Zain, Kuwait University ink MoU to foster knowledge economy

Kuwait: Zain has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kuwait University to contribute to fostering the knowledge economy in Kuwait. Through this partnership, both entities aim to enhance collaborative efforts in the fields of innovation, science, and technology, while also building youth capacities, particularly in digital skills, to prepare them for success and excellence in their future careers.

The MoU was signed at Sabah Al-Salem University City in Shadadiya, attended by Acting President of Kuwait University, Prof Osama Al-Saeed; CEO of Zain Kuwait, Nawaf Al-Gharabally, Vice President for Academic Support Services at Kuwait University, Prof Mohammed Al-Mulla; Chief Corporate Affairs and Relations Officer of Zain Kuwait, Waleed Al-Khashti; Assistant Dean for Planning, Consultation, and Training, Dr Fares Al-Azmi; Acting Head of the Computer Science Department, Zaid Dashti; and Zain Kuwait Innovation and Entrepreneurship Expert, Haya Al-Mana.

This step builds on the longstanding strategic collaboration between Zain and Kuwait University, which over the years has led to numerous successful initiatives and community programs that embody their shared vision of advancing Kuwait’s innovation ecosystem. Together, they aim to drive growth in science, technology, and innovation – sectors that are now fundamental to modern job markets.

Under this MoU, Zain and Kuwait University will intensify their joint efforts to accelerate the knowledge economy in Kuwait, which relies heavily on knowledge, information, and innovation as primary drivers for growth and development. The two organizations will launch initiatives that focus on education, training, and skill development to foster creativity and innovation. By leveraging modern technologies and information-sharing platforms, they aim to make knowledge more accessible, support scientific research, and advance technological development to enhance competitiveness, especially among youth, students, and graduates.

This collaboration reflects the combined efforts of the public and private sectors to support national development goals, primarily by investing in human capital to achieve sustainable economic and social growth. This MoU also adds to Zain’s series of programs under its Innovation Nation initiative, aligned with its strategic vision for sustainability. These programs aim to support innovation, entrepreneurship, empower startups, share private sector expertise, promote a creative environment, and invest in digital skills, particularly in STEM fields.

This collaboration builds on the ongoing partnership between Zain and Kuwait University, resulting in successful programs such as Zain’s strategic partnership with the Kuwait National Robotics Competition (KNRC) for the second consecutive year. This initiative comes in collaboration with the Computer Science Department at Kuwait University’s College of Science, the Youth Public Authority, and the Ministry of Education.

The competition aims to ignite a passion for technology among Kuwaiti students, foster creative thinking, and help them chart a clear career path in STEM fields. This initiative is a testament to the effective, direct collaboration between public and private institutions to prepare the next generation of technology leaders in Kuwait. The company has seen remarkable success following its support of the previous edition of this initiative after months of hard, creative work, which culminated in Kuwait University’s team winning the Build Award at the VEX Robotics World Championship held in the United States.