Huawei starts ‘Seeds for the Future 2020’ to develop ICT talent in Bangladesh
Huawei Technologies (Bangladesh) Limited has inaugurated its annual program of 'Seeds for the Future 2020 in Bangladesh'. The inauguration ceremony has taken place virtually today, August 10, 2020, and attended by Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Minister of State for Information and Communication Technology Division as the Chief Guest.
Zhang Zhengjun, the CEO of Huawei Technologies (Bangladesh) Limited. initiated the ceremony where Dr. S. M. Mostafa Al Mamun, Chairman, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE), Dhaka University (DU); Prof. Dr. A.K.M. Ashikur Rahman, Head, Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET); Dr. Muhammad Ahsan Ullah, Head, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE), Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET); Prof. Dr. Md. Rafiqul Islam, Head, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE), Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET); Prof. Dr. Boshir Ahmed, Head, Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET); Champion Representatives of 2018 and 2019 of the program; and other officials of Huawei also attended.
'Seeds for the Future' is a flagship CSR program of Huawei which is designed to develop local ICT talents and thorough transfer of knowledge. The program mainly focuses on bridging the gap between academic and industry knowledge. Selected participants get insights into the latest developments in the global ICT industry and get the opportunity to enhance their ICT expertise and skills. The program is also a long-term CSR activity dedicated to the top STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) students worldwide.
In Bangladesh this year, students from Dhaka University (DU), BUET, CUET, KUET, and RUET will be participating in the program. The students from DU, CUET, and KUET will be from the Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) department. In contrast, the students from BUET and RUET will be from Computer Science and Engineering (CSE).
Two best students from the final undergraduate year in the said department from each university will be chosen based on their CGPA (Cumulative Grade Points Average), spot examination and their presentation on new technology and innovative companies. The selected students will be attending five days online program of cultural and technological training from the Huawei Headquarters of China (Beijing and Shenzhen).
On this launching occasion in Bangladesh, Zunaid Ahmed Palak has said, "Youth are the force of any development. Driving them with a positive spirit is very important. Huawei's Seeds for the Future program is such a program which is equipping youth with ICT skills for their own development. We believe this program will boost the students in their career paths and help them to gain knowledge about new technologies such as big data and IoT. Besides, this will aid them in helping the country to achieve the Vision of Digital Bangladesh 2021. Thanks to Huawei's efforts. We can be very sure that such initiatives will spark their innovative mind, and they can mitigate future shocks or pandemics like COVID 19 in a better way."
Zhang Zhengjun says, "The most important mechanism for a country is how its new generation is growing up with access to knowledge and increased capacity so that they can contribute to the country in the long run. Huawei is trying to create value here. For the last five years, students of different universities are getting the opportunity to get training at our Huawei University and research and development centers situated in China. This project is facilitating the students to have knowledge of the world's next technologies like 5G, cloud, and AI era, etc. We want our students to get the best skills so they can innovate and create local solutions that will serve the local needs."
Teachers from various universities, who took part in the launching event, thanked Huawei for this initiative with notes that such activities will drive youth development and help them to adapt to the ever-changing technology and will also play a crucial role in digital transformation. Moreover, it will help the youth to build a resilient nation on the base of technology by reducing the inequality of academic and practical knowledge.
Starting in 2008 globally, Seeds for the Future has been implemented in 126 countries and international organizations worldwide, benefitting over 30,000 students from 500 universities. Among them, more than 5,770 university students have taken a study trip to the Huawei headquarters. Seeds for the Future started in Bangladesh in 2014.
