The ICT Fund Holds 2nd Meeting of the Board of Trustees in 2012

The ICT Fund concluded its second productive Board of Trustees meeting for 2012; it is the 15th meeting addressing information and communications technology (ICT) advancement in the country since the Fund’s launch.
The Board of Trustees meeting, held at the ICT Fund’s Dubai office on 24 May addressed several key issues, initiatives, and projects that have promised to contribute to ICT development in the country.  Commenting on the meeting, HE Dr. Abdulqadar Al Khayat, Chairman of the ICT Fund remarked, “This meeting was eventful, and the discussions were fruitful.  The overall objective of the Fund is to benefit the UAE’s sustainable economic growth through the development of knowledge-intensive industries.  The initiatives discussed at this meeting were a clear indication of the level of advancement we aim to achieve; the positive implications that are derived from these projects imbue healthy prospects to attaining a strong knowledge economy.”
“There were several topics discussed during our second board meeting including the Smart Learning initiative , the telescope project, electronic Arabic Digital content, and staff recruitment among others.  Our goal at the ICT Fund is to fund projects that will not only allow the UAE to integrate into the global ICT economy, but also provide jobs and secure our future sustainable lifestyle in which the country’s community can enjoy the same economic prosperity it has today through a self-sustaining ICT ecosystem,” stated Dr. Eesa Bastaki, CEO ICT Fund.
Board Member, Dr. Mohammed Ebrahim Al-Mualla added, “Deciding upon funding for such projects is a significant part of what we do in that these decisions bring about advancement and future prosperity for the country and its people.  These projects are extremely intuitive and well thought-out, and we look forward to seeing them take shape.”
Brigadier General, Hamad Al Mansoori presented HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid’s Smart Learning initiative outlining its goal to utilize technology to enhance the learning process.  This initiative aims to augment the level and standard of learning to keep pace with latest technological developments.  Several other initiatives and projects were highlighted including: the telescope project, presented by Mr. Hassan Al Hairi from the Dubai Astronomy Groupand the Electronic Arabic Digital Content to support the Arabic language digitally.
The ICT Fund, a TRA initiative, is tasked with the goal to develop homegrown innovative technology solutions; the ICT Fund aims to foster a self-reliant knowledge-based economy in the UAE. The ICT Fund provides generous grants to research projects, which results in the development of applied R&D, and the generation of related patents and research papers. In addition, it is actively supporting the commercialization of applied R&D, leading to the establishment of start-ups in the ICT sector.