Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- With the support of the Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 15 students, representatives of the regulator and universities of Uzbekistan take part in the Seeds for the Future 2023 educational program. Seeds for the Future in Doha will also host a regional competition for the best Tech4Good project, aimed at engaging young people in solving social problems through the widespread adoption of advanced ICT technologies and unite 175 students from the Middle East and Central Asia region.

On 3 September 2023 in Doha, Qatar, the opening ceremony of the prestigious Seeds for the Future educational program for university students from the countries of the Middle East and Central Asia took place. The first phase of Seeds for the Future was launched at the Qatar National Convention Center. With the support of the Ministry of Digital Technologies, students from seven higher educational institutions of Uzbekistan also take part in the project.

Bringing together 175 students from leading universities in the Middle East and Central Asia in Qatar for the first time, the regional event aims to develop local talent, share knowledge, raise awareness of the ICT field and develop a digital community of young talents. The project participants were students from 15 countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan. Along with 15 students from Uzbekistan, a graduate of Inha University in Tashkent and a participant in the 2022 project Nodira Tillaeva, who will present the project as a Global Ambassador this year, takes part in the project.

 The program participants were senior students of the Tashkent University of Information Technologies, Inha University in Tashkent, Amity University in Tashkent, Tashkent University of International Education, Kimyo International University in Tashkent, Turin Polytechnic University in Tashkent. During the existence of the project, 50 students completed the program in China, and 82 students participated in the online and hybrid versions of the project in connection with the pandemic.

Rustam Karimjonov, Deputy Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, took part in the opening ceremony and emphasized the key role of IT education in shaping the future of the country. During his speech, he noted that in recent years, the global IT industry has seen a significant increase in the export of IT services. Uzbekistan has also begun to strengthen the prospects of its industry. Thus, the Ministry of Digital Technologies is actively taking measures to develop information technologies and services, the volume of which by 2030 should reach 5 billion US dollars. In order to provide young people with high-paying jobs and stimulate economic growth through the export of IT services, the Ministry seeks to improve the knowledge and skills of talented youth based on the principle of “lifelong learning” and create a sustainable IT education ecosystem.

“IT is driving economic growth, job creation and bridging the digital divide. Our commitment to investing in the future of Uzbekistan requires a comprehensive effort that includes teacher training, expanding IT infrastructure, and developing tailor-made talent programs. With the support of our partners such as Huawei, we remain confident in achieving our ambitious goals and securing a promising future for our youth,” added Rustam Karimjonov.

Wang Shunli, Vice President of Huawei Middle East and Central Asia, said: “Huawei is committed to developing an open, shared ICT talent ecosystem in the Middle East and Central Asia, including Uzbekistan. Seeds for the Future is our flagship global corporate social responsibility program to inspire talent to shape the future of their countries. We are grateful for the continued support of our program and extend our best wishes to the participants in 2023. We look forward to an exciting event."

On the eve of the trip to Qatar, Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov met with students and congratulated them on their successful selection for the project, which will be held for the ninth time for the youth of Uzbekistan.