Huawei ICT competition boosts digital skills development
Staff Writer | Wednesday November 26, 2025 06:00
The competition builds on the foundations of the Huawei ICT Academy, a long-term collaboration between Huawei and leading institutions such as the University of Botswana, Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), BA ISAGO University, Botho University, and Botswana Accountancy College (BAC). Through this partnership, students access globally recognised certifications, instructor-led training, and hands-on exposure to cloud computing, networking, data management, and cybersecurity.
This approach supports Botswana’s broader economic agenda as laid out under the Botswana Economic Transformation Plan (BETP), which prioritises a transition from a resource-based economy to a diversified, services-led and innovation-driven economy. By placing digital skills and human capital at the centre of economic transformation, the competition directly aligns with the national aim of creating high-value jobs, attracting investment, and building globally competitive institutions.
The Huawei ICT Competition offers a practical bridge between academic learning and real-world application. Participants work with advanced technologies across networking, cloud, artificial intelligence, and computing systems, enabling them to benchmark their skills against global standards.
“The ICT Competition provides a valuable opportunity for students to gain hands-on exposure to emerging technologies whilst benchmarking their skills against international standards,” said Li Dong Dong, Managing Director at Huawei Botswana. “In recent years, more than 300 students in Botswana have benefited from Huawei’s ICT training and certification programmes under the ICT Academy initiative.”
Since its launch in 2015, the competition has grown into one of the largest skills-development platforms globally, involving participants from more than 100 countries and regions. For Botswana, it strengthens key national priorities such as e-government service delivery, digital public services, and national cybersecurity readiness.
By equipping students with these advanced capabilities, the ICT Competition empowers Botswana’s youth to contribute meaningfully to the country’s ambition of becoming a knowledge-based, innovation-led economy. This empowerment supports the BETP’s objective of unlocking latent talent and creating inclusive growth.
As Botswana navigates the next stage of its transformation, skills-focused initiatives such as the Huawei ICT Competition are not just training programmes; they are strategic tools in building a resilient, globally connected economy. The programme ensures Botswana builds not only the infrastructure but also the human capital needed to sustain long-term digital growth and economic diversification.