Quibdo, the capital of the department of Choco, got a new kind of playground, one with robots, code, and plenty of “what if?” moments.
On Aug. 23, 2025, a new STEAM laboratory opened at Universidad Tecnologica del Choco, Diego Luis Cordoba, during a national government visit led by Science Minister Angela Yesenia Olaya Requene.
The plan mixed new equipment with a simple goal, help local kids and teens fall in love with science and turn that curiosity into solutions that fit the Pacific region.
What ‘STEAM’ means inside the STEAM robotics lab in Quibdo
The new space was presented as a laboratory for robotics, science, technology, and innovation, designed to work as a hub for learning and community projects.
It is part of Colombia Robotica, a national program that uses STEAM activities to strengthen skills in programming and robotics for children and young people.
A great detail made this opening stand out; it was the first time this kind of lab was installed inside a university, creating a direct bridge between basic school, high school, and higher education in Quibdó.
What ‘STEAM’ means, in plain words
STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics, and the idea is to learn by building, testing, and improving real projects, not only by memorizing facts.
The “A” matters because design and creativity help students communicate ideas and solve problems in ways that feel close to daily life, like making a sensor box that is useful and easy to understand.
For places with big challenges and big talent, STEAM can feel practical. It encourages teamwork, problem solving, and hands-on learning, the same mix needed to create tools that track rain, water quality, or energy use.
Who benefits and how training works
The lab was set to serve more than 300 students and 30 teachers in Quibdo, with 225 hours of in-person and virtual training.
Teachers have already begun sessions with experts from the National University of Colombia, and the program is planned to provide three months of support from professionals with doctoral training in active learning methods, robotics, computer science, and AI.
This is important because a lab without coaching can turn into a locked room with dusty boxes. Training helps teachers feel confident, and it helps students move from “cool gadget” to “let’s build a prototype that works.”
A youth pipeline beyond the STEAM robotics lab in Quibdo
The launch also highlighted “Team Robotics del Pacífico,” a community group and research seedbed connected to the new lab and recognized as an ambassador of Colombia Robótica.
That team represented Colombia in STEAM camps in Tumaco and San Andres, showing that Quibdo’s robotics story already had chapters before the lab doors opened.
It is the kind of pipeline that keeps talent at home longer. When students see older peers competing, presenting, and teaching, the next generation tends to try, instead of assuming tech careers only happen far away.
Money, projects, and local ideas
During the same visit, people saw 50 initiatives led by 60 young residents, covering areas like digital innovation, agriculture, bioeconomy, traditional beverages, and craft-based creativity.
A “Ruta de Innovación Juvenil” showcased projects backed with US$265,000. At the national level, Colombia Robótica was designed with an investment of about US$1.3 million to train young people and teachers in robotics skills.
Regional funding was also highlighted. The government allocated more than US$3.5 million for research and innovation projects focused on local social and economic needs. It also backed 10 additional projects worth more than US$9 million, through the royalties system used to finance science and training in the regions.
In Colombia, the royalties-based science fund, known as FCTeI inside the Sistema General de Regalías, is meant to grow regional science and innovation capacity through projects that help communities use knowledge.
The Pacific’s next move
Quibdó’s new robotics and STEAM lab was not only about machines, but it was also about giving young people a place to build, fail, laugh, and try again, with adults who can guide them.
If those students keep showing up, the payoff can be local solutions made by local hands, and a stronger link between schools, universities, and the jobs the Pacific region wants to create.