ASEAN Data Science Explorers Competition – Call for Applications

I. What is ASEAN Data Science Explorers competition?

ASEAN Data Science Explorers (ASEAN DSE) competition is a data analytics competition organised by the ASEAN Foundation and SAP, which aims to:

▪ Promote ASEAN awareness, particularly ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together, ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025 (ASCC), and ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 (AEC)

▪ Promote United Nations – Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)

▪ Empower youths across the 10 ASEAN Member States with data analytics skills and other relevant skills such as problem-solving skill, critical thinking skill, analytical thinking skill, collaboration skill, and communication skill

▪ Inspire youths across the ASEAN region to take part in tackling pressing socioeconomic issues across the region through data-driven proposals that will contribute to the achievement of the UN-SDGs within the region ASEAN DSE competition has been endorsed by the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Youth (SOMY) and ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Education (SOM-ED) as it supports the achievement of the ASEAN Work Plan on Youth and Education 2021- 2025.

II. Who are eligible to participate in this Competition?

This competition is dedicated to youths with ASEAN nationality aged 15 to 30 currently undertaking full-time education in educational institutions (high school, polytechnic, universities, etc.) based in the 10 ASEAN countries. Detailed information about the eligibility of participants can be found here.

III. What participants must do?

In this competition, each team of registered participants (one team comprising two students from the same ASEAN country) is required to develop data analytics storyboards/proposals using SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC). They will choose one issue in ASEAN across the six selected SDGs to solve through their data analytics storyboard.

After the team selected the issue, the team is advised to gather relevant datasets to analyse using SAC and start developing their storyboard. They can use this list of sources to gather their datasets or other reliable sources they know and are familiar with. If they are not familiar with SAC and how to operate it, they can learn about it through the SAC Manual and mock-up datasets we have provided in www.aseandse.org.

IV. How to participate in this competition?

First, you have to ensure that you are eligible to participate in the competition. Please refer to the Eligibility section for detailed information. If you are eligible, then you have to find your partner from the same educational institution (high school, university, polytechnic, etc.) or different institution who is eligible as well. Ensure that you and your partner have the same ASEAN nationality as you both will represent your ASEAN country in the competition.

Second, sign up to the competition by completing the registration form through https://aseandse.org/register/. Ensure you provide all the requested information in the form to qualify your team in the competition. You will receive email notification when your team has successfully registered to the competition. We will verify your registration and email you to complete your registration if your registration is incomplete. You can login to the ASEAN DSE website to complete your team’s registration. Once we verified your registration and your team qualify for the competition, we will give you the SAC account for free. You will use this account to develop your storyboard. The account will be sent directly to the email addresses of both team leader and team member. Therefore, you need to ensure that the email addresses are correct when you fill out the registration form. Note that one team will only receive one SAC account.

Third, after your team finish creating your storyboard, submit it to us through www.aseandse.org. Your team can only submit the storyboard when submission period is open. We will notify all registered teams when the period is open. Your team can submit the revised/updated storyboard by logging into the ASEAN DSE website and submitting the revised/updated one. This will by default replace the old one. After the submission period is closed, we will assess and evaluate all the submitted storyboards against the set assessment criteria. We will notify all shortlisted teams who will move to the national final stage through emails and ask them to confirm if they will proceed to the national final. We will also notify the teams who are not moving to the national final through emails. When you are shortlisted for the national final, you will be required to prepare PowerPoint Presentation slides and submit them to us. You will have about three to four weeks to prepare these slides after you’re notified of you being shortlisted. You will present these slides at the national final and judging at the national final will be based on the slides. You can also refer steps to joining the competition for the same information.

V. Are there any requirements for the data analytics storyboards?

You can refer to data analytics storyboard requirements for details. Ensure your storyboard meets the set requirements; otherwise, your storyboard will not qualify for assessment.

VI. Timeline

▪ Call for applications : 11 February 2022 – 30 April 2022

▪ Storyboard Submission : 1 April 2022 – 31 May 2022

▪ Storyboard Assessment : 1 – 24 June 2022

▪ National Finals : 22 August 2022 – 2 September 2022

▪ Regional Final : 10 – 12 October 2022

VII. How to register?

You can register through www.aseandse.org/register