The ICT Fund, a promoter of homegrown technology innovations for the UAE, is furthering its scholarship agenda this year with Dh58 million ($15.8 million) available for deserving UAE national students.

The fund has funded scholarships amounting to a total of Dh115 million ($4.08 million) through its Be’tha Programme.

“Through its mandate the ICT Fund continues to deliver on its scholarship agenda. We look forward to ensuring that the Be’tha Program will create a skilled workforce in ICT on par with globally competitive industries,” said Dr Abdulqadar Al Khayat, chairman, ICT Fund.

“We are extremely proud of our UAE Nationals who are representing our country abroad, and equally as proud of those who are studying in our local universities. Together these students will become a diverse and well educated force in developing our knowledge-based economy in the UAE,” he added.

Students who received the scholarships have been placed in prestigious universities locally and abroad as far as the US, UK, Australia, and Japan.

The ICT Fund has plans to open 100 more scholarship seats to students in the coming academic year. The scholarship applications are evaluated by the ICT Fund and/or the academic institutions themselves.

Dr Eesa Bastaki, CEO, ICT Fund, said: “We are creating our competitive edge in the ICT sector every day for these students who learn and compete in their local and international academic environments.”

“A scholarship provided by the ICT Fund today can graduate talents and inspire innovation for tomorrow, which can turn into revolutionary new ideas, one that the UAE can use to compete with the world market.  One of the ways we build this ICT ‘value chain’ is supporting educational funding,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service