A Bahraini team along with 3 other teams from Pakistan and Lebanon has returned home from Shenzhen, China, where they took part in the global final of Huawei’s ICT Competition. The Bahrain team made its mark among the other international teams by winning the prize for Outstanding Performance.
The team consisted of Muhammad Yasir, Ahmed Abdulrahman, Duaa Ebrahim and their mentor Dr. Mazen Ali from University of Bahrain. Out of over 40,000 students from 32 countries that took part in the Huawei ICT Competition 2017-2018, Middle East teams distinguished themselves on the international stage with four teams returning home winners. In addition to Bahrain, one Pakistani team won the Second Prize while a Lebanese team along another Pakistani team won Third Prize.
In line with Huawei’s mandate to support governments’ digitalization strategies and national visions, the Huawei’s Middle East ICT Competition which will start accepting registrations in July, will run in 10 countries across the region with the aim of developing the next generation responsible for driving digital transformation.
The ICT Competition is a rigorous exam that tests students on the industry’s most complex problems in cloud computing, switching, routing, and network security. The exam is based on advanced IP and IT material, and offers students the opportunity to practice their skills against real problems in the industry. Huawei is committed to openness and knowledge sharing across the markets in which it operates, and students who make it to the final will have the opportunity to travel to Huawei’s global headquarters where they will have access to the brand’s team of global experts and gain unparalleled exposure to the latest ICT developments and international trends during their development training at Huawei’s state-of-the-art labs, R&D centers, and facilities. Not only will the competitors learn skills along their journey that will increase their future employment opportunities in the ICT sector, they will also enable them to contribute to their countries’ success in achieving their national visions for digital transformation and economic growth.
Ahmed Abdulrahman from University of Bahrain added, “We are beyond excited to have participated and won the prize for Outstanding Performance in the ICT Competition. This competition has helped us showcase what Bahrain has to offer in the ICT sector. It was also a real pleasure to visit the Huawei global headquarters given that the company is having a profound impact on the telecommunications industry worldwide and I am excited to learn directly from the experts who are working on the cutting edge of ICT research and development.”
Dr. Mazen Ali, Assistant Professor, Head of Information Systems at the University of Bahrain added,” Our Bahraini team was among the top 23 teams from around the world competing in the global finals. Team Bahrain was also recognized for ‘Outstanding Performance and ‘Excellent Tutor Awards’ all this has managed to showcase Bahrain’s continuous effort in digitalizing the nation and supporting its local talents. As you are aware, Bahrain ranks 1st in MENA for ‘ICT Development’ according to the International Telecommunication Union report and our team’s excellent win in the ICT competition reflects a bright future for Bahrain’s ICT generation.
Mr. John Lu Yuedong, CEO of Huawei Bahrain said, “The ICT Competition prepares the next generation of leaders for an intelligent world where every person, home and organization is fully connected. By acting as a bridge between the classroom and the workplace, the event helps us to identify, support, and grow the future leaders of the ICT industry. Ultimately, we hope that the competition will help to increase the national competitiveness of Middle East countries by promoting innovation and creativity among ICT students as they compete to win the national finals and the coveted international finals in Shenzhen. We congratulate the Middle East teams for their outstanding performance at the global final of last year’s competition, and look forward to starting the next round soon.”
The ICT Competition is part of Huawei’s longstanding effort to have a positive impact on communities in the Middle East. Huawei has already implemented a Seeds for the Future program to offer training and internships to promising students across the region. Last year, the Middle East ICT Skill Competition was held in partnership with 14 government ministries and was hugely successful in its mission to unearth and cultivate the region’s finest ICT talent. The competition brought together more than 10,285 students from 121 educational institutions. The 13 finalist teams had a unique opportunity to learn from Huawei’s leading global ICT on an all-expense paid trip to Huawei’s headquarters in China.
Last year ICT Competition was made possible through strong partnerships under the patronage of HE Eng. Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications with direct support of the EDB and the Tamkeen, as well as the support from the four participating universities: University of Bahrain, Bahrain Polytechnic, Ahlia university and AMA International University.
This year’s edition of the Middle East ICT Competition and ‘Seeds for the Future’ program will be launched this month.