Huawei, a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices, and University of King Khalid (KKU) in Saudi Arabia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance local digital skills in Saudi Arabia through Huawei’s ICT Academy Program. The agreement aims to provide the University with advanced technologies to nurture and empower university students.

In the presence of his excellence, Professor Falleh R. M. Al-Solamy, president of King Khalid University, and Mr. Liam Zhang, Chairmen of Huawei Tech Investment Saudi Arabia, the MoU was signed by Dr. Areej Alasiry, Dean of Computer Science College in KKU, And Mr. Wu Han, Deputy CEO at Huawei, as well as senior executives and staff from both parties.

Developing ICT skills is vital for realizing Saudi 2030 Vision, which has digital transformation as a key pillar. While the Kingdom has made tremendous progress in developing its ICT skills base, its ambitious digital-first development program requires an enhanced ICT talent ecosystem.

From his side, Prof. Al-Solamy, the President of King Khalid University said: 'The appetite for advanced technologies among the young local talents in Saudi Arabia is very high. Therefore, we are confident that the collaboration with a leading technology company such as Huawei will be a great success. Having a partner that provides global expertise will contribute to realizing the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. This collaboration reflects our commitment to preparing the future generation to play a key role in the country’s transformation journey.”

Mr. Liam Zhang, Chairmen of Huawei Tech Investment Saudi Arabia, said: 'Huawei is proud to partner with a leading University such as KKU as part of our continuous efforts to support universities in the Kingdom cultivate ICT talent that meets industry requirements, providing a high-quality talent for industry development. By deepening the cooperation with Saudi universities and enterprises, we can promote industry development and innovate talent development models based on enterprise requirements.'

Dr. Areej Alasiry, the Dean of Computer Science College, said: 'As a major ICT vendor, Huawei will introduce our students to the latest technologies that are relevant to the marketplace. This will, in turn, allow us to contribute to our nation advancement to reach its potential in digital transformation. We look forward to many more years of cooperation with Huawei as we jointly work together to contribute to the advancement of the ICT sector in the Kingdom.'

Launched in 2013, the Huawei ICT Academy helps universities cultivate ICT talent that meets industry requirements, providing high-quality workforce for the sector’s development. As a leading global ICT solutions provider, Huawei advocates for an open, shared, ICT talent ecosystem that benefits all parties. Through this initiative, Huawei builds a talent supply chain covering the entire process of learning, certification, and employment—by deepening the cooperation mechanism between universities and enterprises, aiming to promote industry development, and innovate talent development models based on enterprise requirements.