Doha, September 03 (QNA) - Under the patronage of the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), the 2023 Seeds for the Future program kicked off at an official opening ceremony that took place Sunday in 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, organized by Huawei with the participation of 16 students from the State of 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 representing 15 Middle East and Central Asia countries will participate in the first phase of the Seeds for the Future program in Doha from Sep. 2-9. This includes Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Oman, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, and Kyrgyzstan.
On this occasion, Public Relations and Communication Unit Manager at CRA Eng. Hussain Salatt emphasized 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 special remarks to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Salatt indicated that the CRA supports the "Seeds for the Future" program which includes major goals such as developing the telecommunications sector, youth, and enhancing skills, especially since the telecommunications sector serves people and society. He noted that the CRA has patronaged this program for the fourth consecutive year, as it always encourages skills development and innovation.
He valued the efforts of those responsible for the new edition of the Seeds for the Future program for the Middle East and Central Asia and thanked Huawei for embracing this bright initiative.
In a related context, 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 programs like Seeds for the Future, we are training and equipping our talented youth with the necessary skills to support Qatars ambitious Vision 2030 and ICT strategy." For his part, 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 programs like Seeds for the Future. We are thrilled to host the first phase of the Seeds for the Future program in Doha and look forward to seeing some of the best regional ICT talents in action." In a related context, President of the International Group of Artificial Intelligence (IGOAI) Dr. Jassim Haji said that the Seeds for the Future program 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 centered future in a number of jobs, especially in the communications and information technology sector, which will witness a radical transformation.
Haji told QNA that there is a pressing need to set clear lines in all fields to consolidate the importance of developing young people and preparing them for AI so that they do not engage in fields that have no real opportunity or future.
Regarding the possibility of replacing humans with AI, he revealed that many parties have ruled out replacing humans with AI in many jobs. However, using AI in some regular jobs will lead to discharging some employees, as it is unreasonable to keep them in light of the major budgets allocated by huge companies to make the AI experience successful.
He added that people who made use of AI would have the opportunity and continuity on a broader scale than ordinary people who have not kept pace with these developments.
Concluding his statement to QNA, Haji noted that the real benefit of AI lies in the public and private sectors, accelerating business, increasing quality, and developing many places, pointing out that many individuals use AI on social media platforms by benefiting from it by writing texts only, although the areas of using AI are significant.
Meanwhile, Acting Vice Governor for Planning and Business Development at the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Reem Abdulaziz Al Mugbel said that the Seeds for the Future program 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.
Speaking to QNA, Al Mugbel emphasized the importance of training, which today has become a great responsibility because the professional and technical aspect is of great importance in light of the supply and demand process and market requirements, in addition to the desire of companies that preferred the professional and training aspect over academic considerations and certificates. She indicated that the training aspect was a second option for people who were not fortunate enough to obtain higher education during past periods, but the equation today is completely different.
In the same context, HE Vice Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kamil Akatov stressed that the State of 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 Seeds for the Future program provides an opportunity for the students to cooperate among each other and join innovation teams.
Akatov told QNA that one of the goals of the Republic of Kazakhstan is to promote innovations and science, noting that such international platforms constitute an opportunity for communication and cooperation, creating more innovations, expanding new solutions for Kazakhstan, and enhancing common benefits in developing science.
Since its launch in 2008, more than 15,000 students have participated from 139 countries worldwide. The program 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 program to empower and engage the youth in driving positive change within their communities. This year, the Seeds for the Future program 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)