Microsoft trains Omani youth in cloud, data, and AI

Microsoft trains Omani youth in cloud, data, and AI

Microsoft has launched a training programme targeting the Omani youth that focuses on developing cloud, data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills dubbed ‘Build the Skills of the Future’ in partnership with The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT), Oman.

This initiative comes as part of the MoU signed between both organizations in May this year. It is also in line with The Digital Competency Qualification Initiative (Makeen) to empower Omani youth with advanced digital skills needed to succeed in the digital era as well as provide them with income-generating opportunities in the digital sector. The initiative aims to train ten thousand Omani youths in digital skills by 2025.

Through the ‘Build the Skills of the Future’ programme, Microsoft will equip students, academia, SMEs, startups and government employees with the necessary skills to succeed in the ever-evolving technology and innovation ecosystem. The training also aligns with the government’s digital transformation programme, set to run until 2025. This complements one of the National Digital Economy Programme initiatives – a key facilitator toward accomplishing Oman Vision 2040 for sustainability and economic diversification.

The ‘Build the Skills of the Future’ training programme kicked off on November 6th and will continue until December 7th 2022 at the Middle East College in Knowledge Oasis Muscat, Rusayl, offering five Microsoft Azure certification tracks.

omani youth seated and listening to a microsoft intructor teach oman ai cloud

Omani youths can choose from a range of skill levels and course topics that will enlighten them on the fundamentals of cloud, Data and AI, as well as designing and implementing a complete Data and AI solution.

Commenting on the launch of the initiative, Sheikh Saif Hilal Al Hosni, General Manager for Microsoft in Oman and Bahrain, said, “The significance of combining academic qualifications with digital capabilities and professional certifications has become imperative for current employees, entrepreneurs, and those aspiring to join the workforce.”

We at Microsoft remain committed to encouraging lifelong learning, skilling and upskilling the workforce to fill professional gaps and ensure wholesome digital and economic transformation. With Microsoft’s unrivalled expertise, this training initiative with MTCIT will ensure government employees, students, as well as other professionals, are equipped with valued skills to accelerate the country’s digital transformation programme and ultimately drive the actualization of Oman Vision 2040”, he added.

Check out what’s new on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to follow for the latest videos and news in the ecosystem.

[jetpack_subscription_form show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Subscribe to get updates right in your inbox” custom_font_size=”16px” custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true” success_message=”Success! An email was just sent to confirm your subscription. Please find the email now and click 'Confirm Follow' to start subscribing.”]
Azure Availability Zones now generally available in Microsoft UAE datacenters

Azure Availability Zones now generally available in Microsoft UAE datacenters

Microsoft is announcing the general availability of Azure Availability Zones in its United Arab Emirates(UAE) datacenters in Dubai. The investment will enhance the competitiveness of UAE businesses through the vital provision of business continuity and disaster recovery solutions. This reinforces Microsoft’s commitment to the UAE government, its business community, and its population.

Azure Availability Zones will build on the capabilities and benefits offered through Microsoft’s enterprise-grade datacenters in Dubai which began operations in June 2019. Organizations already using the zones in the UAE include Emirates Group, Commercial Bank of Dubai, and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Microsoft Azure Availability ZonesUAE Dubai

With the advent of the always-on economy, uptime and continuous access to critical data, applications and workloads have become front-of-mind concerns for the region’s technology stakeholders,” said Naim Yazbeck, General Manager, Microsoft UAE.

As businesses move forward amid increased industry upheavals and competition from market disrupters, competitiveness hinges on the ability to remain operational even as external issues destabilise markets and supply chains. Backups alone will not deliver such capabilities. Rapid recovery requires strategy-focused infrastructure and solutions to work effectively. That is what Azure Availability Zones delivers.”

Naim Yazbeck

Microsoft notes the launch of the zones shows its readiness to form the backbone of organizations’ futureproofing programs.

The new availability zones will allow us to enhance the way we use Microsoft Cloud, says Srinivasan Sampath, Acting Group CTO of First Abu Dhabi Bank. Offering us a greater level of data security, resilience and flexibility. Which in turn, will support our customer-centric ethos, and allow us to provide greater benefits for our clients.”

Check out what’s new on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to follow for the latest videos and news in the ecosystem.

[jetpack_subscription_form show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Subscribe to get updates right in your inbox” custom_font_size=”16px” custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true” success_message=”Success! An email was just sent to confirm your subscription. Please find the email now and click 'Confirm Follow' to start subscribing.”]
Microsoft’s new cloud datacenter region in Qatar finally goes live

Microsoft’s new cloud datacenter region in Qatar finally goes live

Microsoft is announcing the general availability of its newest datacenter region in Qatar, located in Doha. The new Qatar Central region will start offering Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 and Power Platform services. The Qatar datacenter region includes three Azure Availability Zones, which will offer additional resiliency for customer applications. Other available non-Microsoft technology services are SAP, NetApp, Snowflake, Adobe, and MongoDB. The investment was first announced in 2019 in partnership with the State of Qatar.

The new Qatar region offers the following to customers:

  • Data residency in country.
  • In country Disaster Recovery through zone to zone synchronous replication.
  • High Availability of computing and storage by deploying in three zones allowing a higher service level agreement on virtual machines availability and storage durability.
  • Improved performance through minimal latency for workloads deployed within Zones, to meet our most exigent customer latency-sensitive workloads.
datacenter region in Qatar Microsoft

Microsoft says it has delivered on its promise to help in Qatar’s journey to becoming a regional data hub with the launch of the datacenter. Additionally, the company is introducing a skilling program to help improve the technical skills of Qatarians to meet the about 24,000 new jobs the industry will need.

Microsoft notes this will be its first cloud region to launch with two ExpressRoute points of presence (Edge nodes). AI and machine learning services such as Azure Cognitive Search and services, computer vision are expected in Q3 of 2022.

In June, Microsoft opened an advanced innovation hub in Lusail City as it seeks to increase its investments in Qatar.

Check out what’s new on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to follow for the latest videos and news in the ecosystem.

[jetpack_subscription_form show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Subscribe to get updates right in your inbox” custom_font_size=”16px” custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true” success_message=”Success! An email was just sent to confirm your subscription. Please find the email now and click 'Confirm Follow' to start subscribing.”]
Microsoft opens new innovation hub in Lusail, Qatar

Microsoft opens new innovation hub in Lusail, Qatar

Microsoft has opened a new advanced innovation hub in Lusail City as it seeks to increase its investments in Qatar. The new office facility is located at the Burj Alfardan in Lusail City. One of Qatar’s planned cities along the Arabian Gulf in the southern part of the municipality of Al Daayen. The hub becomes the company’s fourth office and largest headquarters in the country.

The new innovation hub in Lusail will serve as a regional hub, serving Qatar and the Microsoft Middle East region. It will host workshops and sessions at its Customer Innovation Center to stimulate innovation and creativity among partners and customers. Microsoft says the office will also host technology startups, students and community organizations from across Qatar. It will further support the company’s effort to train, develop, attract and retain talent to build advanced solutions.

innovation hub in Lusail microsoft office qatar

The new office facility is green, sustainable, smart and incorporates Microsoft’s holistic modern campus design. To create the best employee experience and promote collaboration, productivity, innovation and creativity.

It uses the latest green technology to achieve energy and water efficiency. It also provides equal opportunities for all employees to access their duty stations through features such as easily accessible parking, automatic doors, Braille room signs and audible and video alarm systems.

With the launch of our new offices and our Customer Innovation Centre, customers and partners will have the opportunity to co-innovate, ideate, and envision groundbreaking solutions that will revolutionise their industries.

I look forward to welcoming customers, partners, visitors and Microsoft’s team members to our new office.

Lana Khalaf, General Manager, Microsoft Qatar

Featured collage photo credit: I Love Qatar

Check out what’s new on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to follow for the latest videos and news in the ecosystem.

[jetpack_subscription_form subscribe_placeholder=”Enter your email address” show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Hi,
sign up so you can get the latest
in breaking news, reviews,
opinions, events,
opportunities and
community updates right
in your inbox. ” custom_font_size=”16px” custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true”]
Qatar University students win 2022 Microsoft Imagine Cup Qatar competition

Qatar University students win 2022 Microsoft Imagine Cup Qatar competition

A Qatar University student team is the winner of the 2022 Microsoft Imagine Cup student qualifying competition in Qatar. The team, RE-TEAM, will represent Qatar at the Imagine Cup World Finals in Seattle later this year. For a chance to win 100,000 USD and a mentoring session with Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella.

The 7th edition of the Imagine Cup national qualifying competition saw over 130 students participating virtually. Nine teams moved on to round two of the competition with six teams battling it out at the finals.

Qatar University Microsoft Imagine Cup

RE-TEAM won $5000 cash prize, with their earth-friendly solution ‘The RE-Team Software’, under the Earth category. It seeks to provide durable and efficient robots that are able to detect and sort out different kinds of garbage on a conveyor belt using Microsoft Azure Custom Vision Service. As well as to encourage the public to throw their garbage in the correct bin.

Oryx Team and Team Trojan, the first and second runners up respectively also went to Qatar University student teams. They take home $3000 and $2000 in cash prizes respectively.

Oryx Team created Qalbee, a mobile system app for the early prediction of heart disorder risk, under the Health category. Using real-time ECG signals with the help of artificial intelligence algorithms. Whilst Team Trojan created a chatbot app under the education category, Trojan Wave app, that helps students choose a major.

Check out what’s new on our YouTube channel. Subscribe to follow for the latest videos and news in the ecosystem.

[jetpack_subscription_form subscribe_placeholder=”Enter your email address” show_subscribers_total=”false” button_on_newline=”false” submit_button_text=”Hi,
sign up so you can get the latest
in breaking news, reviews,
opinions, events,
opportunities and
community updates right
in your inbox. ” custom_font_size=”16px” custom_border_radius=”0″ custom_border_weight=”1″ custom_padding=”15″ custom_spacing=”10″ submit_button_classes=”” email_field_classes=”” show_only_email_and_button=”true”]