How to bring AWS Cloud into proximity to students and educational institutions
Published: 2023-06-01 20:13:00

Formal IT knowledge obtained through formal education on IT oriented universities and educational institutions in agile IT environments is often marginalized and not appreciated enough. There are several reasons for that. When we talk about IT oriented universities and educational institutions their greatest challenge is how to adapt a plan and program in a way to track all changes and progress in the IT industry. 

Also, an additional challenge is how to find an ideal balance between fundamental knowledge that students gain - which for a goal is establishing strong fundamentals and foundations in computer science, with a goal of making a platform for further learning and upgrade in relation with new (or latest) trends and tools. Problem that students usually have is understanding the big  picture and how that fundamental knowledge can help them out later to become successful in their daily work. 

As a consequence we have a mainstream opinion that college and university plans and programs, just like formal studying, can be successfully replaced by attending different crash courses and self-study materials. It’s undeniable that there are some talented and gifted individuals that have achieved great results without a formal education, however those individuals do not represent a rule but an exception. Formal academic education represents a fundamental pillar of a society and industry itself, and because of it it’s important to find a way where industrial trends can supplement plans and programs of academic institutions. 

Amazon Web Services (AWS) Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, since their establishment in 2016 - when there was a [first AWS community meeting on FIT (Faculty of Information Technologies) in Mostar](https://www.meetup.com/aws-user-group-bosnia/events/229157270/), works actively on premise that Cloud computing trends should be brought closer to students and academic institutions through different activities like [bootcamps](https://www.fit.ba/events/67/aws-bootcamp), [lectures](https://fit.ba/events/9/devops-sysadmin-day) - [online](https://www.meetup.com/aws-user-group-bosnia/events/288729463/) and [in-person](https://www.meetup.com/aws-user-group-sarajevo/events/265563281/). That resulted in interest and engagement of students and academic institutions in the work of AWS community and intensive, improved collaboration in achievement of the primary goal of AWS community - knowledge expansion.

In the beginning of academic 2022/23, at [International Burch University (IBU) in Sarajevo](https://www.ibu.edu.ba/), relying on basics of computer science and following the latest IT trends and standards, a curriculum for a “DevOps Engineering on AWS” subject was created. IBU has recognized the significance of Cloud computing and IT industrial standards and provided their students with a possibility of learning about it during their formal education. Thanks to collaboration with International Burch University (IBU), “DevOps Engineering on AWS” subject activities have been expanded with [participation in Amazon Web Services (AWS) programs, AWS Academy and AWS Cloud Clubs](https://www.ibu.edu.ba/in-focus/aws-academy-on-ibu). 



## AWS Academy 


[AWS Academy](https://aws.amazon.com/training/awsacademy/) is a program created by Amazon Web Services (AWS) company with a goal for academic institutions to prepare their students to successfully obtain IT certificates that are acknowledged and appreciated in the IT industry, but also to create an opportunity for them to start their careers in the cloud after graduation. Academic institutions - with their participation in AWS Academy program become recognizable as education leaders in the field of Cloud computing and for their academic personnel and students too, are creating access to specially formatted learning materials within lab environments. Thanks to AWS Academy Advocacy and the AWS engineers and experts team who are participating in creation of those materials and project tasks, materials are always up to date and their content is going through different levels of quality control before it’s being published and ready for use by educators and students. 

Also, learning materials and lab environments are created in a way to mimic real world tasks and assignments, and they are expecting students to apply theoretical knowledge in practice.

Lab environments are beforehand prepared and created AWS accounts that provide students with an opportunity to use services and possibilities of AWS without having to make their own AWS accounts and to have a risk of unwanted costs that can be caused by unwanted resources usage. Academic personnel, professors and assistants who are AWS Academy educators are leading students through the process of learning and proper comprehension of learning materials. Educators have a large number of lectures, teaching materials, projects, quizzes and tests at their disposal beforehand, so they can only focus on teaching and not waste energy and time on preparation of class materials.

AWS is recognized as a [market leader](https://www.gartner.com/reviews/market/cloud-infrastructure-and-platform-services) in the field of Cloud computing and participation in AWS Academy program for a side-effect has the following: student’s ability to apply their knowledge successfully after lecture and project completion, and also they will have ability to apply their knowledge directly at real-life projects and assignments in their company of choice.

As AWS Academy program educators are participating in the class process as a part of their academic institution, the connection established with the already finished plan and program of other subjects with themes that are already being taught - as a part of AWS Academy program is just an additional benefit for students and their knowledge. 



## AWS Cloud Clubs


The IT industry is recognizable by being open with their community, unquenchable thirst for knowledge expansion and transfer and assistance to all of those who have certain issues. Different IT communities have sprouted out many open source projects that are used for free in different multi-billion projects. The AWS community in the IT world has been recognized as one of the most active, open and most inclusive ones. Being a part of the AWS community means the possibility to exchange knowledge and experience, but also to meet and connect with different people who share common interest and passion.

In order to bring the AWS community into proximity with students, AWS has started the [AWS Cloud Clubs](https://aws.amazon.com/developer/community/students/cloudclubs/) initiative, which provides students with the opportunity to become leaders and help other students to get familiar with AWS and Cloud computing via student’s club. 

AWS Cloud Clubs are being organized and led by the students themselves. Every AWS Cloud Club has its own representative - Club Captain with a task to start  and organize the student’s club in their own academic institution. By participating in the AWS Cloud Clubs program, students gain access to the global AWS Cloud Clubs community with different benefits like promotional materials, credits for AWS services usage, vouchers for obtaining AWS certificates and many others. By starting AWS Cloud Club students will get an opportunity to be recognized from the global IT community as a leader in the field of Cloud computing, but also by organizing activities like lectures and practical exercises for lecturers get access to recognized and proven industry experts that will visit your academic institution and participate in knowledge expansion. 



## Conclusion


Academic and formal education cannot be replaced with any other form of knowledge. Education itself is the pillar of society and only educated society can participate in innovations and changes that global and digital transformation brings. Thanks to programs like AWS Academy and AWS Cloud Clubs, academic institutions have the possibility to create synergy between their plans and programs with materials created by the side of industry leaders in the field of Cloud computing. With a formal way of knowledge transfer in classrooms, student community activities such as AWS Cloud Clubs create a way of knowledge expansion and informal way of learning.

All of that as a final result has a better and richer educational system and students that by the end of their college education or even earlier can actively contribute by working and participating in projects from the beginning.

AWS Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in collaboration with different institutions in the country and region, works on expansion and inclusion of AWS Academy and AWS Cloud programs on all IT oriented colleges and universities.  

The AWS community in Bosnia and Herzegovina is especially thankful to International Burch University in Sarajevo and their personnel for being the first who recognized all of the benefits of these programs and with their implementation into their curricular and extracurricular activities. We are also thankful to the AWS Advocacy team and AWS community in the region who helped with academic institution inclusion into programs above, not only to stay an isolated  case but a rule.

If you are a student and/or academic personnel with some of the educational institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, The Balkans region or worldwide - and you would like to learn more about AWS Academy and AWS Cloud Clubs program or about Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Cloud computing in general, feel free to [contact us](dzenanadzevlan@gmail.com). AWS Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina is available to provide all necessary assistance and support to you and your academic institution.