Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
From AI-powered classrooms to coding academies and personalised tutoring, EdTech startups across MENA are reshaping how Arab youth learn. These platforms are closing critical skills gaps in technology, language, and personal development, making education more accessible and aligned with modern workforce demands.
Vodafone Oman and Sultan Qaboos University concluded a digital innovation hackathon focused on applied, scalable solutions aligned with national transformation goals. The initiative brought together 121 participants, produced market-ready concepts across key sectors, and reinforced industry-academia collaboration through research, talent development, and AI-focused initiatives.
Khalifa University and Gazprom Neft have established a technology partnership to advance education, research, and innovation in the energy sector. The collaboration enables student participation in international programs, joint research in AI and sustainability, and expanded academic exchange between the UAE and global institutions.
Hynfra has partnered with Poland’s Promet-Plast to deploy integrated hydrogen and renewable energy technologies across green ammonia projects in Egypt, Oman, Jordan, and Mauritania. The collaboration leverages Promet-Plast’s arid-ready Agro-Hydro-Energy platform to reduce project risk and support scalable hydrogen development in the MENA region.
The UAE and Pakistan agreed to expand cooperation across ICT, emerging technologies, digital skills, and innovation. In a meeting between UAE Ambassador Salem Alzaabi and Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, both sides emphasized investment opportunities, Pakistan’s rapidly growing digital ecosystem, and the role of expatriate talent in fostering bilateral technology-led development.
Morocco will build the National School of Advanced Technologies in Dakhla to strengthen higher education and innovation in the southern regions. Backed by MAD 100 million, the school will focus on AI, robotics, and advanced systems, expanding engineering programs, research capacity, and economic competitiveness while supporting the nation’s regional development strategy.
Asmaa Elhussiney and the Awareness Team at NCI Egypt have launched several patient-focused educational initiatives, including sessions on personal hygiene for children, chemotherapy-related hair loss, oral mucositis prevention, and hand and foot syndrome. Each program combines practical guidance with supportive resources, helping patients manage treatment side effects and maintain better daily health during their cancer journey.
The World Bank highlights a growing digital skills gap in the MENA region as economies undergo rapid digital and AI-driven transformation. While demand for digital and AI talent surges across sectors—from finance to agriculture—education and training systems are struggling to keep pace. Countries are responding with national strategies, early digital education, bootcamps, and skills mapping, aiming to make digital capabilities a foundation for future jobs and economic resilience.
Qatar’s CRA has launched a unified regulatory framework for mobile network site construction and sharing, streamlining approvals, mandating infrastructure sharing, and enhancing safety standards to accelerate 5G deployment and sustainable digital infrastructure.
At the Future Hospitality Summit World 2025 in Dubai, the Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy–Les Roches (ADHA–LR) spotlighted the urgent need for digital and agile talent to sustain the UAE’s rapidly expanding $10 billion hospitality market by 2028. Through programs integrating AI, sustainability, and data analytics, the academy is redefining hospitality education to meet evolving industry demands and advance Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030.