Dubai - MENA Herald: Four innovative mobile applications have successfully entered the final stage of the second ALECSO Arab Mobile Applications Award, which is being hosted by the UAE this year and organized by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), in collaboration with ALECSO. These four applications, which covers education, culture, science and educational games, made it to the final judging stage of the competition, besting out 1,350 application entries coming from various Arab countries.
Four applications from the UAE have been nominated to the finals, which were chosen out of 56 applications. The UAE apps bested other applications from 510 participants that were chosen during the first stage of the competition. The winning results will be announced on the last week of November and the awards will be given to the winners in a ceremony during the UAE Innovation Week.
H.E. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General, TRA, said: “The nomination of four Emirati applications to the final round of the competition confirms the established innovation culture in the country based on solid principles and rules in terms of efficiency and the value of the innovative projects submitted by organizations and individuals. Innovation through smart applications and harnessing technology to serve humanity’s needs are in line with the TRA’s goals and strategies. TRA’s participation in the ALECSO Award serves our aim to establish the foundation for e-government at the federal level and attain our highest goal, that is, customers’ happiness.”
“The UAE’s support to support to innovation is not limited within the country, but also beyond our borders as we look participate in regional and international innovation-related events. We aim to establish the UAE as a country known for innovation, generate new ideas, and gain experiences as well as engage in cultural exchange within the sector. The ALECSO Award is one of them as it conveys core of Arab innovation and other technology solutions in the Arab World,” H.E. Al Mansoori added.
ICT experts have accepted a total of 510 applications during the first round after excluding applications that do not meet the conditions. The deadline for all applications was last May 15.
The Award committee has granted the winning applications during the first stage until November to enhance their applications, prepare a work plan, and provide a marketing material for the applications, afterwards, the winning applications that made it in the last and final assessment stage will be announced.
ALECSO Mobile Apps Award is being organized every year for the best mobile applications created in the Arab World mainly in the fields of education, culture, science and educational games. This award falls under a project being implemented by Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), which aims to provide the technical and institutional environment to help establish an Arab industry for mobile applications and digital panels. The initiatives are being implemented by developing a joint Arab vision for ICT and a highly-skilled Arab human resources as well as cultivating the youth’s spirit for innovation. ALECSO also facilitates the production process of mobile applications, among others.
The Award aims to highlight the abilities of youth in the Arab World and encourage creativity and innovation among mobile app developers, as well as establish a network for them in the region where various institutes, academic institutions, secondary schools and government universities can participate and further expand innovation. The initiative will also showcase the achievements of the UAE’s approach to innovation as well as the ingenuity among Emirati students and academics, which have received generous support from the country’s wise leadership.
