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Huawei Qatar hosted the 'Innovation in Education and Talent Excellence Awards', an event dedicated to honouring the accomplishments of students from Qatar in the global ICT Competition and presenting the latest advancements in educational technology.The event brought together prominent figures from Qatar's academic and government sectors, including Dr Salem al-Naemi, president of the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST); Dr Btool Hashim al-Sayed, director of The Higher Education Affairs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education; partners, deans and faculty members from Qatar University (QU), UDST, Community college of Qatar (CCQ), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and Lusail University.In his welcome address, Alex Dai, executive vice-president of Huawei Gulf North, said: “At Huawei, we believe investing in human potential is the nation's most strategic investment. We are proud to partner with Qatar to nurture its next generation of digital leaders, equipping them with cutting-edge skills and platforms to innovate—like the brilliant UDST students who recently made the nation proud. Together, we are building the ICT talent that will lead Qatar’s digital future."Dr al-Sayed stressed the importance of such collaborations by describing that the student accomplishments embody the very essence of Qatar National Vision 2030, which places innovation and knowledge at the heart of sustainable development."This success was made possible through strong collaboration between our academic institutions, government, and industry partners—a model that fosters the innovation ecosystem Qatar is building. Our leadership encourages applying knowledge in real-world contexts, transforming ideas into solutions that drive progress and diversify our economy for a prosperous future."Dr Rachid Benlamri, vice president - academics of UDST, highlighted the value of industry-academia synergy. "Events such as the Huawei ICT skills Competition-Innovation track provide our students with a global platform to showcase their talents while demonstrating the powerful results of academia-industry collaboration in building Qatar's knowledge-based economy."Huawei's experts led sessions on the latest emerging trends shaping the future of education. The presentations highlighted Huawei's advanced education technologies and innovative approaches to creating next-generation learning environments, emphasising the critical role of robust digital infrastructure in enabling transformative educational experiences. The discussions focused on building technology-enabled learning ecosystems that support innovation and enhance educational outcomes.The ceremony also recognised students from Qatar who excelled in the National and Regional competition and celebrated the outstanding achievements of UDST students’ team who has secured second place in the Innovation Track of the Huawei ICT Competition 2024–2025 Global Final, held in Shenzhen, China in May 2025. Competing against over 40 teams from around the world, the UDST team represented Qatar on the global stage, making the nation proud through their groundbreaking project titled 'Be My Sense'.The Huawei ICT Competition is one of the world’s largest and most competitive technology contests, celebrating its 10th edition this year. The 2024–2025 event attracted more than 210,000 students from over 80 countries, culminating in a highly selective Global Final where 179 teams from 48 countries competed in various tracks including Network, Cloud, Computing, and Innovation.Additional highlights featured insights on the synergy between academia and industry. Prof Mohamed Abdallah, associate dean of Undergraduate Studies and Quality Assurance at the College of Science and Engineering at HBKU, underscored that while basic science forms the essential 'brain' of education—providing the critical thinking and foundational knowledge—integrating industry-certified courses on the latest technologies is crucial for ensuring graduates are career-ready.Academic leaders from QU and CCQ emphasised on the importance of modernising curricula through strategic partnerships to include applied learning modules that keep pace with the digital economy.This was complemented by a presentation from AI department at Al Jazeera Media Network, which detailed their recent AI Hackathon, delivered in collaboration with Huawei Cloud. The media leader highlighted the hackathon's immense success not just as a competition, but as a vital talent pipeline and a practical model for innovation.

At Qatar Foundation (QF)’s Marhaba event – the traditional welcome to its new students at the start of the academic year – the latest arrivals to Education City learned about the importance of stepping out of their comfort zones and seizing service-learning opportunities – from local outreach initiatives to international projects – to help tackle real-world challenges and drive meaningful, positive change.Juyoung Kim, a senior at Northwestern University in Qatar, spoke to more than 800 new students who attended the event at Multaqa, telling the story of her service trips to Laos and Nepal.In Laos, she helped build an eco-dorm for students who once had to walk long distances just to attend school.The new facility allowed them to live nearby and focus on their education.In Nepal, Kim contributed to a sustainable project that provided clean energy for a family living in the mountains.“It’s about being part of something – something bigger than yourself,” she told the students.“It’s about connection, empathy, and understanding,” Kim added. “These trips taught me to approach every community with humility, respect, I learned how to work with people – not just for them. And the value of every small act of kindness and collaboration.”Her advice for students is “step outside your comfort zone, be willing to learn, to contribute, and to grow”.“These opportunities may feel intimidating at first, but trust me, they will be the most meaningful experiences that you will have – not just as a student but as the global citizens you will all very proudly grow into,” she said.Amani Benamor, from QF partner university Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q), also spoke at Marhaba.She recounted that when she first began her journey at Education City last year, she believed – like many new students – that university, and especially medicine, was only about achieving good grades, sitting exams, and ultimately earning a degree.“However, the further I’ve gone into my journey, the more I ask the question: ‘Shouldn’t we, as active global citizens, be more than just a number on a transcript?’” Benamor recounted. “And shouldn’t life – the centre of all disciplines taught at the QF – be more than just memorising facts and checking off boxes?”“In Education City, learning goes far beyond the classroom,” she continued. “From volunteering, research, or even extracurriculars, real growth happens when we apply what we’ve learned in the classroom to real-world challenges.”“The QF is not just a place to study,” Benamor told the students, adding: “It is a place to learn how to grow, and how to help.”At QF universities, community service begins the moment they arrive.Their orientation week is more than just introductions and icebreakers; it is a chance to make a difference.At the WCM-Q, for example, new students took part in a hands-on initiative by packing donation boxes for Qatar Charity and serving a luncheon to recognise the contributions of support workers, learning from day one that service is a cornerstone of their journey at Education City.

HEC Paris, ranked among the world’s top business schools, invites professionals in Qatar to an online info session on its Executive MBA Emerging Leaders Track on May 13 from 5.30pm-6.30pm. The session will be led by Dr Wolfgang Amann, Professor of Strategy and Leadership at HEC Paris. Designed for ambitious professionals with at least 5 years of work experience, the programme equips participants with advanced leadership capabilities and a strategic mindset to accelerate their careers or launch businesses. Alumni will also share insights on how the EMBA contributed to their transformation and opened new opportunities. Upon registration, attendees will receive a confirmation e-mail with a link to join the session.