Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – Some 175 students from leading universities in the Middle East and Central Asia took part in an eight-day intensive training program in ICT technologies, which included discussions on global topics, lectures on scientific and technological leadership, and group project development Tech4Good.

A team of Uzbek Techno Mind students, consisting of eight students from Tashkent University of Information Technology, Inha University in Tashkent, Amity University in Tashkent, New Uzbekistan University and Kimyo International University in Tashkent, qualified for the second round of Tech4Good, along with students from Qatar, UAE, Jordan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan. The winners will undergo an additional acceleration program Tech4Good from 10 to 16 September in Dubai, UAE.

On 9 September, 2023, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education of Qatar held the closing ceremony of the first phase of the Huawei Seeds for the Future 2023 program. The regional event, supported by the Qatar Communications Authority (CRA), aimed at developing local talent, sharing knowledge, raising awareness about the ICT sector and the development of a digital community of young ICT talents.

The first stage of the Seeds for the Future program in Doha was attended by 175 students from leading universities from 15 countries in the Middle East and Central Asia region, including Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan. With the support of the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, 15 students from 7 universities of Uzbekistan participated in the program. Along with students from Uzbekistan, a graduate of Inha University in Tashkent and Global Seeds Ambassador Nodira Tillaeva took part in the project, who also acted as the host of the closing ceremony.

Seeds for the Future hosted the first round of Tech4Good, a regional competition aimed at empowering young people and engaging them in driving positive change in their communities. Participating students presented their Tech4Good projects to the judges, and seven outstanding teams of 40 students were selected to advance to the second phase of the program, which will take place in Dubai, UAE, from 10 to 16 September 2023. The winning teams were representatives of Uzbekistan, Qatar, UAE, Jordan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. The “Aquatibia” project of the “Techno Mind” team from Uzbekistan was highly appreciated by the judges, which allowed the participants to move on to the second stage and undergo the Tech4Good acceleration program.

During the closing ceremony, the most popular members of each team were also recognized, who helped create a positive and favorable atmosphere in the team for more effective project preparation and protection. They were Oleg Pak, a student at Kimyo International University in Tashkent, and Umid Abdukhakimov, a student at Amity University in Tashkent.

Alex Zhang, General Manager of Huawei Qatar, said: “Qatar has been a great host for the first round of the Seeds for the Future program for the Middle East and Central Asia and the Tech4Good competition, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) for supporting the program. ), as well as all our valued partners - the Ministry of Education and Higher Education of Qatar, Qatar Tourism, Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (Qatar Foundation), Vodafone, Aspire Zone and partners from the participating countries who made this event possible. We are confident that this meeting was an important milestone in developing ICT talent and harnessing the power of youth to promote digital innovation and shape a sustainable future for the Middle East and Central Asia region.”

Dr. Salem Al Naemi, President of Doha University of Science and Technology and a representative of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, said: “Developing ICT training and enhancing digital skills in education has become an integral part of strategic planning in Qatar. In the era of digital transformation, we are committed to nurturing young talent with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel and lead in their careers. The Huawei Seeds for the Future program provides one of the best training platforms for all future ICT practitioners and expands international cooperation opportunities and promotes knowledge exchange among participants. We are committed to developing young ICT talent and providing them with the skills and knowledge needed to develop their professional skills and contribute to economic and social development in Qatar and the region. The Huawei Seeds for the Future program is one of the best learning platforms for all ICT professionals working to shape the future of their countries.”

Hussain Salatt, PR and Communications Manager at CRA, said: “We are delighted to attend the closing ceremony of the Seeds for the Future program and witness the successful completion of its first phase, which brought together exceptional talent from 15 countries representing the Middle East region and Central Asia. I would like to express my gratitude to all organizations that supported the program and express my appreciation to Huawei for its continuous efforts to nurture young ICT talent and promote innovation.”

Students took part in eight days of intensive classes and workshops in Qatar that covered advanced ICT technologies, scientific and technological leadership, discussions on global topics, Tech4Good group projects, etc. Through learning and peer-to-peer exchange, participants gained a better understanding of 5G, Artificial Intelligence ( AI) and cloud technologies have created more opportunities for future growth and increased their competitiveness in the labor market. The students also visited the National Spectrum Monitoring Center at CRA, Mada Laboratory, Education City, Lusail Stadium and Doha landmarks.

After the second round of the regional Tech4Good competition in Dubai (UAE), the winners will be eligible to compete in the final global competition in China against other teams from around the world. Students will collaboratively explore the enormous potential of ICT for sustainable development. Winners of the Tech4Good global competition will be invited to the Tech4Good Startup Sprint in China, where they will visit Shenzhen, Beijing and other cities to experience the real-life entrepreneurial environment and compete for a $100,000 startup fund.