Challenge accepted: Ukraine hosted its inaugural Huawei Student Tech Challenge competition.
The significance of practical training for students while acquiring theoretical knowledge is more relevant than ever. Representatives from leading technical universities in Ukraine and experts from the ICT sector, present at the STC finals, unanimously agreed that the key to our country's future success and the driving force behind societal progress will be human resources and technology. Universities are indeed the institutions that cultivate a highly skilled human capital for technological sectors. Thus, the Student Tech Challenge has truly posed a serious challenge for its participants — the best students equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to reach the heights that Ukraine currently needs, particularly in the field of digitalization.
1 In total, over 100 students from ten capital and regional universities accepted the STC 2024 challenge. They had the opportunity to work for two weeks with ICT industry mentors and explore the latest technological equipment while developing their own projects in areas such as transport network engineering, thermal management, project management, and telecommunications. Subsequently, the students showcased their unique approaches to addressing the pressing challenges faced by the industry and presented team technological solutions that could later be implemented in the market.
"Our team created a program that connects to network equipment and collects statistical data about it. It can be used to monitor the performance of the network equipment," — shares the project details of Vitalii Semeniuk, a student at the State University of Information and Communication Technologies.
2 3 "We have complex high-load software, including processors or servers, and we need to cool them. Our team developed a model to practice heat distribution," — shares project details Yevhen Mitko, a student at NTUU "KPI named after Igor Sikorsky".
STC 2024 not only ignited a spirit of competition among students in search of the best solutions but also served as a significant investment in their future. The competition had an educational focus and provided participants with a solid foundation of technological knowledge. Additionally, participating in the competition opened up internship opportunities at "Huawei Ukraine" for the top students, thus preparing them for employment in an innovative environment.
During the award ceremony for the STC 2024 winners, which included teams from DUICT, KAI, and KPI, representatives from the government and business addressed the students, emphasizing the importance of their perseverance and similar initiatives.
4 "It is very uplifting to see so many young people here despite the ongoing war. We know we have a future because we have you. I sincerely thank you for your energy and inspiration. It is important that all tasks and cases of the competition were specifically designed and dedicated to the future of Ukraine. This means that we can, despite the war, teach our students to use advanced technologies in the fields of artificial intelligence and telecommunications," — addressed the attendees at the finals Victoria Hryb, a member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
The topics of the tasks for the Student Tech Challenge 2024 were indeed not typical: they were crafted not just for students studying ICT or project management. These were critically relevant cases similar to those currently facing the country. As aptly noted by Roksolana Shvachak, the General Director of the Digital Transformation Directorate of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, today's competition participants are learning essential skills that will soon help them work on projects for the reconstruction of Ukraine. Overall, the speakers at the event repeatedly emphasized this understanding: soon, the participants of today's challenge will become the first young specialists tasked with contributing to the creation of a new post-war future for our state. Therefore, the importance of collaboration between businesses and educational institutions is currently difficult to overestimate.
5 "This competition has once again demonstrated the immense potential of Ukrainian students. Our focus on talented youth is particularly significant in Ukraine, where technology and education play a crucial role in strengthening the resilience of the country and stimulating its development during challenging times. By investing in education, Huawei helps future specialists acquire valuable technical skills that will facilitate their further employment," — shared Tony Jin, Executive Vice President of Huawei's European Region.
Thus, the Huawei Student Tech Challenge 2024 has become a successful example of educational initiatives in which socially responsible businesses contribute to the development of young talent, meeting the genuine interest and eagerness of students for practical discoveries. It is through such events that Ukraine is expanding its digital transformation. Therefore, Huawei will continue to provide Ukrainian universities access to advanced technologies in the fields of 5G, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, helping students actively participate in building Ukraine's digital infrastructure. All this will allow the country to remain competitive in the international technological environment and enhance its digital independence.