2023 Seeds for the Future Program Kicks Off in Doha with Students Participation from 15 Countries

Under the patronage of the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), the 2023 Seeds for the Future programme kicked off on Sunday at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC), bringing together 175 students from elite universities across 15 countries in the Middle East and Central Asia for the first time ever in Qatar. The regional event, organised by Huawei with the participation of 16 students from Qatar representing Qatar University (QU), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Community College of Qatar (CCQ), and the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST), aims to develop local talent, share knowledge, increase the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector awareness, and foster a digital community for young ICT talents.
Students -- from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Oman, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan -- will participate in the first phase of the programme from Sept 2-9.
Public Relations and Communication Unit Manager at CRA Eng. Hussain Salatt emphasised the need to encourage 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.
In remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Salatt said that the CRA supports the "Seeds for the Future" programme which includes major goals such as developing the telecommunications sector and enhancing skills.
Assistant Undersecretary for Private Education Affairs Omar Abdulaziz al-Naama said: "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 and through our partnership with global industry leaders like Huawei on programmes 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."
Vice-President of Huawei Middle East and Central Asia Shunli Wang said: "In the digital era, skilled talent is pivotal to maintaining rapid development, seizing opportunities, and economic progress. At Huawei, we are proud to be among the first few global tech companies to leverage its technology and expertise to help narrow the talent gap through programmes like Seeds for the Future. We are thrilled to host the first phase of the Seeds for the Future programme in Doha and look forward to seeing some of the best regional ICT talents in action."
President of the International Group of Artificial Intelligence (IGOAI) Dr Jassim Haji said that the Seeds for the Future programme aims to educate young people about the latest developments in artificial intelligence (AI) in the world and its involvement in a number of works, especially since the science of AI has a centred future in a number of jobs, especially in the communications and information technology sector, which will witness a radical transformation.
Acting Vice Governor for Planning and Business Development at the Technical and Vocational Training Corp of Saudi Arabia Reem Abdulaziz al-Mugbel said that the programme made significant steps in developing the skills and tools, providing the opportunity not to lose sight of leadership skills and gain mutual benefits between participating companies through this regional event.
Vice-Minister of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan Kamil Akatov stressed that Qatar represents today a new platform after providing a chance for 15 countries from around the region, the Middle East, and Central Asia to communicate, pointing out that the programme provides an opportunity for the students to cooperate among each other and join innovation teams.
Since its launch in 2008, more than 15,000 students have participated from 139 countries worldwide. The programme has been endorsed by more than 450 senior officials and heads of state.

The Tech4Good regional competition, now in its third year, will also be held during the Seeds for the Future programme to empower and engage the youth in driving positive change within their communities. This year, the Seeds for the Future programme will host eight days of intensive training sessions and workshops, including cutting-edge ICT technologies, scientific and technological leadership, discussions on global topics, Tech4Good group projects, etc. Through learning and mutual exchange, participants will gain a better understanding of 5G, AI, and cloud technologies, build more strengths for future growth, and improve their competitiveness in the job market. (QNA)