The Huawei ICT Academy Summit 2023 brought together educators, industry experts, and leaders to highlight information and communications technology (ICT) as a critical facilitator in education and talent development in the country.
The Summit began with keynote remarks by the government and important industry speakers in the morning, followed by afternoon sessions showcasing Huawei ICT Talent Cooperation case study insights, as well as a panel discussion with the theme ‘Industry Standardisation in Education’.
The Summit’s keynote speaker, Director General of Higher Education Professor Dr Azlinda binti Azman, stated that it has become critical for all of our educators to be able to use ICT tools and technologies both within and outside of the classroom setting, to leverage its power to facilitate personalised learning, and to prepare the next generation for the digital age.
The Director-General of Higher academia also lauded the Huawei ICT Academy’s efforts to bridge the gap between academia and industry.
“To facilitate the smoother transition for young Malaysians to participate effectively in the economy, it is equally vital for us to close the gap between education and industry.
“I would like to commend the outstanding efforts of The Huawei ICT Academy as a prime example of effectively bridging this gap. As a platform, the Huawei ICT Academy has successfully integrated theory and pragmatic practice, as well as incorporated up-to-date ICT applications into teaching and training courses. The Academy has established itself as a platform for teaching excellence and is widely acknowledged by industry peers for its good work in training and talent development initiatives to produce world-class ICT professionals. It also ensures that the academia and the industry are in sync as to the type of talent cultivated and needed,” she said.
Professor Dr Azlinda binti Azman said the event is also another example of how the gap can be narrowed between education and industry.
“In a fast-paced, digital world, ICT is a crucial enabler of quality, inclusivity, and innovation in learning. Educators and educational institutions must quickly adapt to the disruptions technology has brought in its wake, as it is imperative to stay ahead of the curve so that you are able to effectively engage with students,” she said.
Mr Oliver Liu, Vice President of Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, acknowledged the challenging job educators face in a fast-paced digital world and touched on how the Huawei ICT Academy is supporting successful educational outcomes.
“When the programme was designed, great care was invested into its components to ensure that each Huawei ICT Academy is able to create a favourable teaching environment, as well as promote a robust talent development track for the ICT industry,” he said in his welcome address.
Mr Liu also stated that Huawei will create a “Smart Elite Programme” in response to YAB Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim’s demand during the Malaysia ICT Summit.
The training program, which will begin next year, will target top management personnel from industries, digital organizations, and the green economy, covering topics such as the latest ICT trends and innovations, green technology, 5G, AI, Big Data, and IoT as Malaysia strives to become the ASEAN Digital Capital.
The Huawei ICT Academies highlight technology as a strong facilitator through courses and laboratories outfitted with genuine gadgets to use in practical experiments, innovative training camps and teacher seminars, and easily accessible online learning and experiment resources.
Mr Liu, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Huawei ASEAN Academy, emphasized Huawei’s success in developing local people with digital capabilities.
“We are also proud to have the Huawei ASEAN Academy. It is a learning centre that is dedicated to equipping local talent with digital skills. We have managed to produce about 10,000 talents a year since 2021. We are well on our way to achieving the target we have set, of producing 50,000 digital talents in Malaysia by 2025,” he said.
The event concluded with an opulent Gala Dinner, where Dr Tan Soo Fun of Universiti Malaysia Sabah received the “Huawei Malaysia Most Dedicated Instructor Award” for going above and above in his work performance.
The Huawei ICT Academy Summit 2023 is one of several efforts Huawei Malaysia has undertaken and will continue to undertake to provide inclusive, people-oriented education for Malaysians. Huawei is firm in its commitment to constructing a robust digital education environment for Malaysia, which will move the country closer to its goals of being an ASEAN regional digital leader.