“We are excited to once again be hosting outstanding tertiary students studying ICT-related subjects back in China this year,” says Charles Cheng, Huawei South Africa’s deputy CEO. “This is a unique opportunity for students to explore China‘s digital landscape, and participate in short-term training, global competitions and ongoing alumni activities centered around digital technology that form the Seeds for the Future programme.”
“The course is an important platform for students to experience industry innovation, get a sense of Chinese culture and history, and even cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit,” he added. “Importantly for Huawei, the programme embraces diversity and inclusivity as its core values and we as Huawei South Africa are committed to a participation rate of 50% for female students in South Africa.”
Since 2008, Huawei's Seeds for the Future programme has helped nurture more than 2.2 million digital talents in over 150 countries. Launched in South Africa in 2016, in partnership with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, 114 South African students have gained new ICT knowledge and have had an unforgettable experience being a part of the programme.
“This year's lineup is shaping up to be our most exciting yet," says Cheng. “From 19 to 23 August, we will be inviting 15 of our selected top students to the Huawei campus in Johannesburg for a week of pre-training. Then, in September, these 15 students will travel to Shenzhen, China for formal Seeds for the Future training and compete in the Tech4Good regional semi-finals. During the training, they will have the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge technologies such as 5G, AI and cloud computing.”
The 2024 Seeds for the Future programme will once again incorporate Huawei’s Tech4Good competition. The Huawei Tech4Good programme is designed to help students learn about the latest trends in digitalisation and explore how digital technologies can address common social issues.
During the 2024 Seeds for the Future course, participants will conduct group projects where they will practically explore and develop innovative solutions that are both technically and commercially viable to address sustainable development issues. The winners of the regional semi-finals competition will then go on to join other regional champions in the Tech4Good Global Final in China in 2025.
“At Huawei South Africa, we have long been committed to developing ICT talent through our various programmes like Seeds for the Future. We are excited to witness this year’s student’s rise to the challenge and take on all this experience has to offer,” concludes Cheng.
An onsite experience around technology and culture: