ments through which it can provide sys-
tems and devices and adjust them to the
needs of society. However, the success
of this transition is measured through the
public use of it.
Al Awar gave the example of the connec-
tion between the quality service and hu-
man element at HBMeU, which mostly
relies on remote learning through mod-
ern electronic systems and technologies.
Therefore, the management provided the
necessary resources such as systems,
devices and infrastructure, but he stresses
that the success of the university relies on
the ability of the students to deal with such
learning mechanism. To achieve that, Al
Awar says that the university was keen on
giving its students several intensive train-
ing courses to ensure their utmost utiliza-
tion of modern technological uses in the
learning field.
Ihab Ghattas, Assistant President for the
Middle East region at Huawei Technolo-
gies, which oversees the development
and installation of mobile phone transmis-
sion networks in the UAE, gives the ex-
ample of care for human element through
the experience of two telecommunications
companies in the UAE. He stressed that
available financial resources were not
enough to guarantee success for both
companies.
He explained that when the two telecom-
munications services in the UAE started
operating in the local market, they relied
on importing technology (systems and
tools). But when their role and presence
developed with regard to customer base,
they addressed this issue through a plan
to self-build technology by entering into
development and training partnerships
with their key manufacturers such as Hua-
wei. They started establishing specialized
training centers and faculties to help find
creators and innovators.
He continued saying that on the public
level, they started marketing awareness
campaigns to inform users on the devel-
oped services they offer and encourage
them to use them enthusiastically. This
helped them have great rise in the num-
ber of service subscribers, especially in
mobile phones; percentage of subscrib-
ers exceeded 200%, 70% of which were
mobile phone users.
Ghattas described this technique as the
most effective model to be adopted by
government agencies that offer their ser-
vices online and through apps, with the
aim to raise public awareness about the
importance of this advanced use of their
services. It is also the best way to build
smart cities that rely in the future on de-
veloping and manufacturing part of the
technology locally.
IT expert Dr. Moutaz Kokash point-
ed out that according to the
knowledge-based economy
index among Arab countries,
the UAE ranked 42nd glob-
ally where its economic growth relies on
the development of the knowledge and in-
novation aspect. According to the report,
the UAE’s transition process towards a
knowledge-based economy is currently
a key priority for the state; innovations in-
cluded many key economic sectors such
as oil, gas, constructions and health care.
He said that adopting knowledge building
is a requirement in the smart transition
sector. The state currently has creators,
innovators, and producers of ideas and
experiences across all sectors in a way
that guarantees the development of each
sector through local and global partner-
ship. It does not completely reply on im-
porting ideas and products.
IDC stressed that the UAE in general and
Dubai in particular have a topnotch ICT
infrastructure enabling them to achieve
highly efficient smart transition. However,
transition needs a guarantee for continu-
ing to
advance and suc-
ceed, which relies
on the state’s abil-
ity to nationalize
creativity and in-
crease partnerships
and understanding
with global manufac-
turers to raise the ca-
pability of local human
resources.
We need
intensive aware-
ness campaigns
and decrease of
knowledge import
HBMeU
is an example of
linking quality
service and
human resources
Available financial
resources do
not guarantee
successful smart
transition
Eesa Bastaki
Mansoor Al Awar
Ihab Ghattas
15
June
2014
