Adelaide, South Australia to host biennial VEX Robotics competitions in 2021 (March and December), 2023 and 2025
ADELAIDE, Australia – (November 20, 2020) – VEX Robotics, leaders in providing educational and competitive robotics products to schools, universities, and robotics teams around the world, in conjunction with the Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation are excited to announce South Australia is set to become the home of the biennial VEX Robotics Australian National Championship.
South Australia’s bid to host the event prepared by the Adelaide Convention Bureau included support from the Hon Steven Marshall MP, Premier of South Australia; Hon John Gardner, South Australia Minister for Education; Professor Caroline McMillen, Chief Scientist of South Australia; and Sandy Verschoor, City of Adelaide Lord Mayor.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled about this new partnership with South Australia and the Adelaide Convention Bureau, it will allow us to do great things in the robotics space. With over 60 SA schools registered to compete in our local VEX Robotics competitions this year, South Australia’s enthusiasm and commitment to embedding robotics education are unmistakable,” said Heath May, Managing Director. “With the challenging year we have had thrown at us, the role of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has never been more important – not only for delivering the immediate response to the current global pandemic, but also our post pandemic economic recovery.”
Following the success of the 2019 championship, which was held in Adelaide, South Australian schools have continued to engage with VEX Robotics as a valuable tool for STEM-based inquiry learning. The VEX Robotics Australian National Championships presents an opportunity to strengthen the commitment of VEX and the REC Foundation to ensuring accessible, relevant, and quality explorative STEM learning for South Australia’s young people.
The goal of this event aligns with the South Australian Government’s EXCITE and FIXE Startup and Entrepreneurship strategies and complements the Department of Education’s $250 million ‘STEM Works’ investment plan rolled out to 139 schools (75,000 students) to enrich teaching and learning.
“The VEX National Australian Robotics Championships provides an opportunity to inspire our next generation of STEM professionals through their participation in healthy competition with their international peers,” said Professor McMillen. “The participants in these events will benefit from, and contribute to, South Australia’s research in such sectors as agriculture, defence and space, health, energy and mining.”
Leading the response to the COVID-19 crisis, South Australia has been able to contain its cases of the novel coronavirus with its testing and tracing capabilities, and has set a tentative date for the 2021 VEX National Australian Robotics Championship to be held on March 5-7.
For more information please visit https://www.vex.com/.
Premier of South Australia, Hon. Steven Marshall MP quote
I’m delighted that the Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation have selected Adelaide as their preferred host destination for the VEX National Robotics Championships in 2021, 2023 and 2025. Hosting this prestigious business event over a 4-year period presents an innovative platform to inspire our next generation of STEM professionals and enhance STEM learning for South Australia’s young people. It will also continue to cement Adelaide’s reputation as ‘the State of Science’
Damien Kitto, CEO Adelaide Convention Bureau quote
The ACB is delighted our bid strategy means Adelaide will be the home of ‘The VEX Robotics Australian National Championship’,” said Damien Kitto ACB CEO. “SA is fast becoming the national home of STEM and leading edge Space and AI research, and the ACB is keen to encourage more such events to Adelaide so young adults can recognise us as such a destination.
Minister for Education, Hon John Gardner MP Quote
I am very excited about bringing the VEX Robotics Championships to Adelaide in 2021, 2023 and 2025. This competition helps our young people to recognise their potential and further encourages STEM learning in a competitive setting.
About VEX Robotics
VEX Robotics is a leading provider of educational and competitive robotics products to schools, universities, and robotics teams around the world. The VEX IQ and VEX EDR product lines span elementary, middle, and high schools with accessible, scalable, and affordable robotics solutions. Beyond science and engineering principles, a VEX Robotics project encourages teamwork, leadership, and problem solving among groups. It allows educators to easily customize projects to meet the level of students’ abilities as they inspire and prepare the STEM problem-solvers of tomorrow.
About the Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation
The Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation’s mission is to increase student interest and involvement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by engaging students in hands-on, affordable, and sustainable robotics engineering programs.
Media Contact: ChizComm Ltd. | www.chizcomm.com on behalf of Vex Robotics Kassandra O’Brien | 416.551.0822 x356 | kobrien@chizcomm.com
