Coinciding with UAE Innovation Week

Dubai, 25 November 2016: The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), represented by The Information & Communication Technology Fund (ICT Fund) and the Center of Digital Innovation (CoDI), announced today the signature of two support and sponsorship agreements in collaboration with the University of Sharjah. The two agreements aim to providing scholarships for 40 students from the University worth a total value of 24 Million Dirhams, in addition to offering specialized ICT training courses, building competencies, conducting researches and developing smart applications.

These agreements come in coincide with the UAE Innovation Week, which takes place from 20-26 November 2016.

The first agreement stipulates the provision of scholarships by ICT Fund to a number of students who intend to pursue their Bachelor Degree in certain scientific programs identified by the ICT Fund and the University. These programs include Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Computer Engineering.

The second agreement signed with CoDI is relevant to Open Source Software (OSS). It aims to raise awareness on OSS in the country, in addition to providing new opportunities for training, research and development of ICT solutions relevant to the successful adoption of OSS to support the technical projects in the country. Moreover, this agreement focuses on taking the OSS to the International level through the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), as well as examining the possibilities of presenting the outcomes of this agreement in ITU relevant forums, and exploring ways of collaboration in international studies and researches addressed in the ITU’s three sections (Radio communication, Standardization and development). 

On this occasion, H.E Majed Al Mesmar, Acting Director General of TRA, said: ‘This agreement falls within the ICT Fund’s efforts to support and Emiratize youth competencies in specialties that meet the needs of sustainable development and future plans of the Country. The ICT sector is considered a main and important source of the national income, through providing a broad package of smart solutions that facilitate businesses and thus providing an attractive environment for investors from around the world.’

Moreover, H.E Dr. Salah Tahir Al Haj, Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs in the University of Sharjah, thanked the ICT Fund explaining that this agreement is a model of cooperation and integration between the University and the government entities; furthermore, it is a continuity of the long existing partnership with TRA, represented by ICT Fund. He indicated that this scholarship comes as a true translation of the leadership approach in supporting education and students, for the preparation of an educated generation capable of assuming responsibilities and leading the life aspects in our beloved country. On the other hand, he stressed on the great leading role of the University, and its scientific ability and efficiency as a leading national educational entity that supports the ICT as the language of the future communication.

Al Haj also indicated the importance of the scholarship programs provided by government entities, as it contributes significantly in achieving the objectives UAE national agenda to develop and support the national talents and capabilities, and to prepare the UAE citizens to assume the leadership, as the scholars constitute the basis of moving the country’s various sectors to the new phase of growth and progress.  

Professor Maamar Bettayeb, Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies Said: “This MoU is a starting point for fruitful collaboration between University of Sharjah and TRA in the field of Open Source Software. The collaboration will include join research projects from two institutions, student training and organization of workshops, conferences to exchange the latest development in the field. We hope this collaboration will lead to important outcomes such as possibly new software, products, processes, publications and patents”.

The ICT Fund plays a major role in enhancing the students’ innovative abilities through offering opportunities of education and research, and through enabling those who have feasible ideas to establish companies that turn their ideas into business ventures. The ICT Fund operates on four main themes; supporting national projects, education, research and development and incubators, and they all contribute in serving and building the knowledge-based economy of the UAE.

© Press Release 2016