Makerere students to get specialized ICT training

Apr 30, 2012

Makerere University Information and Communication Technology (ICT) students are to benefit from a partnership with the Huawei a Chinese ICT services provider company.

By Andrew Ssenyonga
Makerere University Information and Communication Technology (ICT) students are to benefit from a partnership with the Huawei a Chinese ICT services provider company.

The university on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the company that will see top performing students from the university get scholarships and specialized ICT training.

The partnership is part of Huawei’s global knowledge transfer programme which will be implemented in partnership with MUK Collage of Computing and Information Sciences.

The selected students will acquire specialized ICT skills in Huawei Centers in Uganda, Kenya and South Africa including an opportunity to study at the Huawei University in China.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Director of Communication and Broadcasting Infrastructure, Ministry of ICT Eng. Godfrey Kibuuka, Makerere University acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba and the Chinese Ambassador to Uganda His Excellency Zhao Ya Li.

Huawei  Managing Director for Uganda  Eric Yang said his company is committed to ensure that young people pursuing ICT have the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills that would make them competitive in today’s fast changing ICT sector.
“Our aim is to work closely with Makerere University to help in training the next generation of ICT professionals whom we hope will in years to come, contribute positively to the development of the ICT sector in the country.

“We believe that this partnership apart from offering the individual students the opportunity to enhance their ICT skills, will also serve to build capacity in ICT knowledge thus forming the backbone for future ICT professionals who are key to the development of the sector and the entire economy at large,” Yang added.

He noted that the programme will include fully funded scholarships to top performing students,  would initially run for two years but will be reviewed and enhance if and when necessary.

“We will also offer facilitated internship opportunities for the students. We are confident that the programme will deliver the benefits of ICT skills transfer to young Ugandans who will form the next generation of ICT professionals,” Yang said.

Kibuuka said the ICT Sector continues to play a very significant role in the development of growing economies such as Uganda.

He commended the partnership and urged other key players to play a more active role in supporting capacity building in the ICT sector in the country.

Baryamureeba said that the interaction will yield great benefits for the university. “the college of computing and information sciences has been sending students to India for internship and we are glad that Huawei is opening up China and other countries as new training grounds for these students.

We are more than willing to provide you with a pool of intellectual resources that can work with your organization,” Baryamureeba said.

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