MCIT highlights future skills and digital inclusion in AI era

Doha, Qatar - The Director of the Digital Society and Digital Competencies Department at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), Duha Al Buhendi, emphasized the significance of constantly refining the education system to align with global trends and discern future skills. This is to empower all societal segments to embrace cutting-edge technology, particularly artificial intelligence, while ensuring its secure and responsible application.

This statement came during her contribution to a panel discussion on digital inclusion and human capital at MWC26 Doha, a gathering held from November 8 to 10 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC) under the theme 'IQ Era'.

The panel, moderated by Leila Hamira of Euronews, included experts such as Dr. Abeer Shakweer from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Egypt, Jameel Asghar, Chief People Officer at VEON, and Anas Rustom, Founder and CEO of Qatar-based climate-tech startup Vora. Al Buhendi highlighted that technological advancements are fundamentally altering job roles and working methodologies, necessitating an ongoing examination of future skills and the associated risks.

She also discussed several national initiatives in Qatar, including the Future Skills Observatory, which aims to predict future employment prospects and identify expected gaps in the labor market, facilitating more precise skill projections. Al Buhendi detailed that MCIT's programs strive to enhance digital inclusion and cater to diverse societal needs by introducing technological concepts to children early on, providing workforce training and skill development programs, and supporting older individuals to increase their technological confidence and leverage it for easier daily tasks.

She further highlighted the Qatar Government Readiness Academy's success in training over 40,000 government employees in emerging technologies to foster innovation within the government sector, as well as its expansion to the private sector and startups. Al Buhendi also underscored SafeSpace, a digital safety platform designed to increase awareness of cyber threats and equip students, parents, and teachers to use technology safely.