Jordan has succeeded in building a highly competitive information and
communications technology (ICT) sector within the MENA region. The ICT sector
contributes significantly to globalization and serves wider regional markets.
اضافة اعلان
The government has helped the sector succeed; it
achieved the status of a regional ICT hub, which has enticed global ICT
players, such as Huawei, to not only become part of Jordan’s community, but to
contribute to its socio-economic progress through the provision of world-class
training, and assisting local talents in creating a fully connected,
intelligent environment.
One way that companies such as Huawei have played a
role in enhancing the local community is through initiatives such as the Huawei
Middle East ICT Competition. The annual ICT Competition, for example, invites
young people from across the Middle East to develop advanced ICT skills that
they can then use to enhance the technology ecosystem in their home countries.
Thousands of young men and women have taken part in this competition to date.
Another example is Seeds for the Future, an
innovation program run by Huawei, as well as various joint university
laboratories and other initiatives that drive digital transformation and
development by giving people the skills they need to advance the sector
themselves.
Friendly competition, especially on a multinational scale, does more than build skills; it allows for a richer understanding of other countries and their people, paving the way toward a more collaborative future.
Students from Al-Balqa Applied University (BAU) are
among more than 75,000 students from across the Middle East that have competed
in Huawei ICT Competitions since 2017. Teams from BAU have earned their way to
top ranks in competitions, earning the opportunity to travel to Huawei’s
headquarters in Shenzhen, China, along with successful peers from across the
world. This gave them an unprecedented insight into the latest developments in
ICT, as well as the chance to experience Chinese culture and learn more about
the country’s history.
Friendly competition, especially on a multinational
scale, does more than build skills; it allows for a richer understanding of
other countries and their people, paving the way toward a more collaborative
future. By working together across borders, we can innovate in new and exciting
ways that will benefit society at national, regional, and even global level.
To promote an international collaborative approach
to building ICT talent and capabilities, BAU launched Jordan’s first Huawei ICT
Academy on the main campus. Since 2019, the academy has trained more than 500
students a year — in addition to many instructors — in the latest technologies,
including cloud computing and artificial intelligence. BAU plan is to turn the
academy into a regional training center in the future, as part of a larger
effort to support Jordan’s talent ecosystem, while bridging the gap between
academic theory and corporate practice on a wider scale.
As a country with a strong ICT sector, Jordan
encourages the development of initiatives that will help to further our
technological talent and expertise. By working with a partner such as Huawei,
who has a proven commitment to developing local talent and providing the tools
and skills needed by the next generation of ICT professionals, we can achieve
our goal of reaching digital development and transformation, and we can also
help other countries do the same.
Nijad Al-Najdawi, is professor at Al-Balqa Applied University.
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