Thanks to the #DaVinciUkraine grant program implemented by KSE Foundation together with the STEM Talent Fund, the Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine has launched the VPD-STEM Challenge Bank — a free, inclusive platform that provides Ukrainian school students with access to high-quality preparation in natural sciences regardless of their place of residence.
The VPD-STEM Challenge Bank is a free inclusive platform featuring an AI assistant and analytics tool. It offers access to more than 355 tasks across five subjects: chemistry, physics, astronomy, geography, and biology. All video-based tasks were created and tested during the All-Ukrainian Internet Tournament in Natural Sciences “Open Natural Science Demonstration,” which has been running for 13 years.
The initiative is implemented with the support of the Da Vinci Ukraine grant from KSE Foundation and the STEM Talent Fund.
“We are working to build a sustainable ecosystem for preparing talented children for Olympiads and advanced STEM challenges — through engagement with mentors, teams, and educational initiatives. The value of this project lies in giving Ukrainian students the opportunity to deeply engage in engineering and science, develop systems thinking, and practically prepare for high-level competitions, which is an important stage in their long-term educational trajectory,” said Marina Borisenko, Director of Programs and Implementation at KSE Foundation.
The VPD-STEM Challenge Bank is accessible to everyone, whether students are in the classroom or at home, living in frontline regions, small villages, large cities, or abroad. The platform ensures equal access to education for all.
Through the online STEM video task bank, students will improve their knowledge of natural sciences, develop critical and analytical thinking, become more creative, and learn to work in teams.
Who the platform is useful for:
— students in grades 7–12 interested in technology and science;
— teenagers participating in STEM competitions, Olympiads, and contests;
— students of the Small Academy of Sciences;
— students in natural science fields;
— STEM teachers, club leaders, and research supervisors of the Small Academy of Sciences.
The project is implemented within the Da Vinci Ukraine grant program by the Kyiv School of Economics Foundation (KSE Foundation) and funded by the STEM Talent Fund.