With the advent of a knowledge economy developing in Saudi Arabia, Huawei — a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider — is showcasing the latest E-education technology solutions that can help institutions improve the standards of education, currently on at the International Exhibition and Conference on Higher Education (IECHE) in Riyadh. Strengthening its commitment to developing the education sector in KSA, Huawei will identify how it can help universities empower youth by equipping them with the right knowledge and skills to build successful careers. As the country moves closer to developing a true knowledge-based economy, the IECHE provides the perfect platform for the Ministry of Higher Education to build solid partnerships with some of the world's top higher education institutions. The event brings together educators, students, speakers and leading universities from around the world to channel energies to maximize the availability of education and learning. As a technical partner of the event, Huawei is speaking to educators about how technology vendors can make a measureable impact to the availability and quality of education through the implementation of borderless classrooms and e-learning tools. According to Huawei the most important step that institutions need to make is to ensure that there is a solid infrastructure that can support the modernization of state-of-the-art learning platforms and technologies. “The incorporation of technology has completely revolutionized the way the students learn and continues to push the boundaries within the education industry”, said Tony Shi, general manager at Huawei, Enterprise Business, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “Educators can change the way that classes are being taught, where they are hosted and satisfy the demand from student and staff for more flexible and creative learning environments.” According to Huawei, the implementation of IT E-education systems is allowing institutions to move away from the traditional in-class style of education, becoming increasingly virtual and more interactive. Huawei has worked closely with renowned public and private sector entities in Saudi Arabia for more than a decade, both as a key driver of ICT innovation and as a significant employer of local talent within the private sector. This has included partnerships with leading Saudi universities as well as setting up a dedicated Huawei Training and Research Center in Riyadh in 2006, which currently offers aspiring professionals a broad range of management and technical programs coordinated through the global Huawei University. Huawei recently also announced a strategic partnership with Technical and Vocation Training Corporation (TVTC) that saw both collaborate on a variety of academic programs aimed at providing students in Saudi Arabia with access to the world-class labs, experts and work experience opportunities in the technology field. “The great thing about the smart classroom concept is that it is scalable. Schools and colleges can start small and add more interactivity and more complex digital technology as and when it is required. Over the years Huawei has pioneered a variety of programs giving young people greater access to educational opportunities and we look forward to helping more educators in KSA improve.” added Shi. The ICT provider provided demos of its integrated virtualized infrastructure, Fusion Cube and its S12700 Software Defined Network (SDN)-ready switches — which have both proved effective at bolstering network interconnectivity between departments and campuses within education institutions across the region. — SG
