In partnership with Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), Huawei, a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices, has concluded the Huawei Middle East ICT Competition 2021, with one team from Saudi Arabia taking home the 'Outstanding Performance' award, as well as Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University and Technical and Vocational Training Corporation winning 'Excellent Academy', Dr. Assim Alyahya from King Saud University winning 'Excellent Tutor' award, and Technical and Vocational Training Corporation winning the 'Excellent Partner' award following several months of national and regional competitions between some of the region's brightest young minds and leading academic institutions across the Middle East. This year's competition saw the participation of more than 15 thousand talented youth from different leading academic institutions in the Middle East, as well as the participation of 13 teams from 10 countries and 453 local colleges and universities in the Middle East. The final ceremony commenced with an opening speech by Steven Yi, President of Huawei Middle East, followed with a speech by Eng. Faris AlSaqabi, Deputy Minister for Future Jobs and Digital Entrepreneurship from MCIT, Shunli Wang, Vice President of Huawei Middle East, Mr. Tao Zhan Director of the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE), and the Ambassadors to China from other countries participating in the competition who delivered welcoming speeches highlighting the importance of these initiatives to prepare the future generation ICT leaders. The 2021 edition of Huawei Middle East ICT Competition witnessed the company teaming up with MCIT with the aim to develop the local ICT ecosystems, nurture young talent and encourage innovation amongst the next generation of ICT leaders prepared to play an active role in the digital transformation ambitions, and build a knowledge-based sustainable digital economy, as well as participate in achieving Saudi Vision 2030. Throughout the competition, the participants received trainings and world-class knowledge from Huawei experts, followed by a national exam which was held in their local countries, and continued to the final stage which included a 6-hour practical exam to determine the final winners. Eng. Faris AlSaqabi, Deputy Minister for Future Jobs and Digital Entrepreneurship of MCIT said: "We are proud to partner with a global leading technology company such as Huawei on their prestigious ICT Competition. The ICT sector is continuously playing a significant role in driving the Kingdom's digital economy and strengthening its global competitiveness. We are committed to play a key role in achieving the country's ambitious objectives through empowering our nation's youth in preparation for Saudi's digital transformation journey in line with Vision 2030." Commenting on the final results, Steven Yi, President of Huawei Middle East said: "I would like to congratulate our winners, and all those who made it to Huawei Middle East ICT Competition finals. This year's competition witnessed some of KSA's brightest talents, as well as from the region. At Huawei, we're committed to develop local talents and equip the future generation of ICT leaders with the necessary tools and skills required to successfully achieve the nation's development plans and participate in the digital transformation journey. This Competition reflects our firm belief to openly collaborate with our partners in the public and private sectors to empower KSA youth with world-class technologies and global expertise and bridge the gap between the classroom and the workplace, and in turn, further drive the country's digital economy." Mr. Tao Zhan, director of UNESCO IITE said: "I am delighted to witness such innovation among Middle East youth. I have no doubt the ideas we see today will add to our capabilities to solve some of the world's biggest challenges. At UNESCO, we recognize the role of ICT in impacting social and economic change in various spheres. Therefore, cultivating enough ICT talent remains a global priority to bridge the prevailing digital talent gap. This objective requires even greater partnerships between the public and private sectors, and I am happy to note that Huawei continues to be a long-term supporter of ICT training and education globally. I commend the company and participating universities for pushing through with initiatives such as the ICT Competition despite current challenges." Launched in 2017, the Huawei ICT Competition has witnessed the participation of over 75,000 students across the Middle East and today, has become one of Huawei's most influential competitions. Last year, the company collaborated with more than 20 ministries and 442 institutions, with over 15,000 students participating in the competition. Last year also saw the launch of the first "Innovation Track" to guide students in their development and provide a platform for realizing specific capabilities and applications in the Middle East. The Huawei Middle East ICT Competition is one of several CSR initiatives undertaken by Huawei to nurture talent for Middle East youth. Together with the Huawei ICT Academy, the Huawei Innovation Competition, Seeds for the Future program, joint university labs, and other initiatives, thousands of young people in the region benefit from an advanced skills development pipeline every year, equipping them with the necessary skills to lead digital transformation and development efforts within their country.
