mBank Foundation implements programmes supporting mathematics education. The “m jak matematyka” (“M for maths”) strategy sets the foundation’s goals until 2020 and addresses the ever growing gap in science education.
PLN 3 million
Spent on supporting mathematics education in Poland (the cost of performing the foundation’s statutory tasks)
We strongly believe that mathematics provides the foundation for logical thinking and is vital to understanding the world around us. Mastering it helps us take informed financial decisions or follow the academic path in scientific subjects, and thus contributes to economic growth and professional success.
In 2019, we pursued our mission, among others, through:
- subsidising development projects in the area of mathematics education, such as the “mPotęga” (“mPower”) grant programme, the competition for the best maths thesis called “Krok w przyszłość” (“Step towards the Future”) and the “Mistrzowie matematyki” (“Masters of Mathematics”) scholarships;
- competition for secondary schools called “Wielcy polscy matematycy znani i nieznani” (“Great Polish mathematicians: know and unknown”) organised to mark the Year of Mathematics;
- book entitled “Child’s Play Maths”;
- partnering with and financially supporting external initiatives promoting maths education: “Matematyka się liczy”(“Mathematics Counts”) and “Festiwal Matematyki” (“Festival of Mathematics”), organised together with the “Gazeta Wyborcza”
“mPower” grant programme, the sixth edition
“mPower” is a grant programme aimed at popularising mathematics among young people by showing them that mathematics is very useful in everyday life. We also want to encourage teachers, parents and maths enthusiasts to break the routine and go off the beaten track.
In 2019, 111 projects from all around Poland received grants for creative maths education. In total, mFoundation earmarked almost PLN 665,000 for the grants.
Since the launch of the programme in 2014, over 1 million Polish students have taken advantage of the grant-funded projects. Most grants are awarded to schools in small towns located across the country. This way, we contribute to creating equal opportunities for schoolchildren from small towns.
For more information on the programme go to mPower website.
Competition marking the Jubilee Year of Mathematics
PLN 85,000
mFoundation Awarded to 18 schools and NGOs in the competition.
The Polish Senate designated 2019 as the Year of Mathematics to mark the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Polish Mathematical Society. To celebrate the jubilee, mFoundation announced a competition entitled “Known and unknown: great Polish mathematicians”. Its goal was to popularise the achievements of Polish scientists among teenagers.
The competition encouraged secondary school students to cooperate with maths and history teachers. The task was to prepare a work, in any technique, about the life and scientific accomplishments of mathematicians from Poland’s five largest scientific centres. The participants could draw inspiration from articles published in “Gazeta Wyborcza” daily and “Ale Historia!” weekly.
146 entries were sumitted in the competition, out of which the jury selected 18. Their authors received grants ranging from PLN 3,000 to PLN 6,000. 9th Klementyna Hoffmanowa High School in Warsaw won the Grand Prix and PLN 10,000.
For more information on the competition go to programmes website.
“Child’s Play Maths” – mFoundation’s new book
At the end of 2019, we published a new book: “Child’s Play Maths”, written by Monika Jaworska, a psychologist, Monika Jędrzejewska, a methodologist, and Katarzyna Nawrocka-Skolimowska, a teacher.
The book is dedicated to parents of children aged 0-6. It is neither a guide nor a methodological textbook. Rather, it is a collection of inspiring games that parents can play with their children to familiarise them with maths from an early age. The activities are divided by age groups and adjusted to subsequent child development stages.
The book premiered at the 6th Mathematics Festival in November 2019. The participants had a chance to obtain a book (we handed out a total of 500 copies) and talk to the authors.
In Q1 2020, we made the book available in 312 mBank retail banking branches and mKiosks. Those interested in the book could order it with delivery to a selected mBank branch.