About 175 students from top universities across the Middle East and Central Asia (ME & CA) are currently taking part in Huawei’s 2023 Seeds for the Future program. The event, currently being held in Doha, Qatar, aims to nurture local tech talent. Moreover, it eyes to boost awareness of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector and create a digital community for young ICT talents.
Seeds for the Future is supported by Qatar’s Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA). This year is the fourth time that the CRA has patronaged the program, according to Eng. Hussain Salatt, CRA’s public relations and communication unit manager.
“CRA has patronaged this program for the fourth consecutive year, as it encourages skills development and innovation to contribute to Qatar National Vision 2030 goals, one of which is to create a balance between an oil-based and a knowledge-based economy,” he stated.
Landmark discussions
Students coming from Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Uzbekistan, among other participating countries, are attending a series of activities. The happenings commenced on September 2 and will last until September 9.
The opening ceremony saw high-level officials and industry leaders delivering keynote speeches. These include Omar Abdulaziz al-Naama, the assistant undersecretary for Qatar’s Private Education Affairs.
“ICT education is one of the most critical pillars in Qatar’s vision of a diversified, knowledge-based economy. Skilled talent is crucial to our prosperous digital economy,” stated al-Naama.
“Through our partnership with global industry leaders like Huawei on programs like Seeds for the Future, we are training and equipping our talented youth with the necessary skills to support Qatar’s ambitious Vision 2030 and ICT strategy,” he added.
During the ceremony, students also witnessed a landmark panel discussion that explored the challenges and opportunities in digital transformation. In the seminar, key figures also underscored the need to equip the younger generation with relevant skills. This is especially critical as the digital landscape is rapidly changing.
According to Rustam Karimjonov, Uzbekistan’s deputy minister of digital technologies, “education curriculums must swiftly adapt to the evolving digital landscape.” “By partnering with ICT private sector companies, we can ensure that our education system empowers students with the skills required for a tech-driven future,” he further stated.
Read: Qatar takes on digital economy with new Meta connection
Embracing 5.5G technology
Meanwhile, on September 6, Vodafone Qatar organized a groundbreaking panel discussion titled “Embracing the 5.5G World.” Esteemed industry leaders discussed the transformative potential of 5.5G technology in the ME & CA region. This new technology improves 5G, potentially achieving a tenfold enhancement in network performance. This means increasing downlink speeds from 1 GB to 10 GB and uplink speeds from 100 MB to 1 GB.
During the event, Jawad Abbassi, head of GSMA-Middle East and North Africa, emphasized the importance of 5.5G. He cited “its potential to contribute $600 bn to the world economy.”
“This new era of connectivity will fuel innovation, create opportunities, and reshape industries, demonstrating the real value of advanced wireless technologies,” he further remarked.
At the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Shanghai held in June, Huawei previously stated that it will unveil a commercial 5.5G network equipment in 2024. According to them, it will mark the beginning of the 5.5G era for the ICT sector. The Chinese company also predicted that 5.5G will reach 1.5 bn subscribers by 2030.
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