Author: Ekaterina Vekova

The ‘Discovery in a Week’ Initiative

The ‘Discovery in a Week’ Initiative

Ekaterina Vekova

Students from 15 London schools are set to search for as yet undiscovered stars as part of the Mayor’s Fund for London Discovery in a Week initiative. More than 20 London schools have already been involved into the project.

The scientific project, designed by Noosphere – the charitable organisation founded by Russian philanthropist Elena Baturina – in association with the Mayor’s Fund for London and supported by the BE OPEN creative think tank, is devised to introduce young people from across London to the fascinating world of astronomy.

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BE OPEN Announces the Winner of #DesignDetails Open Call

BE OPEN Announces the Winner of #DesignDetails Open Call

Ekaterina Vekova

The BE OPEN Foundation is happy to announce the winner of its spring, global open-call BE OPEN DESIGN DETAILS, which saw several hundred visual entries via Instagram in the four weeks till May 10.

The project called on creative individuals all over the world to try to address the ability to change the way we see the everyday world around us. Using the hashtag #BeOpenDesignDetails the open call aimed to explore the way a creative approach is able to transform the ordinary into the unique and the small into great. The challenge presented the perfect opportunity for creative minds that can find inspiration, and see the unexpected, in the most customary things around us.

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BE OPEN’s New Global Open Call #DesignDetails

BE OPEN’s New Global Open Call #DesignDetails

Ekaterina Vekova

BE OPEN, a creative think tank founded by the international entrepreneur and philanthropist Elena Baturina, is launching its next global open call for visual responses that address the creative ability to change the way we see the usual world around us.

The open call named #BeOpenDesignDetails aims to explore the way creative approach may transform the small into great. It is open for submissions from April 4 to May 10 2017.

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Noosphere’s Project Expands Across London Schools

Noosphere’s Project Expands Across London Schools

Ekaterina Vekova

The number of schools signing up to participate in the astronomical educational project ‘Discovery in a Week’, developed by Russian humanitarian foundation ‘Noosphere’ in cooperation with the Mayor’s Fund for London is increasing, and till the end of the year the number of schools involved will exceed 20.

At the moment, children from six London schools – Hammersmith, Forest Gate Community School, Sanders, Mount Carmel, Lister Community College, UCL Academy – are not only enhancing their theoretical knowledge, but also making real astronomic discoveries by analysing pictures produced by a powerful telescope in Australia.

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The Winner of BE OPEN’s Video Open-Call

The Winner of BE OPEN’s Video Open-Call

Ekaterina Vekova

The BE OPEN Foundation is happy to announce the winner of its first ever video open-call BE OPEN DESIGN NATURE. The open-call – held from 7 November to 20 December – aimed to address the creative transformation of the world around us, by exploring the interconnection between design and nature in the most general sense.

More than a hundred videos were posted to BEOPEN’s Instagram page over the course of the project, submitted by creative people from 23 countries around the world. The participants were asked to examine and visualise the ways in which design and nature can intertwine, complement and supplement each other, create opposition or harmony, or even make the perfect match.

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Elena Baturina’s Foundation Helps London Schoolchildren Discover New Stars

Elena Baturina’s Foundation Helps London Schoolchildren Discover New Stars

Ekaterina Vekova

There are now stars named after London schoolchildren thanks to the ‘Discovery in a Week’ astronomy initiative, made possible by The Mayor’s Fund for London and Elena Baturina’s charitable foundation.

The four new stars, discovered by pupils at the Hammersmith Academy as part of the educational initiative ‘Discovery in a Week’, have now officially been named after their discoverers: Reynolds V1, Hamed V1, Mousa V1 and Mousa V2.

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New Ranking of Educational Programmes for North America and Africa Released

New Ranking of Educational Programmes for North America and Africa Released

Ekaterina Vekova

The BE OPEN foundation has released the latest issue of its Ranking of Educational Programs dealing with Architecture and Design. The prestigious Ranking helps applicants choose where to study and influences employers who are looking for the future stars of Architecture and Design. This year’s research focuses on the regions of Africa and North America and follows last year’s ranking, which was dedicated to the educational programs of South America and Asia.

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Demand for New Primary School London Curriculum Exceeds Expectations

Demand for New Primary School London Curriculum Exceeds Expectations

Ekaterina Vekova

Demand for a major new cultural initiative, launched by the Mayor, Sadiq Khan in September, and supported by BE OPEN foundation, has exceeded initial expectations with 20% more primary schools registering to take part than expected.

240 primary schools from across the capital have already registered for the London Curriculum, which is designed to bring their learning to life by using London as a giant classroom. This follows the highly successful pilot programme where teachers particularly liked the ability for pupils to explore an issue outside the classroom in their local area, as well as the rest of London. More new London Curriculum classroom and on-line materials will be released free of charge to primary schools in early 2017.

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‘Discovery in a Week’ Piloted in Two London schools

‘Discovery in a Week’ Piloted in Two London schools

Ekaterina Vekova

Pupils at the Hammersmith Academy and the UCL Academy looked to the stars by taking part in educational initiative ‘Discovery in a Week’. The initiative brought together PHD astronomy students from University College London with pupils from these two London secondary schools during the summer term.

The young astronomers enhanced their theoretical knowledge and made real astronomic discoveries by finding and registering stars with an international index. The programme was made possible thanks to the Russian philanthropic foundation ‘Noosphere’ in partnership with the Mayor’s Fund for London, and with support from the BE OPEN foundation.

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