Amalia Constantinopoulou, co-founder of The Tipping Point, an NGO, explains how 5G in education will go a long way towards promoting greater social inclusion and universal access to quality knowledge and skills.

Manolis from Crete wants to learn about organic crops, while Vassiliki from Veria shares his experience of running his agritourism division. Maria from Neohori Arthas asks George, an engineer at the CERN research center, everything about particle physics and sees what he learned in class in practice. These are just two of the more than 40,000 students from all over Greece who have been able to meet and learn from role models who excel in their field through The Tipping Point. This is a public organization that connects students from all over the country with successful professionals from around the world, through the most advanced digital tools and networks. These outstanding professionals have the opportunity to share the experience and knowledge they have gained along their personal journey with young people who are ready to forge their own career path and are looking for inspiration and guidance.

“I grew up in Evinochori, near Messolonga. I went to Athens to study, and after graduation I worked in several different fields, choosing the path quite by accident,” recalls Ms. Amalia Konstantinopoulou, co-founder of The Tipping Point. “So at some point, I realized that decisions regarding my studies and professional life were made unconsciously, while I found that most people around me have similar stories that they can share: critical decisions that they adopted almost by chance in their lives or as a result of interacting with 2-3 role models they happened to meet and admire. On the occasion of this discovery, some of them and I did what we also wanted to have when we were young, and had to decide what we would do with our lives and what we would like to be, as we usually say when we grow up. .

With technology as an ally

The tipping point is a prime example of how digital transformation acts as a catalyst to mitigate social inequalities by providing its members with access to services and identities from every corner of the globe. “Through The Tipping Point, with the help of technology, students on the islands, in remote villages of the periphery, in the suburbs of large cities, expand their horizons and opportunities, receive answers to their questions, from role models who work as mentors – from doctors and farmers of the neighboring island to NASA engineers,” says Ms. Konstantinopoulou.

The network’s schools are located in many different areas, from Didimotiho to Kastelorizo ​​and from Aridia to Ierapetra. Thanks to technology, even schools in remote areas are gaining new links to the world and access to tools, platforms, information and opportunities that were not available in the past. “The learning process can be enriched and made more interactive, and at the same time, we can talk about the democratization of learning, as students in remote areas gain daily access through their classrooms to people and knowledge that they would not otherwise have” — emphasizes Ms. Constantakopoulou.

Investment 7 billion

The full rollout of 5G networks marks the transition to a new digital era of unlimited possibilities with higher data rates, faster response times and greater energy efficiency. Investments by telecommunications service providers in the coming years will reach 7 billion euros and are mainly related to broadband access infrastructure (5G and fiber), contributing to the development of fully connected ecosystems. 5G networks are the perfect tool to facilitate digital convergence, allowing initiatives like The Tipping Point to thrive on high speeds, absolute reliability and responsiveness. Access to 5G networks will change the way the parties involved communicate and connect. The Tipping Point, for example, will be able to bring in holograms of people who excel in their field to bring the experience of interacting with interested students one step closer to real contact using augmented reality technology. “Excellent connectivity and high speeds are the most critical technology element for the success of The Tipping Point programs, both synchronous and asynchronous. In particular, the modern operation involves hosting live online sessions between groups of students and mentors on the day and time set by the school. The network plays an extremely important role, as a fast connection means uninterrupted communication without delays and wasting valuable time. Also, an asynchronous function – the so-called topics – provides students with questions to mentors through a mobile application, while the latter answer in the form of a short video up to 100”. 5G networks greatly contribute to the experience of both parties, as mentors can securely exchange large amounts of data or immediately answer students’ questions wherever they are using simple mobile data, while students can continue to interact from a smartphone by asking additional questions. “. explains Ms. Constantinopooulou.

Unlimited Possibilities

The future of network development will open the door to unlimited possibilities for 5G users who will have immediate access to information, files and information in real time without interference or delay. Education industries can use 5G mobile applications along with modern 3D printers to create 3D models, which will lead the educational process into a new era that will provide a completely new educational experience for both students and teachers. “With new networks, education could have an important new ally. Distances are eliminated, students can be connected in real time to any region of the planet, and the educational process is enhanced by the possibility of interactive tools, activities and programs based on technology. This means that the incentives received, for example, by a student in Kastelorizo, come from anywhere in the world, quickly, brightly and easily,” emphasizes Ms. Constantinopooulou. “The use of 5G in education will make a significant contribution to greater social inclusion and universal access to quality knowledge and skills.”