The Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat has witnessed, via videoconference, the launching of the first online training program on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Aswan University, joined by a number of trainees from Aswan and governorates in Upper Egypt. This comes within the framework of implementing the cooperation protocol between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and Huawei Technologies. The protocol targets qualifying 200 specialized trainers from different governorates and Egyptian universities, in different technology specializations, as well as training 10,000 university students and graduates in digital transformation areas, including data networks, cybersecurity, AI, 4G, 5G, cloud computing, big data and fiber optic networks.

The online meeting was joined by the Vice President and President of Cloud and AI Business Group, North Africa Region at Huawei Technologies Colin Hu, Aswan University President Ahmed Ghallab and the participants of the training program.

Capitalizing on distance learning applications, a number of trainers were qualified and certified in AI and data networks, 19 experts from the National Telecommunication Institute (NTI) were trained and certified in different digital transformation areas, to train other trainers, and 146 trainers from different governorates received training. In addition, the certified trainers trained 1,061 trainees through over 60 training classes.

The ICT Minister, also, witnessed the launching of the first set of laboratory experiments, conducted, for the first time in Egypt, remotely, through NTI equipment and laboratories in Smart Village, that are necessary for completing the training programs offered by NTI. The experiments were conducted remotely by a number of graduates in cybersecurity, from different governorates including Cairo, Assiut, Fayoum, Gharbia, Minya and Beni Suef.

Talaat highlighted that MCIT is keen on providing distance learning and training, which has recently gone mainstream, on a global scale, as one of the main pillars for facing the current circumstances following the spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), and for committing to social distancing. Distance learning, in addition, is key to implementing MCIT strategy for building the digital Egypt, said Talaat, adding that using electronic laboratories remotely is essential for equipping trainers with the hands-on experience needed for dealing with different modern equipment and technologies.

For her part, NTI Director Iman Ashour stated that NTI created, for the first time in Egypt, a system that enables using the laboratories in its different premises for conducting experiments remotely within the training programs and grants, offered to young people, in different digital transformation areas, including cybersecurity, embedded systems, data networks and smart cities technologies.

It is worth mentioning that the aforementioned training programs and facilitations will be available for different trainees, nationwide, within the framework of MCIT strategy for building and developing youth’s digital skills.