Telecoms minister Chea Vandeth (fourth right) and Chinese ambassador Wang Wentian (on his right) pose for photos at the closing of the Information and Communications Technology competition on June 16. MPTC
Cambodian tech-savvy students clinched third place at the global finals of the Huawei Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Competition 2022-2023, held in Shenzhen, China.
The feat, according to Minister of Post and Telecommunications Chea Vandeth, opens a gateway for these students into the burgeoning digital sector.
At the June 16 closing ceremony, attended by a myriad of dignitaries including Chinese ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian and Cambodian education ministry’s undersecretary of state San Vathana, the students were recognised for their prowess in the “Practice Competition – Network Track” category, outdoing contenders from 74 nations.
Vandeth underscored the importance of such contests in equipping Cambodian students with fresh knowledge and facilitating cultural exchanges with international peers. “I envisage this ICT contest as a springboard, encouraging participants to venture into digital careers,” he asserted.
Vandeth further emphasised the alignment of this competition with Cambodia’s Digital Economy and Social Policy Framework 2021-2035 and the Cambodia Digital Government Policy 2022-2035. Both strategies underscore the criticality of digital literacy and skills training as key national priorities.
Reflecting on these strategies, the telecoms ministry, in tandem with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, is actively fostering digital talent and setting up community technology centres at high schools nationwide. Vandeth urged all relevant institutions to invest in digital human capital, a pivotal factor for a successful digital policy framework implementation.
Wang honoured the triumphant students with certificates and awards.
Thum Panharith, a winning fourth-year student from the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC), shared his experience with the local media. He explained how he and his group undertook the challenge of unfamiliar tests, using their limited knowledge to craft innovative solutions, and the readiness to utilise the Huawei website for e-learning.
The Huawei ICT competition website reveals an impressive turnout of over 120,000 students from 2,000 universities across 74 countries, with many Cambodian universities showing keen interest. Six Cambodian students made it through the regional level contest in Indonesia, with three proceeding to the global finals in China, where they secured third place in the network track.
