ADAMED SmartUP education programme. As part of the company’s activities which support the academic development of the most talented youth, 16 July 2023 saw the inauguration of the 9th science camp organised under the programme. Every year, fifty gifted students aged 14-19 are invited by Adamed Foundation to take part in lectures and practical workshops under the guidance of experienced scientists. The camp will last until 28 July, while the winners of this year’s edition will be announced at the formal closing gala in September.

For the last 9 years Adamed Foundation has organised the ADAMED SmartUP education programme aimed at secondary school students fascinated by exact and life sciences. The aim of the project is to support the most gifted young people in the development of their talents. ADAMED SmartUP promotes exact and natural sciences among young people and supports young scientific talents, enabling them to cooperate with the best Polish and foreign universities. Adamed Foundation’s activity fits within the pillars of Adamed Pharma’s corporate social responsibility strategy. The values associated with the programme include the creation of a unique community of ADAMED SmartUp alumni. It is a community of young people from across Poland who support each other’s development and inspire each other, while making friends and forging new relationships. Importantly, previous editions’ alumni work together with the Adamed Foundation in the programme, returning to the science camps as teachers or interns.

“Being aware of the essential role of education in creating a better future, 9 years ago we initiated the ADAMED SmartUP programme, which supports the most talented students from across Poland in developing their scientific talent. Science is the basis of development in all areas of life and the cornerstone of modern economies. That is why we have been successfully supporting young, talented enthusiasts of exact and life sciences for almost a decade, so that they can spread their wings while pursuing their interests, take their first steps on the path towards a career in science and better understand their future working environment,”  says Katarzyna Dubno, Director for External Relations, ESG and Health Economics at Adamed Pharma and Member of the Management Board of Adamed Foundation.

Every year, several thousand passionate teenagers apply to each edition of the programme, eager to deepen their knowledge. From among them, candidates with a bold outlook on science are selected to improve their skills under the guidance of practitioners and build valuable competencies for the future during the summer camp. A total of 400 students have so far been invited to take part in all editions of the programme – another 50 gifted youngsters will join them this year. Like in previous years, camp participants will work in four themed groups. This time, these will include: Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medicine and Medical Sciences, Engineering and Robotics as well as Physics and Astronomy – the latest addition to the camp’s offering.

“The education programme of ADAMED SmartUP camps leaves a lot of room for our young participants to make use of their skills and take plenty of opportunities to seek knowledge independently. Research work requires invention and patience – breakthroughs are usually achieved by trial and error. The workshops have been prepared in collaboration with experienced researchers and the topics addressed during the classes are a valuable extension of school curricula. We are keen for camp participants to learn as much as possible in practice – through experiments and observations,” emphasizes Martyna Strupczewska, Head of the ADAMED SmartUP Programme.

More than science

The ADAMED SmartUP science camp offers its participants a chance to enhance their knowledge and acquire valuable skills, but it is also a unique opportunity to establish the first serious relationships in the scientific community. Teenagers from all over Poland who share an interest in exact and natural sciences will spend two busy weeks working together. This will offer plenty of opportunities for groupwork activities, to help them get to know each other better during joint projects.

Camp participants will also work on their soft skills, which are in high demand in scientific circles and in the labour market, e.g. by taking part in public speaking workshops. The teenagers will also visit Adamed’s Research and Development Centre in Pieńków and the National Centre for Nuclear Research.

A new scientific adventure is only just beginning

The camp will last until 28 July, but this will not bring this year’s edition of the programme to a close. In September, 10 participants who achieve the highest score in class will receive the ADAMED SmartUP programme main prize. The winners will be offered education consultations aligned with their individual needs throughout the next 10 months. In addition, after a year of intensive work, three of them will receive financial scholarships which they will be able to use to further their development and fulfil their scientific dreams.

Foreign guests

Since 2019, the educational and scholarship ADAMED SmartUP Program has been carried out also in Vietnam. The Vietnamese edition is held in collaboration with the Polish-Vietnamese Friendship High School in Hanoi, and its 4th edition will terminate at the end of the school year in May. The three winners of the Vietnamese edition have come to Poland and are participating in some of the lectures and practical workshops held during the science camp.

Programme website: https://adamedsmartup.pl/