Hamad Bin Khalifa University participated in the fourth edition of QITCOM 2017, Qatar’s biggest information and communication technology exhibition organized at Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC). Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) accompanied by H.E. Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transport toured the exhibition and met with local and international technology innovators, industry leaders and representatives from HBKU’s College of Science and Engineering (CSE).

This year’s event took place under the theme ‘Qatar Towards a Smart Future’ and explored digitization in the public sector, health, transport, sports, environment and digital clusters. Throughout the event duration, faculty members from CSE showcased the latest innovations in the ICT world and informed attendees on HBKU’s leading graduate programs for individuals interested in the field. In addition to this, the college also contributed to the conference’s informative sessions by participating in a panel discussion on ‘Addressing Emerging Challenges of Environmental Sustainability’. Taking part in the session was Mr. Rodolphe Boughaba, Executive Director of HBKU’s Executive Education Center. The discussion shed light on energy constraints, food production, climate change and the need for efficient resource consumption through innovative technology.

The President of HBKU, Dr. Ahmad Hasnah, commented on HBKU’s participation, “The rise of digital technologies is transforming almost every aspect of the modern world that we live in today. Therefore, it is critical that we embrace the digital era and leverage on the potential and power of technology for productivity. HBKU aims to meet these technological needs, by pursuing excellence and fostering innovation within its academic and research programs”.

The university promoted ongoing efforts made towards the country’s vision of transforming Qatar into a smart digital society - one which drives economic diversification by harnessing innovation and technology.  During the exhibition and conference, HBKU’s Qatar Computer Research Institute (QCRI) conducted a number of workshops on mobile application development aimed at shaping the next generation of coders, adding to nation’s innovation and research capacity. QCRI researchers presented their work with Microsoft on a 2D-to-3D conversion technology, which is set to revolutionize the way fans view football through an immersive virtual reality experience. 

Adding to the highlights of QITCOM 2017, HBKU supported the launch of Qatar Innovation Community (QIC), an initiative focused on accelerating innovation across Qatar and creating solutions for the 2022 FIFA World Cup™ and beyond. HBKU was present as one of the founding members of the initiative, among other governmental entities, academic institutions, and technology companies.