HEC & Huawei Middle East ICT Competition national winners of 5th edition headed to regional final

The national winners of the fifth edition of the Huawei Middle East ICT Competition in Pakistan have been announced, with winning teams qualifying for the regional finals later in December. Held in partnership with HEC, Huawei Authorized Learning Partners, Huawei Academy Support Centers, and Huawei ICT Academies, the 2021 edition of the competition attracted more than 10,000 students from 137 universities out of which 50 qualified for national finals and the most talented 6 have qualified for regional finals, nurturing and empowering a future generation of local ICT talent to effectively contribute to Pakistan national digitization plans and visions.

The winners of this year’s National Competition in Pakistan are Bhagchan Meghwar, Mukhtar Memon, and Sateesh Kumar from Mehran University of Engineering and Technology. Hafiz Muhammad Rizwan from Government College University Faisalabad, Syeda Iqra Fatima from Islamia University Bahawalpur, Adnan Ali from Virtual University Islamabad. They have each received free vouchers worth USD200, participation certificates, goodies, souvenirs, and training for regional finals with the chance to win USD20,000 in prize money within the upcoming Middle East regional final, along with other certificates and accolades, with the opportunity to compete in the global finals.

Congratulating the winners, Mengqiang, CEO, Huawei, Pakistan, said:

“The level of competition was exceptionally high this year, evidence of the incredible ICT talent available in Pakistan. Not only are the youth becoming more acquainted with the latest technologies, but they are applying these into practical solutions that can deliver true value to society. As Pakistan undergoes a rapid digital transformation, we will continue to support the youth with the necessary skills to propel industry and the economy forward.”

Dr. Waqar Mahmood, Director, University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, said:

“The key to achieving digital transformation is collaboration between industry, government, academia, and technology companies. We are proud to be part of this ambitious initiative which has consistently raised the bar in ICT competition in the country while exposing our students to global standards of innovation and best practices.”

Held under the theme of ‘Connectivity, Honor, Future’, this year’s ICT Competition attracted thousands of college and university students from Pakistan and the wider Middle East. Amongst other goals, it aims to cultivate ICT talent among college students worldwide and equip them with the necessary skills to succeed in an evolving digital economy.

This year also saw the return of the highly successful Huawei Innovation Competition involving 137 academic institutions and Universities, and 10,530 participants in Pakistan. It is held in parallel to the ICT Competition following a highly successful debut in 2020. The Huawei Innovation Competition empowers undergraduate students and their teachers to use innovative technologies – such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and big data – to create valuable and meaningful applications for society.