Highlighting the success of its strong collaboration with global technology leaders

Dhahi Khalfan: People of the UAE have the responsibility of promoting innovation and adoption of technological progress to advance the country’s transformation into a global incubator for exploring and building the future

Mansoor Al Awar: The success of the ‘Emirati Programmer’ initiative affirms our belief that the role of youth in building the future depends on their ability to use technology and advanced sciences to achieve development goals

September 23, 2020 - Under the patronage and in presence of H.E. Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Police and General Security in Dubai; Chairman of the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) Board of Governors, and Chairman of the Emirates Talent Association (ETA), ETA and HBMSU recently celebrated the graduation of a new cohort of candidates from its ‘Emirati Programmer - Summer 2020’. This edition of ‘Emirati Programmer’ offered two programs, Cloud Computing and the Internet-of-Things (IoT) and 3D Printing, both are part of the cooperation framework of two of the world's biggest tech giants and in line with the forward-looking vision of the country's wise leadership to prepare a generation of qualified individuals to adopt technology in the service of the nation and humanity. 

In the virtual graduation ceremony, certificates of completion were awarded to 45 participants using Blockchain technology, which is part of the strategic direction of HBMSU to realize the objectives of the Emirates Blockchain Strategy 2021, aimed at making the UAE a global center in building the future. 

The virtual ceremony was attended by H.E. Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of HBMSU and Vice President of ETA; Zubin Chagpar, Head of MENA Public Sector at Amazon Web Services (AWS); and George Brax, General Manager at Signify Middle East and French West Africa.

The ‘Emirati Programmer – Summer 2020’ initiative received an overwhelming response for its pivotal role in the move to prepare qualified generations to guide technological and knowledge innovation. The initiative proved to be unique as it embraced Cloud Computing and IoT, in collaboration with the leading cloud computing provider, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and the 3D Printing Program in cooperation with Signify, the global leader in IoT lighting and building automation. Participants were trained via virtual sessions that were held utilizing the AWS platform and the HBMSU’s Smart Campus. 

In his speech during the virtual graduation, H.E. Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim expressed his congratulations to the new graduates and urged them to continue on to the path of knowledge and scientific and technological excellence and be makers of the UAE's future. 

H.E. added, “We are proud of today's graduates, who have proven themselves as responsible and confident individuals that can carry on the culture of innovation and adopt technological progress in serving the ambitious aspirations of transforming the UAE into a global incubator that anticipates and helps create a better tomorrow.”  

His Excellency added: “Our country is moving forward in its global leadership in technological innovation with unlimited support of our wise leadership, which heavily invested in national talents and competencies at made them at the forefront of strategic priorities. We are honored to be at the forefront, supporting the country’s efforts to prepare Emiratis to take the lead in harnessing the Internet of Things, cloud computing, 3D printing, artificial intelligence, Blockchain and other Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies in the service of humanity. The graduation of the new cohort of the ‘Emirati Programmer – Summer 2020,’ in collaboration with the world’s technology giants, represents an advanced step towards the realization of the wise vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in making our country more prepared for the future and more optimistic about the qualified generations that are able to compete globally with their skills and competencies.” 

H.E. Dr. Mansoor Al Awar said: “The graduation of the new cohort of the ‘Emirati Programmer’ summer camp participants, in collaboration with global technology giants, is an advanced step towards building and preparing a generation of future leaders, equipped with technology and innovation in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and President of HBMSU, who believes that the ability to harness high-tech and advanced sciences is a prerequisite for young talents’ ability to shape our future. The graduation of a new cohort of learners demonstrates the success of our collaboration with AWS and Signify, especially in the efforts to invest in future skills, which further highlights our commitment to empowering creative minds to innovate and become leaders and knowledge pioneers.” 

“The ‘Emirati Programmer’ proves yet again to be a unique national initiative to prepare national talents to build the future of the UAE, driven by their passion for leadership and willingness to overcome challenges, thereby enhancing our preparations for the upcoming fifty years which will witness vital stages of our country’s development and prosperity. We are committed to continue investing in young talents and supporting them to drive a positive change in their communities, capitalizing on the latest innovations in the areas of Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and 3D printing, as well as to proceed with equipping the Emirati youth, our most important asset, with the 21st-century skills. The innovativeness and creativity demonstrated by the new cohort of graduates reinforces the confidence that we placed in their strengths and skills for the future,” Al Awar added.

Zubin Chagpar, Head of MENA, Public Sector, Amazon Web Services (AWS), said: “In the ‘Emirati Programmer’, in which we are collaborating with the Emirates Talent Association and HBMSU, we have successfully trained a group of participants aged 14 to 17 years in the fundamentals of cloud computing and IoT on AWS.”

During the program, participants went through a number of gradual training stages where they were taught how to use the basic tools of cloud computing and IoT through self-education via the AWS Educate program and also through the use of theoretical and practical training in the virtual classes under the supervision of AWS experts. The participants culminated their training journey by completing their projects based on the techniques they have learned.

He added, “During the training period, we witnessed a great commitment and awareness of participants and we were happy with their ability to create and think, and this was evident in the stage where they implemented their projects. Participants have demonstrated their ability to use IoT technologies to come up with highly creative ideas inspired to find solutions that benefit their community, such as solutions that help people of determination and solutions for responding to emergencies, in addition to projects that can be used in our day-to-day lives.”

George Brax, General Manager, Signify Middle East and French West Africa said: “At Signify we are proud to collaborate under a unique initiative by Emirates Talent Association and HBMSU to train youngster on 3D printed lighting. Seeing how Gen Z is capable to understand the sustainability and design implications of 3D printing technology has been inspiring. We are looking forward to share our experiences in lightning technology on a wider scale and encourage future generations to take part in such successful projects.”

The ceremony witnessed the graduation of 45 participants, including 22 graduates from the Cloud Computing and IoT program delivered in collaboration with AWS; and 23 graduates from the 3D Printing Program delivered in collaboration with Signify International. The Cloud Computing and IoT program winners’ list included Sara Yousif Hasan Al Maraz, first place winner and gold medalist; Hind Saad Abbas, second place winner and silver medalist; and Reem Hamad Mahfouz Hosni, third place winner and bronze medalist. As for the 3D Printing program, the winner’s list included Mansour Waleed Ali Al Manaa, first place winner and gold medalist; Sara Saeed Al Awar, second place winner and silver medalist; and Abdullah bin Subaih, third place winner and bronze medalist.    

In addition, to the live announcement of the top three winners from each program, the projects of nominated graduates were showcased, and six winning projects were selected. Certificates were given using Blockchain technology and the names of the winners were displayed on the screen. The ceremony concluded with honoring the jury, trainers, and supervisors of the ‘Emirati Programmer-Summer 2020’ summer camp.

Since its launch four years ago, the ‘Emirati Programmer’ has qualified 400 students, enabling more talented Emiratis to excel in the areas of coding, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. The current edition was unique in terms of offering education and training entirely online and via virtual channels, enabling participants to learn anytime and anywhere at their own pace, as well as to take part in a series of virtual classes under the supervision of highly qualified experts and trainers. The program also featured digital presentations, interactive courses, educational videos, and worksheets, along with direct access to premium educational and knowledge resources. The training schedule concluded with the evaluation of final projects by a jury of high-level experts.