Huawei and UNESCO IITE Jointly Launch 10th Middle East & Central Asia ICT Competition, Pledges to Train 1 Million Digital Talents
Huawei, in partnership with the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE), is pleased to announce the launch of the 10th Huawei Middle East and Central Asia ICT Competition at GITEX Global 2025.
The launch ceremony was attended by Ekaterina Pushkareva, Programme Specialist, UNESCO IITE; Cong Liang, Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Huawei Middle East & Central Asia; and Mehedi Hasan Limon, Vice President for Public Sector, Education & Healthcare, Huawei Middle East & Central Asia.
Having trained over half a million ICT talents through its broader talent ecosystem initiatives, Huawei celebrates the 10th edition by reaffirming its commitment to developing one million digital talents over the next 10 years. The company continues to foster a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and professional growth that empowers regional talent to reach their full potential.
Since its inception, the Huawei ICT Competition has grown into one of the largest talent development platforms in the region. Over the past nine editions, it has engaged 19 countries, more than 800 universities, and over 140,000 university students, with the most recent 2024–2025 edition held in Saudi Arabia. The 10th edition reaffirms Huawei’s dedication to building a digital talent ecosystem through a unique competitive model that integrates teaching, learning, and innovation.
This initiative aims to enhance students’ ICT knowledge, practical skills, and innovative capabilities. Huawei places the development of intelligent talent at the heart of industrial prosperity, as countries across the region accelerate efforts to build competitive digital economies and lead in digital transformation.
The competition will include national competitions and regional finals, with top participants advancing to the global finals. It will comprise two key categories — a practice competition, designed to strengthen participants’ skills across the Network Track, Computing Track, and Cloud Track, and an innovation competition focused on driving AI innovation through creative, real-world applications.
Outstanding participants who excel in the regional finals will be recognised with premium prizes from Huawei, including a Huawei MateBook, Huawei MatePad, and Huawei Watch, along with an Honorary Certificate jointly issued by Huawei and UNESCO IITE, celebrating their exceptional performance and innovative spirit. Winners will also receive air tickets to China to compete in the Global Final, and through Huawei’s Eagle Talent Program, they will gain access to internship opportunities and priority employment offers.
These incentives provide young talents with a global platform for learning and exchange, and underscore Huawei’s enduring commitment to educational innovation and talent development worldwide.
Ekaterina Pushkareva, Programme Specialist, UNESCO IITE, said: “The Huawei ICT Competition reflects the values we share with Huawei: engaging young people, bridging digital divide, and ensuring that innovation is inclusive and accessible. Through competition, thousands of students gain not only technical skills, but also collaboration spirit and confidence to contribute meaningfully to their communities and economies. As Huawei ICT Competition remarks its 10th Anniversary, UNESCO IITE is proud to support this partnership with Huawei for our shared goal of strengthening innovation, fostering knowledge exchange, and preparing a new generation to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world.”
Cong Liang, Chief Strategy Officer, Middle East & Central Asia, Huawei, commented: “Over the past decade, the Huawei ICT Competition has grown into a massive platform that empowers young people to transform their potential into real impact. To mark this remarkable milestone, we are proud to strengthen our commitment by training one million ICT talents across the region in the coming years. Building skills in cloud, AI and other advanced and emerging technologies has never been more important today. We recognise this and are actively working with our valued partners in helping shape the future leaders of the digital economy. This is how Huawei is contributing to the region’s journey towards sustainable digital transformation”
Through Huawei’s ICT Academy, the company has trained over 1.3 million students across 3,000 colleges and universities in more than 110 countries. In recent years, Huawei expanded its talent development initiatives, which include collaborations with global organisations such as UNESCO and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Through these strategic investments, Huawei is equipping talent across the region with the skills to excel, creating a strong talent pipeline that drives the advancement of the wider ICT industry.
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