15 teams selected from 11 countries and 472 participating universities gear up for Huawei ICT Competition Middle East 2022 Regional Finals

• Oman to host the Huawei ICT Competition Middle East Regional Finals 2022 in Muscat on December 20 – 22

Huawei, a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices, announced the national finalists who will take part in the Huawei ICT Competition Middle East Regional Finals 2022, set to take place in Muscat, Oman, on December 20 – 22. Aimed at nurturing ICT talents to contribute towards preparing the next generation of ICT leaders for the digital economy, this year's competition will feature 15 teams of talented students accompanied by their academic advisors and representing 11 countries across the Middle East & Central Asia compete together for the competition’s title and honors. 

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iraq and hosts Oman each have two teams of three students each, while UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon, and first-time participants Kazakhstan have one. A total of 45 students will compete in the final from an initial entry of 19,231 students from 472 universities and colleges across the region. Participants have undergone a Preliminary Competition and Training Enablement, followed by a National Exam held recently in Huawei's offices in each participating country. 

Shunli Wang, Vice President of Huawei Middle East & Central Asia, said: "The continued success of this annual celebration of local youth demonstrates the remarkable ICT talent in the region, supporting the socioeconomic foundation and highlighting the region's robust digital ecosystem. As the leading enabler of digital transformation across the region, we are committed to supporting talent development through our various CSR initiatives. We look forward to launching various initiatives in collaboration with the public and private sectors to enable cadres and talents in the technology industry. I wish all participants the best of luck and look forward to further triumph in the Global Finals."             

Huawei has teamed up with ministries, partners from the public and private sectors, and leading tech universities for this year's event. Contestants will receive world-class training from Huawei experts before proceeding to the final stage, which includes a 6-hour practical exam to determine the winners. Winners in the various categories will receive awards, including cash prizes, trophies, and certificates in recognition of their accomplishments, as well as the chance to represent the region in the global finals to be held in Shanghai, China, next year.

Launched in 2017, the Huawei ICT Competition has witnessed the participation of over 75,000 students across the Middle East and, today, has become one of Huawei's most influential competitions. Through the Huawei ICT Competition, Huawei aims to provide students with a platform to compete healthily and exchange ideas, thus enhancing their ICT knowledge and practical skills and increasing their ability to innovate by using new technologies and platforms. 

Last year's regional competition saw 13 teams from 10 countries and 452 local colleges and universities compete in Saudi Arabia. Regional teams performed with distinction in the Global Finals in Shenzhen, China, with a team from Salahaddin University in Iraq beating teams from all over the world to win the Innovation Competition Grand Prize. Teams from Pakistan, Lebanon, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia also received accolades in the global finale of the contest.