The second edition of the Summer Coding Programme in the UAE has successfully concluded with an awarding ceremony for the best coding talents.

The virtual initiative was launched to showcase coding as an attractive career choice. The seven-day summer programme included virtual lessons and two days of practical workshop for the top 30 students. A total of 15-hour lessons were covered with three one-hour-long sessions daily between 10 am to 2 pm.

The assessment on the fifth day determined the top 30 students, who then visited the Coders HQ for a meet and greet with coders followed by a tour of the Dubai Future Labs on the sixth day.

This was followed by an award ceremony where Saqr Binghalib, Executive Director at the Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office, and Geoffrey Alphonso presented the students with their certificates of program completion.

The virtual boot camp, that ran from July 25 to August 2, aimed at nurturing innovation and fostering technical skills of youth, comes in line with the UAE vision of motivating students in the field of coding, which has proven to be one of the most important skills in today’s market and also a major contributor to drive national digital economy.

Commenting on the successful completion of the summer programme, Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of state for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications reaffirmed that UAE’s digital future depends on nurturing and building the capabilities of future generations. The UAE is keen in building the capabilities of talented groups of trainers and global experts as it seeks to develop the efficiency of local talent.

In his speech at the closing ceremony, Al Olama further added that the UAE is committed to enhance and promote positive partnerships with the private sector, which contributes to supporting talents in the field of programming and supporting international companies in education, development, and research centres.

Geoffrey Alphonso, CEO of Alef Education emphasized the importance of government-private partnerships, especially with Coders HQ, adding “We intend to make a significant shift in the way children think and drive them towards a more logical and analytical thought process. We aim to prepare the students to adapt and change with the dynamic technological space and inculcate in them the vital skill sets required for success.”

The challenge, which will take place until 17th June, will encourage creators to visualise the impact of technology and innovation on future lifestyles, mobility, work and communication by designing augmented reality effects using the latest Spark AR capabilities.

Through the Spark AR Hackathon challenge, Meta, Coders HQ and the Museum of the Future are calling upon the global community of creators and developers to showcase their creativity and innovation for the future. Participants will be challenged to use augmented reality to identify how modern technologies will improve well-being across various vital sectors.

Commenting on the launch of the challenge, Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, said that the UAE government, led by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, adopts Artificial Intelligence solutions, modern technology and software to enhance its readiness for the future and explore new opportunities to shape a better future.

"The global Spark AR Challenge that has been organised for the first time in the Middle East keeps pace with the rapid developments in the sectors related to human life and driven by modern technology, data, and digital solutions. It contributes to stimulating innovation, finding viable proactive solutions, and continuous improvement to build a digital economy based on knowledge and innovation," Al Olama said.

Speaking about the initiative, Fares Akkad, Regional Director for MENA, Meta, said, "With this global Spark AR challenge, we want to bring this diverse community together to envision the future, while also showcasing the value that AR could bring to communities."

Talking about the developer community, he added, "As Meta builds for the metaverse, the developer and creator community will play a crucial role in bridging the gap between the physical, augmented and virtual worlds. Through the challenge, creators worldwide will be among the first to experience the transformative potential of the metaverse."

The Spark AR challenge comes as a result of the constructive cooperation between Meta and Coders HQ, which aims to empower programmers with a variety of digital skills and train them to use programming languages in line with national efforts to empower them and support their participation in the digital transformation of the UAE.

Two key challenge tracks by strategic partners, Emirates Airline and Accenture, will shape the hackathon. Whereas participants will be tasked to create AR effects around the "Mobility of Tomorrow" for Emirates Airline and the "Opportunities of the Future' for Accenture".

Winners will get the chance to have their winning effects featured on Emirates Airline's and Accenture's social media pages. In addition, participants will get the chance to win cash prizes amounting to over $50,000.

Meta is also offering participants the chance to brush up on their skills in workshops with two of the top AR developers: Kym Fiala, a Spark AR network partner and the co-founder of Pixel Chefs, a digital agency based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Balraj Bains, a creative designer, project manager and freelance AR Creator based in London, UK, and just before the contest ends, a live Q&A with AR Creators.

The UAE government has launched Coders HQ as part of the National Programme for Coders in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid to enhance creative competition between programming communities, enhance their capabilities and skills, and provide global opportunities to design innovative solutions and create the best generation of programmers.

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The meeting was attended by H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, and H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.

The meeting approved a number of initiatives, strategies and legislations aiming at further developing UAE government work.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, "I chaired the Cabinet meeting at Qasr Al Watan Abu Dhabi, where we adopted the UAE Digital Economy Strategy. Our goal is to increase the contribution of this sector to the GDP by 20 percent over the next 10 years. We formed a Council for Digital Economy chaired by Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Teleworking Applications."

His Highness added, "During the meeting, we adopted a regulatory framework to support the foreign humanitarian work of the UAE, including the establishment of coordination offices in the country missions. Our Humanitarian work is continuous and the UAE will always remain the capital of generosity and goodness."

"At the Cabinet meeting, we adopted unified standards for licensing and encouraging family counseling professions. The goal is to increase efficiency and provide families with the best specialists in all family matters. We also approved the restructuring of the Board of Trustees of the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), chaired by Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs. Education needs to be developed continuously, for a better future", he further said.

His Highness continued, "Also, we adopted a number of international agreements, including an agreement to link the payment systems of the GCC countries, and agreements with the United States, Denmark and Brazil. We approved the country's accession to the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy."

During its meeting, the Cabinet approved the UAE Digital Economy Strategy, which aims to double the contribution of the digital economy to the GDP from 9.7 percent to 19.4 percent within the next ten years. It also aims to enhance the position of the UAE a hub for digital economy in the region and globally.

The Strategy includes more than 30 initiatives and programmes targeting 6 sectors and 5 new areas of growth. It will define the digital economy in the country, with a unified mechanism for measuring its growth while measuring its indicators periodically. The strategy will define the priorities of digital economy in the country, ensuring the contribution of all other economic sectors to promote and support the digital economy.

The UAE Government Cabinet approved the establishment of the UAE Council for Digital Economy chaired by Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Teleworking Applications.

The UAE Council for Digital Economy will support the directions of the country, to double the contribution of the digital economy to the UAE’s GDP in the year 2031, and enhances the implementation of the Digital Economy Strategy initiatives in all economic sectors.

The UAE is among the top 25 percent of countries in the most important global digital indicators, where the contribution of the digital economy to the economic sectors of the UAE’s GDP is 9.7 percent, and to the non-oil GDP 11.7 percent.

The Cabinet approved a federal law about the public finance which obligate federal authorities to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to achieve the financial strategy’s objectives approved by the Cabinet.

The Cabinet approved executive regulation of the federal decree-law on private education aimed at regulating the work of private schools in the country in accordance with the objectives of the private education law, the provisions of which apply to all private schools in the UAE. The executive regulation aims to strengthen a high-level educational system that regulates the licensing mechanism for private schools, to ensure the quality of education and to place students among the best in the world in knowledge assessment tests.

The Cabinet also adopted a unified framework to coordinate and organise the humanitarian and development work of the charitable institutions. It includes a guide that organises the seasonal work of all UAE donors concerned with foreign aids, in accordance with international standards, and in line with the UAE foreign aid policy and strategy. This framework approved by the Cabinet, includes the establishment of coordinating offices in the country's missions abroad for foreign aid. This will contribute in regulating financial transfers to donors, and the UAE charitable institutions in the beneficiary countries.

During the meeting, the Cabinet adopted new standards for licensing of Family Therapy professionals, which includes specific criteria and procedures for licensing family counselors and professionals. The decision constitutes a reference for all parties in evaluating documents, qualifications and experiences of professionals, and ensures that the same unified licensing standards are applied nationwide.

The Cabinet adopted a decision to cancel the registration fees in Federal Supplier and Contractor Register, to encourage suppliers to enhance their participation, and increase their registration in the federal government. The decision will positively affect price rates, improves the quality of government services provided, and increases supplier interaction by registering in the Federal government’s digital procurement platform.

The Cabinet approved the restructuring of Board of Trustees of the Higher Colleges of Technology HCT, chaired by Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs.

The Cabinet also agreed on the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure to be the restricting authority for petroleum hazardous materials, the entrusted with the issuance of approvals for the import of these materials, and to follow up their circulation in coordination with licensed local authorities.

In addition to reviewing and discussing a number of reports, the Cabinet approved an agreement on linking payment systems between GCC countries; an agreement with the Federal Republic of Brazil; two agreements with the Kingdom of Denmark; and an agreement with the United States of America.

The Cabinet also approved the country's accession to the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE), and approved the issuance of necessary decisions to implement the provisions of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) agreement between the UAE government and the US government.

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The opportunities and benefits made possible by technology and artificial intelligence, as well as the challenges it will help solve, will serve as a key driver for shaping the country’s digital future, Al Olama explained.

The affirmation by Al Olama follows the launch of 10 innovative initiatives from Coders HQ, an initiative unveiled under the umbrella of the National Programme for Coders, at the Museum of the Future. The initiatives include the establishment of an evaluation headquarters; creation of an ambassador program; roll-out of a language programmer challenge; creation of a Tanzu-focused community; organisation of an "OpenHack" hackathon; and the use of LinkedIn statistics; the challenges initiative with Majid Al Futtaim; the collaboration between Emirates and Evaluation Headquarters nominating the coders into career opportunities; Global DevSlam specialised to empower more than 15,000 coders in the UAE.

The objective of these initiatives is to increase the number of programmers in the country and aspire to achieve the highest number of programmers per capita globally. Additionally, the goal of these coder-centric innovations is to build the reputation of the country’s programming communities as the best in the region, while ensuring they are provided with optimal job opportunities. Together, these initiatives will support the UAE as a preferred global destination for programmers in a thriving digital economy.

Al Olama said, "Strengthening the programming community in the country is an important goal for Coders HQ. The initiatives put forward will help us understand the current state of the coder community, as well as what is required to build their capability, in order to empower them with required skills for future occupations."

He emphasised that the launch of these new initiatives embodies the vision and direction of the country’s leadership to develop advanced programming communities, as well as prepare a new generation that is capable of using technology to build a competitive knowledge-based economy. He announced that the digital economy doubled the contribution to the UAE economy, reaching 9.7 percent.

In line with the country’s aspiration to achieve scientific and technological excellence, these initiatives reflect the goals of the Coders HQ programme to provide an incubating and stimulating environment for talented individuals, specialised in programming and artificial intelligence.

The Coders HQ is set out to support and educate a new generation of coders, enhancing their capabilities in areas such as programming and technology. Additionally, the HQ strives to support programming communities by providing an incubating and stimulating environment for those with specialised skills, empowering them with the necessary tools and expertise to innovate. Their innovation will shape the future and support the UAE as a global hub for programmers in a thriving digital economy.

"Update" platform witnessed the establishment of a set of partnerships between the programmer's headquarters and a group of leading agencies and companies which aim to strengthen the programmers community in the UAE and embrace the country’s position as a global hub for programmers, e.g. the partnership with the Dubai World Trade Center to hold the DevSlam Summit, which brings many different software summits to hold together, the partnership with Emirates to publish challenges within the challenges headquarters and nominating talents in coding to them from Coders HQ, and partnering with Majid Al Futtaim Group, which contributes to supporting and promoting programming and technology and building a sustainable digital economy.

Helal Al Marri, Director-General Dubai Economy & Tourism Department Dubai World Trade Centre Authority, stated that Global DevSlam is working in partnership with Coders HQ to support the coders national program through attracting excellent coders internationally, empowering coders and supporting coding communities. Global DevSlam has strategic tools and abilities to embrace the efforts through connecting talented coders with the opportunities in the vibrant UAE hub.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, said, "We’re delighted to partner with the AI’s office and to be a part of this strategic initiative to collaborate in attracting skilled professionals and offer career development for youths. This year, we plan to release other specific Emirates business case initiatives under the Coders HQ initiative. In addition, Emirates plans to hire more than 500 IT professionals to increase the number of our talent coders and take part in supporting future projects. We’ve also tapped on our Aviation X-lab partnership to launch our own internal Emirates Group community to support and nurture anyone passionate about coding, regardless of their experience."

Evaluation Headquarters

The Evaluation Headquarters is tasked with developing a clear classification for programmers in accordance with their skill level, in addition to providing them with optimal employment opportunities with relevant organisations. Additionally, it is responsible for determining a national baseline to understand the current level of skill among programmers in the country, as well as facilitating the recruitment process with the private sector. To increase efficiency during the recruitment process, programmers who wish to participate in the evaluation initiative can submit their applications through the website www.ai.gov.ae/hqasssment. The initiative is currently in its first phase and utilises an evaluation criterion of more than 200 relevant skills.

The Headquarters is also concerned with programmers in the UAE who are seeking to test their capabilities, participate in training opportunities or pursuing employment. Interested programmers who would like to be assessed can participate throughout the year.

Coders HQ will collaborate with the evaluation headquarters to share any assessment results with over 30 of its private sector partners in an automated and private manner.

Coder HQ Ambassadors

The Coder HQ Ambassadors initiative is concerned with building the capabilities of ambassadors to allow them to spread programming knowledge and awareness across the country, especially among university students. Additionally, the Ambassadors are responsible for sourcing employment opportunities for interested students, as well increase efforts to drive interest to learn programming, in pursuit of fulfilling demand for coders in the private sector.

The Ambassadors will be able to use the allocated space at Coders HQ, located at Emirates Towers, to propose and implement projects that serve public interest. This opportunity will enable them to serve as an important partner in the process of developing the UAE’s digital economy. Individuals who are interested in joining the Ambassadors programme can apply through www.ai.gov.ae/chqambsd.

Natural Language Processing Challenge

The "Language Challenge" initiative seeks to develop specialised teams of Emiratis in the field of natural language processing. These teams will be responsible for educating university students on the job market and developing a future talent pool of programmers. Registration will begin on 1st April, 2022, and interviews with select candidates will take place shortly after. During the preparatory stage, applicants are trained in the "Python" language and understand the basics of machine learning, deep learning and natural language processing. During the second phase, real challenges in this field will begin to be solved. Those interested can register through www.ai.gov.ae/lahja.

Tanzu Community

The Tanzu Community initiative, launched in collaboration with VMWare, a leading provider of multi-cloud services for all apps, provides programmers with an opportunity to learn about multiple software technologies. The Community will hold monthly meetings with those interested with the objective of nurturing future talent, in support of the objectives of the Coders HQ to create the strongest software community in the region. Additionally, this initiative will introduce the programming Community to powerful technologies that are able to predict future growth and were previously only available to large companies. Individuals interested in joining the meetings can find more information via the following link: www.ai.gov.ae/chq.

"Open Hack" Hackathon

The "Open Hack" Hackathon, a joint project between Microsoft and Coders HQ, aims to develop specialised programming teams to work within the private sector in the field of "DevOps". This will result in increased competitiveness which will have a positive impact on the digital economy, in addition to cementing the UAE as a global destination for programmers and knowledge development.

LinkedIn Statistics

The LinkedIn Statistics initiative is designed to provide accurate statistics that reflect the current state of programmers in the UAE. With more than 63,000 programmers working across all sectors in the UAE, access to this objective data will improve the decision-making process.

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This aligns with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to prepare a new generation of coders, promote their skills and motivate them to actively participate in designing innovative solutions to challenges, thus consolidating the UAE’s scientific and technical excellence.

The Coders’ HQ, one of the "National Programme for Coders" projects, hosted a group of female school students interested in artificial intelligence and coding. In celebration of International Women's Day, Al Olama met the students and introduced them to the UAE’s efforts to empower women in various fields, especially modern technologies, AI and coding, to enhance their active participation in the UAE’s march towards development and progress.

"It is important to upskill women and girls in fields related to AI, to help them reach leading positions in the technological and digital industries, enhance their participation in the future labour market. The market is increasingly demanding data, digitisation, software and AI-based skills, and motivate them to design innovative projects to consolidate the UAE’s leadership and global position as a hub for coding and the digital economy. This is also one of the primary goals of the Coders HQ, which focuses on attracting talents and building coding skills to boost the development process in the UAE," Al Olama noted.

During their visit, students were introduced to the experiences and projects of the Dubai Future Labs and the National Programme for Coders. They were further briefed on the Museum of the Future, recently inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid as a global scientific platform and an integrated institutional framework to shape a better future for Dubai and the whole world, and a headquarter that gathers futurists to design innovative solutions for future challenges. Students were also introduced to the latest technologies, the "Metaverse" virtual world, and the role of coding in the digital transformation of the UAE.

The Coders’ HQ focuses on four main objectives: evaluating the coders’ skills for recruitment, upskilling coders and enthusiasts, creating a strong network of coders, and connecting coders and enthusiasts with the best job opportunities. It encompasses nine main initiatives, namely HQ "Learn", HQ "Assessment", HQ "Meetups", HQ "Challenges", HQ "Hackathons", HQ "Conferences", HQ "Get Inspired", HQ "Internship", and HQ "021".

The UAE government launched the Coders HQ, embodying the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

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A host of UAE coders and modern technology enthusiasts participated in the session, which shed lights on Vaynerchuk’s inspiring journey in the field of digital content related to blockchain, Web 3.0, and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs).

During his speech at the third session held at HQ "Get Inspired", Vaynerchuk stated that the best characteristic of technical experts is to be curious about knowledge and always to ask themselves: "what if?". He displayed to his vision and experience in the fields of blockchain and Web 3.0, pinpointing that coders and new generations in general must be humble and dedicated to understanding the shifts in digital technology.

"The main challenge facing many people in today's world is the difficulty to understand the impact of the new generation of Internet, Web 3.0, and its great developments compared to the previous generations. Using concepts, tools and expectations based on the previous generations limits people’s ability to innovate creative solution," he added.

Known for his interactive, engaging style, and vast knowledge in modern technology, Gary Vaynerchuk is considered one of the leading global social media influencers in this field.

HQ "Get Inspired" hosts prominent digital companies’ CEOs in interactive sessions to highlight their success stories and leading experiences in the field of technology. It aims to inspire young coders to develop their capabilities and expertise, and participate in developing technological solutions for future challenges.

Embodying the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the UAE government launched the Coders HQ, a new transformational project that re-defines local coding communities in the UAE and worldwide. It aims firstly, to build the most vibrant coding community in the region, secondly to upskill the local coding community and lastly to connect coders to the best opportunities.

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He added that such infrastructure supports strengthening the UAE’s position as a leading global role model in adopting future technology and digital solutions that help boost performance levels and improve quality of life for citizens and residents.

This came during the first meeting of the UAE Council for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transactions in 2022, which was held remotely.

Al Olama said that the UAE government has one of the world's most advanced digital infrastructure, which constitutes a key driver for digital transformation and enhancing efforts to utilise technology in digital transactions to streamline procedures in related services. This is in implementation of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to promote the use of tech and AI solutions in creating new business models and creating a better future, he added.

The UAE Council for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transactions aims to expand the use of artificial intelligence technology and digital transactions in various fields, encourage the exchange of knowledge and experiences, attract top local and global talent and expertise and propose policies to facilitate establishing an environment conducive to innovation and research.

The meeting saw the participation of the Council members, including Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Director General of the Sharjah Department of eGovernment, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Saif Al Sharqi, Director of Fujairah's eGovernment Department, Younis Haji Al Khoori, Under-Secretary of Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mohamed Salim Al Olama, Under-Secretary at Ministry of Health and Prevention, Sharif Salim Al Olama, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure for Energy and Petroleum Affairs, and Mohammed Al Mualla, Undersecretary for Academic Affairs of Higher Education at Ministry of Education, Abdulla Al Saleh, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Economy, and Mohammed bin Taleya, Head of Government Services for the UAE Government, as well as officials from the UAE's eGovernment departments and digital authorities.

The council members reviewed the outputs of the first phase of the Council's agenda, which included the graduation of more than 260 AI experts from a specialised programme, developed in cooperation with Kellogg College at Oxford University, in addition to intensifying research efforts and increasing the number of specialised AI laboratories in the UAE.

The attendees also discussed the Council's future initiatives and plans, highlighting efforts to promote the utilisation of technology and digital solutions in government transactions to improve the efficiency of government services.

The Council's sub-committees presented their implementation plans, their key objectives for the next phase, and the proposed success indicators, as over 60 initiatives were approved for implementation through the sub-committees during the Council's second session.

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It further encourages them to join this field and enhance their coding and technological skills, thus promoting the UAE’s leadership and maintaining its position as a global hub for coding and the digital economy.

Attracting about 1,000 male and female students from various schools in the UAE, the initiative focuses on building students’ capabilities and preparing them to build a digital future by empowering them with the necessary tools and expertise and developing their skills using methodologies suitable for their ages. It guides them to design innovative solutions to challenges and enhances their knowledge by communicating with experts and specialists in various AI fields. In addition, students will participate in a training programme, availed in both Arabic and English, with the option to take live online lessons or follow a self-paced training plan.

Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, stated that the National Programme for Coders, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, is an incubating environment for digital talents and innovative coders. It helps them develop their skills and prepares a new generation capable of developing the best solutions to challenges and building a flourishing digital knowledge-based economy.

Al Olama added that the initiative highlights the role of the National Programme for Coders, which promotes partnerships with leading hi-tech companies to establish digital societies that adopt technological and coding solutions.

Walid Yehia, General Manager – UAE, Dell Technologies, said, "In today’s digital world, code is everywhere as technology continues to evolve. These shifts are driving significant change in the jobs of the future, where it has been estimated in a study from Dell Technologies, that 85 percent of jobs that will exist in 2030 have not been invented yet. To participate in this tech-driven future, coding has become an essential skill that children need to develop."

"At Dell Technologies, we aim to harness the power of technology to drive human progress and we are inspired by the ‘National Programme for Coders’ initiative, announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to develop a new generation of programmers and coders. Dell Technologies and the National Programme for Coders launched the ‘UAE AI for Kids’ training programme in line with this initiative. Our goal is to build an ecosystem of future coders who can be part of tomorrow’s digital workforce," he added.

The "AI for Kids" initiative concludes its activities with a competition to select three talented winners for their outstanding performance and active participation in the training programme.

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The project, established in the Emirates Towers, aims to build a new generation of coders, enhance their capabilities and skills in the fields of coding and technology, empower them with top-notch tools and expertise, and provide them with the opportunity to design innovative solutions to address local and global challenges, thus consolidating the UAE’s leading position as a global hub for coders and digital economy.

The project was launched in a virtual ceremony organised by the National Programme for Coders, in the presence of Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Teleworking Applications, and representatives of partners in the project. Participants reviewed the key initiatives and programs that the Coders HQ will launch over the coming period.

Omar Sultan Al Olama said that launching the Coders HQ, comes under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to develop advanced coding communities as a key driver for shaping the future and harnessing the new, fast-growing digital economy, thus achieving the leadership’s vision and the 10 principles for the next 50 years, namely consolidating the position of the UAE as a global hub for talents, startups and innovators.

He added that the project embodies the UAE’s vision in preparing a new generation of coders, capable of finding innovative solutions to future challenges, exploring new opportunities to build a competitive knowledge-based economy, and creating a comprehensive development process based on investing in skills and talents to build their future capabilities. It further provides an incubating and stimulating environment for skilled coders, building an enabling ecosystem to help them innovate technical solutions to address challenges.

As one of the projects and initiatives of the National Programme for Coders, the Coders HQ aims to consolidate the position of the UAE as a global hub for coders and an incubating ecosystem for projects and innovative ideas for building a better future. It further features advanced technological infrastructure to facilitate coders’ work, and includes an events space, a supercomputer, and several workspaces. Over the coming period, 6 new coders’ HQs will be inaugurated all around the UAE.

The Coders’ HQ focuses on Four main objectives, namely, assessing the skills of coders in the UAE, developing them, enabling continuous communication among coders in the UAE and abroad, and providing coders with the best opportunities to help them enhance the UAE's leadership in this field.

Among its activities, the project encompasses Nine main initiatives, namely "HQ learn" to provide practical training courses in different coding fields to different levels of coders, "HQ assessment" to provide a mechanism for evaluating the skills and performance of coders, "HQ meetups", which focuses on developing and incubating software communities in all fields, and "HQ challenges", to share private sector challenges whose winners receive prizes.

The Project also launched the "HQ hackathons" to organise a series of short hackathons in partnership with the private sector, where winners will be eligible for prizes, the "HQ conferences" to attract mega international conferences specialised in coding to the UAE, the "HQ get inspired" to hold a series of inspiring sessions presented by CEOs and technical influencers, "HQ internship", to provide training opportunities for Emirati graduates in the digital companies, as well as "HQ 021", a joint project with the United Arab Emirates National and Reserve Service Authority (UAENSR) to develop the talents of national service coders and help them reach global levels.

In line with the UAE's wise leadership directions exhibited in the "Principles of the 50" document, the Coders HQ further announced organising training programs for Emiratis to facilitate their participation in the various fields of coding in the private sector, while providing them with the best global knowledge to hone their skills. 40 government, semi-government, private and academic entities will provide support to the training processes to help achieve the defined objectives and yield the best outcomes. These include Abu Dhabi University, Majid Al Futtaim Holding, Microsoft Middle East and Africa, IBM, Presales MERAT, Meta, Rabdan Academy, the American University in Dubai, DP World, ADNOC, and VMware.

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The honouring ceremony was held at Expo 2020 Dubai in the presence of H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid was briefed on several Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects developed by the graduates during their training to enhance government performance and efficiency.

Sheikh Mohammed highlighted the importance of empowering future generations with the latest technologies to achieve the UAE’s objectives for the next 50 years.

AI solutions are key to building the UAE's technological expertise and supporting its goal of achieving technical, digital and scientific excellence, he said.

The Programme, which featured more than 240 participants from 90 local and federal government entities, aims to empower participants to adopt AI technologies in their work and achieve the objectives of the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031. It seeks to develop participants’ practical experiences in various technology-related applications and demonstrate the means to leverage them in developing innovative future services.

The partnership represents an opportunity for students to imagine the future and celebrate the 50th UAE National Day through AR.

The collaboration aims to support the government's ongoing efforts to spur digital skills enhancement across the country, highlighting AR potentials as a critical enabler of creative expression while adding entertainment and utility to people's lives.

A group of skilled professionals will work with the university students to cover the fundamentals of programming AR experiences, the tools available to materialise these concepts, and the means of publishing AR experiences in the global marketplace.

On this occasion, Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Teleworking Applications, said, "Building a technologically-advanced generation is a key direction for the Government of the UAE, which aims to enhance the role of creative technologies in serving the community and promoting a sustainable knowledge economy. These objectives embody the UAE's 10 principles for the next 50 years."

He emphasised the importance of collaborating with the private sector, which will dramatically facilitate these efforts. Announcing the new partnership ahead of the UAE's Golden Jubilee represents an essential opportunity for young people to share their visions and aspirations for the next 50 years, enabling them to explore how they can transform their ideas into AR-based applications and participate in shaping the future of the country, he added.

On his part, Hussein Freijeh, General Manager of Snap Inc. in the Middle East, said, "Today, innovative technologies are creating a new value for businesses in the UAE while assisting governments in their strategic roadmaps and promoting wellbeing across local communities. This will only accelerate moving forward. As the UAE looks to the next 50 years, we believe technologies like AR play a fundamental role in shaping the future of how people experience the world around them, combining what they see in the real world with all that's available to them in the digital world."

As part of the partnership, participants are invited to create their own AR experience through Snap's Lens Studio, a powerful application designed for global creators and developers to build augmented reality experiences. Each participant will be given the prompt to use AR to imagine the future of the UAE over the next 50 years. A selection of the resulting AR Lenses will then be published directly on Snapchat and made available to communities across the UAE in time for the Golden Jubilee.

In a recent report by Deloitte Digital and commissioned by Snap Inc., almost all UAE users of social and communication apps were predicted to be frequent AR users by 2025. Although AR is generally still seen as a "toy", nearly 80% of respondents in the study expect and desire to use AR as a practical "tool" in their everyday lives.

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He said said this in a meeting with Dr. Margarete Schramböck, Federal Minister for Digital and Economic Affairs of Austria, in Dubai. Al Olama also took Dr. Schramböck for a tour at the Emirates Towers in Dubai. The Austrian minister got acquainted with the experiences of Dubai Future Laboratories, Dubai Future Accelerators, Area 2071, and the Artificial Intelligence Office during the tour.

Dr. Schramböck was also briefed on the best practices, techniques and applications of future technology being tested and tried for employment in future vital sectors.

The UAE minister commended cooperation relations between the UAE and Austria, and the great potential to further develop them, especially in the fields of modern technology, digitisation and sustainable solutions.

The two ministers discussed ways to promote cooperation, exchange expertise and successful experiences in the fields of modern technology and artificial intelligence, and to enhance joint work to benefit from digitisation and artificial intelligence solutions in developing future work mechanisms.

The Austrian Minister was briefed on the most prominent digital solutions, technologies and experiences that are being tested within the "Dubai Future Laboratories" and the experience of "Area 2071", which represents an incubator for national initiatives aimed at achieving the goals of the UAE Centennial 2071.

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AI leads to ‘great return on investment’ in dealing with pandemic

The UAE approached the COVID-19 pandemic “as a scientist,” said Omar Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications.

Al Olama was appointed by the UAE as the first artificial intelligence (AI) minister in the world in 2017, when he was just 27 years old. That year, his ministry launched a strategy “to become one of the world leaders in AI by 2031.”

The COVID-19 pandemic, it turns out, may have accelerated the UAE’s applications of AI to governance and public health, and to establishing the Emirates as a world leader in AI, as Al Olama, now 31, explained in an exclusive Zoom interview with Al-Monitor on Nov. 18.

Al Olama describes a policy response to the pandemic by the UAE that has been data- and analytics-driven and characterized by openness to different ideas, nimbleness in response to changing events, and willingness to accept calculated risks.

“We actually were very open to many different solutions, and many different theories out there,” he said. “And we worked with everyone, from the East and the West, to try to find the right solutions that can be deployed in the UAE to make us go back to living a relatively normal life. Not the normal life that we're used to. People still need to wear masks. There's still a lot of focus on the general community's safety, but AI played a big role in getting us to this point."

The adaptation of AI was central to the UAE’s response to the pandemic, including in the development of the Alhosn public health application, which has allowed rapid innovation in testing and tracking for COVID. Based upon AI simulations, the government was also able to anticipate what would be needed at various stages of the pandemic — such as numbers of ventilators and vaccines required.

The process “produced a great return on investment for the UAE, because we were quickly able to become one of the leading countries in the world in terms of vaccination rates,” said Al Olama. “The reason why it was a calculated risk and the outcomes were very positive is because we leveraged every technology and human ingenuity with it to plan forward for this COVID-19 pandemic, while also deliberating continuously to understand if there are any changes that might affect these plans. So when a new variant came out, we actually had to go back, reassess the situation, understand what it means for our plans, and if there wasn't a big risk on it at the time, we would continue and make a few tweaks. If there was a big risk, then the plans would change.”

“And today everyone considers the UAE model one of the best models out there for dealing with the pandemic, and for going back to a life that is very close to the normal life we're used to,” he said.

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During the visit, Lt. General Sheikh Saif and Major General Pilot Sheikh Ahmed were briefed by Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Teleworking Applications, about the initiatives led by the AI Office, and the progress of the recruits, who were selected to work under the framework of a comprehensive project based on AI solutions and tools.

Lt. General Sheikh Saif also visited the New Media Academy at the Emirates Towers, which aims to train qualified cadres in digital media.

Sheikh Saif highlighted the importance of national initiatives and projects to invest in the youth and build their capacities, reflecting the UAE’s objectives in the "Principles of the 50" document.

The country’s leadership relies on the youth, especially the National Service recruits, to achieve the country’s future strategic objectives, he added.

During the visit, Sheikh Saif lauded the "Future Lab," an innovative project developed by National Service recruits. He was also briefed by the recruits who created a maritime maps project about its details and its importance to the country.

Under the same framework, Lt. General Sheikh Saif and Major General Pilot Sheikh Ahmed visited the Palmwood Foundation at the Emirates Towers.

The foundation, which was established in partnership between the UAE and IDEO, a global design company committed to creating a positive impact, is one of the key international establishments in designing innovative concepts and developing technological products, services and solutions.

WAM/Esraa Ismail/MOHD AAMIR

Every year, 29 October will celebrate the role played by coding and programming professionals in advancing the nation’s vision for the growth and transformation of the IT sector. The move supports nationwide efforts to attract a new generation of programmers and coders to the country through initiatives such as the ‘National Program for Coders’, in line with the UAE’s growth strategy and the Fifty-Year Charter.

His Highness said coding and programming excellence represents a vital driver of innovation and creativity, technological and scientific excellence, economic growth and the nation’s future aspirations. The UAE is strongly focused on investing in the development of human capital and providing an environment for talent to thrive, he said.

“Twenty years ago, we launched the region’s first digital government, which was the cornerstone of our vision to build the best government in the world and create a new model of development that empowers people to turn their creative and entrepreneurial aspirations into reality. We want to honour the contributions of coders and programmers so that we can encourage future generations of technology professionals to participate in building the future of the UAE.”

The decision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid to honour the contributions of coders and programmers on 29 October will help promote the development of technology and artificial intelligence related skills among future generations.

The initiative also provides a significant boost to achieving the objectives of the ‘National Program for Coders’ to train and attract 100,000 programmers and create 1,000 major digital companies within five years. The Program also enables technology entrepreneurs, businesses and startups to participate in advancing digital transformation in various key sectors. In addition, it seeks to provide opportunities for fostering cooperation between government and private sector entities to turn promising ideas into full-fledged projects.

The ‘National Program for Coders’ focuses on five key pillars, which include: supporting coders, entrepreneurs, startups, large companies and the academic sector; developing a comprehensive platform for promoting engagement and linkages between coders and local companies and universities; launching skill development initiatives featuring international trainers aimed at developing local talent; attracting the best international coding professionals to the UAE; and recommending policies to foster the development of the coding sector in cooperation with various government entities.

The day acknowledges the most prominent achievements in the fields of coding and computer science, and recognises successful initiatives aiming to attract and enable a new generation of coders who would help boost the UAE’s march towards the future and achieve the UAE Centennial 2071 goals.

On this occasion, Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Teleworking Applications, stated that the UAE’s digital transformation, led by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, secured the UAE's position as a global destination for empowering youth with future skills, tools and modern technologies to enhance their participation in developing innovative solutions to address challenges and create a better future.

Al Olama added, "The 'UAE Codes' day encourages youth to adopt coding and AI technologies and master the language of the future. It further helps them enhance their capabilities in technological innovation, provides them with an exceptional platform to celebrate their achievements, and highlights the efforts of the UAE in building a new generation of coders and innovators. These efforts aim to consolidate the UAE’s global position as an incubator and enabler for talents and skills employing modern technologies in an advanced ecosystem as a main pillar of the UAE's development towards the Next 50."

The 'UAE Codes' Day coincides with the anniversary of inaugurating the first e-government in the region twenty years ago by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, on 29th October, 2001. It aims to provide a platform for coders, exceptional talents and future skills in the fields of AI and coding, celebrate their achievements, and highlights the UAE’s progress in fields of the 4IR, coding, and adoption of AI technologies.

The UAE Codes Day will witness more than 65 events organised by about 50 organisations and entities across the UAE. Activities will include mainly workshops, competitions, coding hackathons, and other events aiming to introduce community members to the basics of coding and motivates them to gain knowledge. The events also aim to acquaint participants with the contribution of coding to the great evolution the world is witnessing today and its role in promoting societies’ development.

The UAE Codes Day focuses on enhancing exchange of experiences and knowledge, upskilling coding and computer science capabilities, and providing unique opportunities to new generations to participate in designing the future. This reflects the efforts of the UAE government and complements the National Program for Coders’ efforts to promote learning programming language, coding and excel in it.

WAM/Amjad Saleh/Tariq alfaham

The initiative also targets empowering talents to compete for the best job opportunities in global leading companies in the fields of coding and Artificial Intelligence (AI), and develop innovative solutions to challenges, thus promoting future digital economy in the UAE and boosting its global leadership and competitiveness.

The initiative, launched by the National Programme for Artificial Intelligence, provides a platform to enhance partnerships between public and private sectors, talented skills in the field of software and modern technologies, and international technology leaders operating in the UAE. It encourages international leading companies to provide opportunities for talents to promote their active participation in supporting the digital transformation in the UAE and building an advanced digital economy that contributes to enhancing people's wellbeing and building a better future.

Under "Pioneers of the Digital Economy" initiative and during the 41st edition of GITEX Global 2021, the AI Office announced collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS), to enable talents to compete in the fields of technology and software.

Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Teleworking Applications, stated that the UAE government adopts modern technologies and AI tools for building a sustainable digital economy, in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to provide the best possible solutions and promote the UAE’s global competitiveness.

Al Olama added that forging partnerships and reinforcing cooperation with entities and companies that support global economies help accelerate digital transformation in the UAE and its transition towards a sustainable digital economy. He further noted that launching "Pioneers of the Digital Economy" initiative, in collaboration with Amazon Web Services, is part of the ongoing efforts of the AI Office to enable talents specialised in digitisation and AI technologies to actively engage in promoting the national digital economy.

Isabella Groegor-Cechowicz, Vice President of Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), AWS Worldwide Public Sector, said, "We are pleased to be collaborating with the UAE AI Office to support talent development of UAE nationals as we continue to build a diverse and inclusive workforce at AWS. With the upcoming launch of the AWS data centers in the UAE in the first half of 2022, we are hiring teams across multiple functions to support cloud adoption and to help accelerate the UAE’s digital transformation strategy."

As part of its cooperation with the AI Office, Amazon Web Services will share a periodic list of job opportunities available at the company’s headquarters in the UAE, while encouraging local talents to apply for these vacancies, thus enhancing their capabilities in various fields of digital economy.

The two parties shall further cooperate to build the capabilities of national talents, enable them to adopt modern technologies, introduce them to the experiences of global tech companies, and provide them with the best opportunities to design innovative solutions and services. This goes in line with the UAE’s 'Principles of the 50' focusing on enhancing human capital, achieving digital, technical and scientific excellence, and building the best and most dynamic economy in the world.

WAM/Amjad Saleh/MOHD AAMIR

The third edition of the camp, held in cooperation with the National Programme for Coders, aimed to encourage youth to develop innovative solutions for future challenges, leveraging their experiences during their participation in training, workshops, webinars and talks.

The camp saw broad participation from students and 15 strategic partnerships, including many national entities and mega international companies specialising in coding and AI, to develop certified digital content that students can benefit from in various fields.

Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Teleworking Applications, stressed the importance of the AI sector in achieving sustainable change and supporting efforts to design and build a better future for communities. He added that the UAE government dedicates all its capabilities, programmes and initiatives to enhance youth skills and build competencies to shape the future and serve communities.

The UAE AI Camp 3.0 also witnessed the establishment of partnerships with several government entities, including Dubai Police, Dubai Digital Authority, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), Dubai Future Labs (DFL), and Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR). Several leading private sector entities also participated in the camp, including Facebook, Microsoft, Huawei, Le Wagon, Careem, SAP, among other AI-specialist companies.

Jiawei Liu, Huawei – UAE CEO, stated, "Artificial intelligence is the next general-purpose technology. It will create a positive spill-over effect for all industries, considering its position as the new force driving social transformation."

"Huawei uses its global experience and resources to build the AI Ecosystem, that enables a culture of digitalisation and intelligent transformation in the UAE which steadily elevates its position as a global leader in the adoption of innovativion," he added.

Tarek Mohammed, Head of Virtual Asset Section of Dubai Police GHQ, stated that the camp empowers youth to obtain knowledge and experience to develop innovative solutions to challenges. "We are delighted to support the UAE AI Summer Camp with our programmes, and we are looking forward to more initiatives that support youth in the UAE," he added.

Dr. Ali Alazzawi, City Experience Advisor at Dubai Digital Authority, confirmed that the authority is running full speed ahead towards the technical implementation of AI in the country to achieve the goals of the UAE Centennial 2071.

The camp provided 5,000 participants with the opportunity to learn about the most prominent emerging technologies in future fields and acquire skills that help prepare them to start their coding careers.

Facebook organised an AI camp from 15th to 26h August, which attracted 50 participants chosen from among 700 applicants. The camp hosted knowledge sessions, theoretical and practical workshops, and webinars, during which more than 20 topics were presented. WAM/Esraa Ismail/Amjad Saleh