7th SWEEP Awards on March 9

MANILA, Philippines –  The public is invited to view innovative wireless applications by engineering schools nationwide during Smart Communications’ 7th SWEEP Innovation and Excellence Awards at the SMX Convention Center on March 9.

On display are the top 10 entries out of 133 submitted by 26 of Smart’s partner schools under the Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP), an industry-academe partnership which seeks to raise the level of technology and engineering education, particularly in the field of Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE).

The finalists include entries from the Ateneo de Naga University, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Batangas State University, Bulacan State University, Holy Cross of Davao College, Mapua Institute of Technology, University of Baguio, University of San Carlos and University of Southeastern Philippines.

All the entries are designed to address local concerns or problems in line with the theme “Empowering Communities through Wireless Technologies.” Winners will receive cash prizes of as much as P1 million, with P500,000 for the champion and an equivalent amount going to the school in the form of a grant.

The 7th SWEEP Awards also includes the PalaECEpan quiz bee, which tests the intellectual prowess of student contestants from SWEEP partner schools. Smart is hosting this year’s PalaECEpan together with the Institute of Electronics Engineers of the Philippines (IECEP), which has accredited the event as an activity where its members can earn Continuing Professional Education (CPE) points for the renewal of their professional licenses.

Smart’s culminating activity of its annual search for innovative wireless applications development also includes the finale of its 3rd Doon Po Sa Amin (DPSA) Learning Challenge as well as two additional online content generation contests – the DPSA Quest and “Ano ang Kuwento Mo?”

All three contests are part of Smart’s efforts to get schools to use computer and Internet technologies to contribute Web-based information and educational materials unique to their locality via the DPSA project. The DPSA Learning Challenge is open to public high school SSP partners while the DPSA Quest accommodates entries from their elementary counterparts. Meanwhile, “Ano ang Kuwento Mo?” solicits video blog entries from all schools nationwide.

The schools vying for the top prizes in these online contests will also be fielding contestants to the DPSA Quiz Bee.

Smart has been holding the SWEEP Awards since 2004 to promote a culture of innovation and excellence in wireless applications development. The annual search has since evolved into an opportunity for partner schools to design entries in consultation with local groups to address real concerns or problems within their respective communities.