Huawei, a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices, has launched the latest edition of its annual education program Seeds for the Future in the Middle East. Recognizing the talent gap that exists in the technology sector today, the program involves students, academics, and various other stakeholders in building a stronger and more sustainable technology ecosystem in the region.
The program ultimately supports the development of local ICT talent by enhancing international knowledge transfer amongst students, promoting a greater understanding of and interest in the technology field, and encouraging participation in the region’s growing digital economy.
This year, the program will run across 10 countries in the wider Middle East region including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Pakistan. After the successful launch of a virtual Seeds for the Future program in 2020, this year’s edition will also be held online in compliance with social distancing measures.
Commenting on the launch, Charles Yang, President of Huawei Middle East, said: “Today, information and communications technology infrastructure is as vital to the prosperity and competitiveness of countries as electricity and transportation. This is recognized in nearly all of the national development and digitalization strategies of counties in the region. As the digital economy expands—accelerated by the changing models of industry brought about by the pandemic—the reality is that there is a significant gap between what is taught in classrooms and the skills that are needed in the real world. Through the Seeds for the Future program, Huawei is once again addressing these concerns while opening up new opportunities for more individuals and institutions to participate in the construction of the future digital society.”
Participating students will have the opportunity to receive technology and cultural trainings, study cutting-edge technology such as 5G, cloud computing, AI, and IoT, explore Huawei’s exhibition halls, campus and stores through virtual tours, while gathering real-world experience through hands-on workshops in collaboration with institutions of higher education and partners from the public sector. The program includes eight days of training involving live-stream sessions as well as pre-recorded courses available on Huawei’s free online platform iLearningX.
Additionally, this year students will participate in the newly launched Tech4Good project. This challenges participants to examine how to leverage technology to address the region’s most pressing social and environmental issues. It will also encourage students to increase their social entrepreneurship, problem solving and leadership skills through team work with students from many different countries. Participants will present their projects to a panel of judges, out of which the top 10 global teams will be shortlisted to compete in a global finale competition at the end of the year for a chance to be recognized.
Initiated by Huawei in 2008, Seeds for the Future is Huawei’s flagship and long-term global CSR program. As of June 2021, the program has been implemented in 131 countries and regions, reaching 9,000 students from over 500 universities, and gaining endorsement from more than 120 heads of state and high-level government officials globally.
In 2020, over 3,000 students from 103 countries participated in the program. A total of 1,691 students from countries in the Middle East applied in 2020, with 333 being selected to complete the program.
To register for the 2021 program and get more information, students can visit the Seeds for the Future official website https://www.huawei.com/minisite/seeds-for-the-future/program.html.
Source: Huawei Press Release