Etisalat Leadership Offers Insights into Future Careers for Students of AI and Engineering Ěý

Leaders from Emirates Telecommunication Group (Etisalat), and graduate recruits from the Etisalat AI Centre of Excellence shared their experience and offered insights into the role of artificial intelligence in industry with an emphasis on Etisalat’s AI strategy, and how students at Khalifa University can shape their academic journey to pursue a career in AI.

The seminar, developed jointly by Khalifa University Career Services Office, Etisalat, and the Emirates ICT Innovation Center (EBTIC), was titled ‘Embarking on a Career in AI – How Etisalat supports career ambitions of graduates’. Student participants learnt about changes at the workplace due to both the COVID-19 pandemic and the beneficial impact that artificial intelligence has already had on Etisalat’s business operations. Members from the Etisalat AI Centre of Excellence include more than 20 recently recruited Emiratis.

Dena Ali Al Mansoori, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Etisalat, offered an insightful presentation on the future of work, the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on recruitment processes, and how AI has helped the company continue with important recruitment initiatives. Speaking on AI and learning, Joseph Hayes, Director of Learning and Development Planning, discussed the ‘Power Skills’ that companies look for in the individuals that they employ, and how Etisalat uses a new AI-powered training platform to help develop their employees. Three Etisalat AI Team representatives, Hend Al Jasmi, Haifa AlHosani and Alyazia Ahli, also shared their experiences.

Al Mansoori said: “This was a great platform for the next generation of innovators to gain insights into the future of work. We were able to deep-dive into how AI has changed the competitive landscape and customer expectations, ultimately forcing organisations to change and adapt.

“With Etisalat’s vision to ‘Drive the digital future to empower societies’, we have undertaken our own digital transformation within our services, operations and internal capabilities. At a group level, Etisalat is now focused on acquiring, as well as developing and reskilling its existing workforce to meet the evolving and ever-changing requirements of its digital and traditional domains of business.”

Dr. Ahmed Al Shoaibi, Senior Vice-President, Academic and Student Services, and Professor of Practice, Khalifa University, said: “Since Etisalat is looking into boosting its AI workforce, the seminar offered an excellent opportunity for Khalifa University students to learn how to hone their skills and forge a future career in the AI discipline. We believe the event also helped undergraduates and postgraduates gain an understanding of the promising career opportunities available with Etisalat, while hearing first-hand from the AI Team about their experience in business, the projects they have delivered, and the AI training program at Etisalat.”

Dr. Ernesto Damiani, Director, Khalifa University Center for Cyber Physical Systems (C2PS), Director, Information Security Center, Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, who works with EBTIC, offered an overview of the current and future artificial intelligence and machine learning program offerings, including a Minor in Artificial Intelligence, at Khalifa University.

The Etisalat AI Centre of Excellence graduates go through the bespoke development pathway that Etisalat has built, in alliance with its strategic partners, EBTIC, Microsoft and Accenture. EBTIC, a research and innovation center established by Etisalat, BT, and Khalifa University, and supported by ICT Fund, has helped the AI team with developing and upskilling in AI/Machine Learning (ML). Senior EBTIC researchers and innovation specialists supervise and collaborate with the AI team, to develop and deploy projects that deliver real-world business value to Etisalat.

EBTIC, along with Dr. Damiani, have also conducted a series of tailored IEEE-certified AI/Big Data and Data Scientist courses for the AI Team throughout 2020, upskilling them in practitioner skills, helping them to become advanced data scientists.

The three Etisalat AI Team members specifically discussed Etisalat’s AI strategy and objectives. They offered valuable insights and advice, gained from their own experiences, in order to inspire like-minded individuals in the current Khalifa University student body.

Clarence Michael
English Editor Specialist
9 May 2021

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Panel of Judges Selects Student Team that Presents the Most Innovative and Pragmatic Business Concept for Top Award

Under the patronage of His Excellency Eng. Hussain Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education and Vice Chairman of the Khalifa University Board of Trustees, more than 40 students from across schools in the UAE participated in the fourth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Bootcamp organized by the Emirates ICT Innovation Center (EBTIC) and Khalifa University of Science and Technology, in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Education.

The bootcamp that opened on 31 March, successfully concluded with an awards ceremony on 3 April. It was attended by industry, academia and government stakeholders as well as technology leaders with an excellent track record in initiating and leading business start-ups.

The student team that presented the most innovative and pragmatic business concept was declared winners. In all, a total of six teams participated in the fiercely contested challenge in which the students showcased and presented their projects to a panel of judges. The judges’ panel comprised academics and senior business professionals, selected from industry, academia, government and the media.

His Excellency Al Hammadi said: “The fourth EBTIC Innovation and Entrepreneurship Bootcamp is one of the pioneering initiatives that supports the UAE’s progress, through inspiring innovation, a key focus area in the country’s future strategy. The Ministry of Education always aims to achieve an innovative school community, in order to build a scientifically-tuned future generation. This bootcamp provides the right environment to students and guides them towards developing new capabilities and expanding knowledge, especially through research and investigation that help transform ideas into projects, benefiting the community.

“Initiatives such as this bootcamp are fertile grounds for encouraging creativity, helping students to expand their knowledge, especially through practical lectures and workshops in innovation, business development, marketing, entrepreneurship, intellectual property. The bootcamp also emphasizes strengthening the student’s connection with each new and enhancing aspect of planning, study and research in important developmental sectors,” he remarked.

His Excellency Al Hammadi added: “The participants, chosen through the National Festival of Science, Technology and Innovation (NSTI) held in February 2019, are already distinguished in knowledge and research. We expect them to have a scientifically and professionally promising future. And we believe the bootcamp will help build well-informed future leaders suitable for the UAE’s sustainable knowledge economy.”

Eng. Saleh Abdullah Al Abdooli, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat, said: “Etisalat has always believed in laying the foundation for the future, nurturing creativity and fostering the growth of tomorrow’s innovators, future scientists and engineers. Innovation and digital transformation are key to our success and a result of our vision at the next level of development that has led the company to play a greater role in the digital lives of consumers and enterprises.

“This collaboration with EBTIC is in line with our strategy ‘Driving the digital future to empower societies’ that will pave the way for smarter solutions and applications, mentor the next generation of young UAE innovators and entrepreneurs and contribute towards an innovative knowledge-based economy. Etisalat is constantly looking to tap into the possibilities of the booming startup ecosystem. We are looking for avenues to support entrepreneurial growth by creating partnerships that will provide them the platform to grow and showcase their abilities. We are able to work together with these young innovators and entrepreneurs to imagine, design and co-create the future. This has led to Etisalat actively contributing to UAE’s national innovation strategy where digital technology is also one of the top seven primary national sectors.

“The association with EBTIC’s fourth ‘Innovation and Entrepreneurship Bootcamp’ will give a platform to the youth to develop STEM skills enabling them to translate their fresh and innovative ideas into solutions that will contribute to the development of the society and economy.”

Eyad Shihabi, Vice-President, Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, BT, said: “The innovation and entrepreneurship bootcamp is designed to bridge the gap between the worlds of education and business, as well as inspire and mentor the next generation of innovators. Over the past few days, some of the brightest young minds in the UAE presented their creative inventions and business propositions, and the talent on display was inspiring. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Khalifa University and the UAE Ministry of Education through EBTIC, to create a learning platform wherein students can develop skills for life.”

Dr. Nawaf Al Moosa, Acting Director of EBTIC and Assistant Professor at Khalifa University said: “The fourth EBTIC Innovation and Entrepreneurship Bootcamp proved even more successful than the previous years with enthusiastic participation by students who developed some of the most innovative business concepts. The student teams’ presentation skills, honed by the team mentors, were remarkable. We thank all the stakeholders and partners for their support to this bootcamp and we hope to continue our efforts towards building and nurturing young talent.”

Earlier, a BT official offered an overview of the bootcamp that aims to teach participating students the innovation process, business development, commercialisation skills, entrepreneurship and Intellectual Property (IP) issues.

The six participating teams had a professional mentor, who guided the students through a series of interactive workshops in order to help the students develop a business or investment proposition around a specific project.

EBTIC is an ICT research and innovation center, founded by Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Etisalat and BT, and supported by the ICT Fund.

News Writer
03 April 2019

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Public Interaction on 24 April Highlights New Advances in Operational AI,Sentiment Analysis, Smart City and IoT Applications.

The Emirates ICT Innovation Center (EBTIC) marked its 10 th anniversary celebrations,showcasing some of its technology achievements, especially advance intelligent systems and network technologies and applications, at the Khalifa University main Campus today.

The celebrations on Wednesday 24 April 2019 marked a decade of successful contributions by EBTIC, which was founded by Khalifa University, Etisalat and BT, and supported by the Telecom Regulatory Authority’s (TRA) ICT Fund.
Some of the EBTIC projects showcased during the celebrations included intelligent optimization of organizational and infrastructure assets, social media and sentiment analysis, Automatic Arabic summarization, Smart Cities, Big Data and internet of things (IoT). In addition, two startup technologies currently undergoing commercialization were also featured at the event.

Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said: “Congratulations to EBTIC whose track-record suggests not only human and intellectual capital development but also knowledge transfer across the academic and government sectors. A decade of achievements and excellence is a proud moment for EBTIC and Khalifa University. We thank all the collaboration partners who have consistently supported EBTIC in its research initiatives and ensured continuous economic impact from its research outcome.”

Presenting some of the landmark achievements, Dr. Nawaf Almoosa, Acting Director, EBTIC,offered a chronological review of EBTIC’s evolution in its first decade.

Dr Almoosa said: “During the last 10 years, we have successfully demonstrated our capabilities in human and intellectual capital development, research and knowledge transfer, as well as commercialization. We are also proud to mention that we have expanded the geographical reach of our IP portfolio into China, beyond the traditional EU and North American markets. As we look into the next decade of vigorous growth, we will remain committed to expanding our research scope and facilitating new solutions that will bring benefits to the UAE and the global community.”

Dr Ahmed Bin Ali, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communication, Etisalat Group, said: “I want to congratulate EBTIC on its 10th anniversary as an institute that has laid the foundation for the future and fostered the growth of tomorrow’s innovators, future scientists and engineers.

This falls in line with the UAE 2021 national agenda that aims to develop a world-class education system by raising standards and creating a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation, research, science, technology and an education system above international standards.

“Etisalat works closely with EBTIC to help achieve our vision and strategy of ‘Driving the digital future to empower societies’ and contribute to the next level of development of playing a greater role in the digital lives of consumers and enterprises. We look forward to working with EBTICĚýand the next generation of young UAE innovators and entrepreneurs to contribute towards an innovative knowledge-based economy.”

Prof Tim Whitley, Managing Director, Applied Research, BT said: “EBTIC and its vision have been a major regional priority for BT, and we are delighted to be in the company of such illustrious peers in this initiative. The consistent march of technology and its impact on lives and society is something that every nation faces, and with initiatives such as EBTIC, the UAE is showing how the coming together of Government, academia, and industry can have real-world impact on a nation and its future. The 10th anniversary of EBTIC is an opportunity to look back and celebrate, as well as a chance to look ahead with optimism, and I congratulate all our partners in EBTIC on this milestone.”

Dr Ken Ford, Director of the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, and EBTIC Technical Advisory Board Member, spoke about the current research directions of the AI industry and the challenges, while Prof. Mike Georgeff, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University Australia, and EBTIC Technical Advisory Board Member, deliberated upon AI applications and their impact.

Prof. Gerard Parr, Professor of Telecommunications Engineering and Head of School of Computer Science, University of East Anglia, and EBTIC Technical Advisory Board Member, offered an overview of EBTIC’s evolution over the past 10 years.

EBTIC currently has over 60 patents filed/being filed, of which 42 are granted.

News Writer
24 April 2019

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