Supporting Tomorrow’s Leaders

You may have seen the news that SAP is partnering with Yale University and University of the People to help improve access to education, and support excellence in future generations. I’m so proud to work for a company that recognizes it’s our duty to do just this.

For Yale, we’re sponsoring the Yale Cyber Leadership Forum, which is about supporting next-generation technologists to fight cybercrime. As businesses continue to shift their operations to the cloud at pace, it’s so important that we invest in keeping the environment safe and secure. It’s also about making this opportunity available to a diverse community of learners, which much of this funding will be directed to do.

University of the People is a powerful institution; the first nonprofit, tuition-free, American-accredited online university dedicated to global access to higher education. We’re sponsoring a scholarship program for 18-30-year-old refugees and displaced young people to study computer science or business administration. Data from UNICEF suggests only 3% of refugees have access to higher education, so we hope to make a really positive impact here. 

When it comes to young people, we have a responsibility as role models to make sure they’re supported in all that they do. This means they’ll stand a better chance of feeling assured of their place in their world.  

I learned this lesson early; I started coaching basketball at 14, where I was both a role model for my peers, and responsible for communicating the benefits of this great sport to their parents. This experience had a hugely positive impact on my personal development. 

At SAP, we touch so many communities around the world, and giving back is a top priority for us. We have the power to use technology for good, and share this ethos with our customers, partners, and future generations. 

Here’s to supporting tomorrow’s leaders - and I look forward to the opportunity to learn from them, too.