Gitex Launches Student Lab Competition
In an effort to recognise and support the brightest and most innovative young minds the world, GITEX Technology Week has launched an Information and Communications Technology (ICT)-focused Student Lab competition this year. An overwhelming interest in the competition has resulted in hundreds of submissions from students across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia with 20 students currently shortlisted to submit their projects. Come 1 September 2013, 10 finalists will be selected by a jury committee and the best projects will be presented to representatives from leading ICT companies across the globe.
Sponsored by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs (MoPA) and held in association with Google the Student Lab competition is designed to provide an opportunity for students to experience presenting their innovative solutions to ICT leaders. Students from leading regional universities have proposed technologies using their skills in engineering sciences and computing with software solutions, gaming platforms, mobile applications, personal products and robotic devices, among others, being submitted. The competition also provides a platform to recognise leading universities in the region that nurture students who will become the ICT leaders of the future.
The top three entries will stand the chance to win cash prizes and training opportunities in the industry with winners to be announced during GITEX Technology Week on 24 October 2013. In addition, all entrants will retain Intellectual Property (IP) ownership of their projects and will have the opportunity to negotiate a license fee through the UAE Ministry of Economy’s Intellectual Property Protection Department (IPPD) and/or through the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) Patent Office if any company considers making use of their innovation.
The 20 students shortlisted to submit their final projects hail from: Al Ain University of Science and technology (UAE), American University in Dubai (UAE), American University of Sharjah (UAE), An-Najah
National University (Palestine), BITS Pilani Dubai (UAE), Higher Colleges of Technology (UAE), Jomo Kenyatta University (Kenya), Kenya Methodist University (Kenya), Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research (UAE), Manipal University (UAE), King Abdulaziz University (Saudi Arabia), UAE
University (UAE), University of Boumerdes UMBB (Algeria), University of Wollongong in Dubai (UAE). H.E. Ahmed Mohammed Al Humairi, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, sponsor of the Student Lab competition, said: “With R&D and technology innovation essential to the growth and competitiveness of the ICT sector, and some of the most successful ICT companies originating in universities, we are eager to extend our support to initiatives like the Student Lab competition.
