#China #Shenzhen #ICT Competition #Huawei ICT

Record Participation at the 10th Huawei ICT Competition

The closing and awards ceremony for the 10th Huawei ICT Competition took place today in Shenzhen, marking the end of a significant event that drew the largest number of participants in its history. This year, over 220,000 students and educators came together from more than 2,000 institutions across 100 countries and regions, showcasing their skills in technology through various competitive categories.

Highlights of the Competition

After a rigorous selection process involving national and regional qualifiers, 177 finalist teams from 49 different nations were honored for their accomplishments. Ritchie (Honghua) Peng, head of ICT strategy and business development at Huawei, emphasized that this competition reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to harnessing technology for the benefit of society as well as for sustainable development goals. He noted that the competition served as a platform to demonstrate the value of learning through competitive engagement to tackle real-world challenges.

An Innovative Future

As part of the ceremony, Peng introduced a new initiative called the “Ascend AI Operator Development Track,” which aims to connect young developers to cutting-edge industrial technologies through task-oriented challenges. This new track promises to enhance practical skills and provide participants with direct interactions with modern developments in technology.

Dr. Shafika Isaacs, acting director of the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education, praised the collaboration between UNESCO and Huawei. She highlighted the importance of cooperative efforts among governments, international organizations, academia, and industry, especially regarding the future of artificial intelligence and technology in education.

Recognizing Excellence

The competition awarded 18 outstanding teams with Grand Prizes in various tracks, such as:

• - Network Track Grand Prize: Teams from Algeria, Brazil, Nigeria, and Shenzhen Polytechnic University.
• - Cloud Track Grand Prize: Teams from Egypt, Algeria, and Kenya.
• - Innovation Competition Grand Prize: Teams from Wuhan University of Technology, Ahmadu Bello University, National University of Singapore, and Fujian Normal University.
• - Programming Competition Grand Prize: Wuhan Vocational College of Software and Engineering.

Additionally, special awards were given for significant contributions:

• - The Women in Tech Award was awarded to seven all-female teams from Azerbaijan, Nigeria, Kenya, China, and Bahrain.
• - The Green Development Award went to teams from Ghana and China.
• - Fast Passes were awarded to ten students from China for the “Huawei Future Business Leader Track,” while the Most Valuable Instructor Award recognized 16 exceptional educators from nine countries.
• - The ICT Competition Online Popularity Award acknowledged six teams from Egypt, Brazil, Malaysia, Poland, and Pakistan for their innovative presence during the event.

Engaging the Next Generation of Tech Leaders

Furthermore, Huawei held the AI Accelerating Education Transformation Summit during the global finals, where they unveiled the ICT Academy AI Course Solution and shared the ICT Skills Development Insight Report, which includes recommendations for nine Central Asian and Caucasus nations. As the demand for skilled professionals in AI, computing, big data, and cybersecurity continues to rise, the Huawei ICT Competition provides a vital international platform for students to hone their real-world skills, address significant challenges, and prepare for the digital economy through collaborative efforts between industry and academia.

This event not only celebrates technological achievements but also exemplifies the spirit of global collaboration, innovation, and responsibility towards technology in education.

The future of these young tech leaders looks bright as they continue to explore and innovate beyond borders.