Kuwait tech talents represent nation in Huawei competition

KUWAIT: Huawei, a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices, has announced the winners of the Kuwait edition of the Huawei Middle East ICT Competition 2019.The longstanding competition, which falls under Huawei’s strategy to develop the global ICT talent ecosystem, aims to nurture local talent in the ICT field with a vision to bring digital to every person, home and organization for a fully-connected and intelligent world.

The three winners, from Australian College of Kuwait, Kuwait University, and Swinburne University, were chosen from a field of more than 30 entries from six participating universities. In addition to competing against other winners from the Middle East, the regional winners will be invited back to China to take part in a competition with global Huawei ICT Competition winners.

The competition has been well received in Kuwait as it promotes innovation and creativity while serving as a bridge between the classroom and the workplace. By nurturing university students’ talent in Kuwait, it also contributes to increasing national ICT competitiveness while supporting digital transformation efforts. Having already received certificates and prizes as Kuwait’s national winners, the local teams have now earned a trip to China this November, where they will compete with their fellow finalists from around the Middle East region to win the ICT Competition’s grand prize - US$30,000.

Their visit will include the once-in-a-lifetime chance to work amongst some of the world’s most renowned technology pioneers in Huawei’s facilities. Participants will conduct field experiments at Huawei’s specialized labs and research centers in its headquarters in Shenzhen, helping equip students with the tools needed to tackle complex challenges in areas such as cloud computing, IoT, and network security. The technical program will be complemented by a number of cultural experiences and knowledge-exchange opportunities while in China.

In addition, students and their mentors will have the opportunity to meet their country’s ambassador to China during the Huawei-organized Ambassadors Summit Discussions event. This will provide the participants with the chance to discuss with respected leaders and cultural envoys their future ambitions and anticipations for their national ICT sector.

Congratulating the winners, Trevor Liu, President of North GCC, Middle East Region, said: “Huawei recognizes the importance of nurturing local talent so that they have the knowledge and expertise to lead tomorrow’s highly connected, intelligent world. By investing in future talent and building a more robust ICT talent ecosystem in Kuwait, we are investing in the future of the country. The winning teams are well deserved of the honor to represent Kuwait in the Huawei ICT Competition global final in China. I offer them my congratulations and wish them the best of luck in the competition’s final stage.”

Throughout the Huawei ICT Competition stages, contestants receive the latest updates on emerging technologies that are reshaping Kuwait’s digital economy. These include Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, the Internet of Things (IoT), and most importantly 5G broadband-seen as a crucial digital-service enabler. The competition is a unique opportunity for students to test their abilities in these cutting-edge fields, and helps colleges and universities to better understand the talent requirements of today’s top businesses and government leaders.

During the final, participants are equipped with an online guide and are supervised by university professors. University professors play the role of the student’s tutor, accompanying national winners to Huawei’s headquarters and discussing with Huawei the future development of the competition and Kuwait’s wider ICT talent ecosystem.

The last edition of the Huawei ICT Competition 2018 saw 14,551 students participate from across the Middle East. From these, 4,113 students were selected to take part in the preliminary rounds. 310 students passed on to the final round, and 39 traveled to China to compete internationally. A total of 17ministries and 226universities took part in total across the region.