TDRA CONCLUDES ITS VIRTUAL CAMP

11/08/2022

With 3026 participating students from UAE citizens and residents

Eng. al-Zarooni: We are betting on this generation that surprise us with their unprecedented techniques and tools to brave the new world.

 

UAE – 11 August 2022

The Telecommunications & Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) concluded the 8th TDRA Virtual Camp, marking a unique experience for participant students by giving them a glimpse into the infinite possibilities of the metaverse, the future of the Internet in the years to come.

The Camp saw the participation of 3026 UAE-national and resident students, of whom 47% were females and 53% males.

The closing ceremony was convened virtually by TDRA in the presence of Eng. Mohammad al-Zarooni, TDRA’s Deputy Director General of the Information & Digital Government Sector, TDRA’s staff, and students along with their parents.

Over the course of two weeks, each student performed 18 tasks in the General Track (age group 7-12), and 15 tasks for each student in the General Track (age group 13-18). The students also implemented 76 projects in the Advanced Track (age group 13-18). During the Camp, students availed themselves of 175 hours of technical support, 86 training videos and 14 hours of live streaming.

In his speech at the beginning of the ceremony, Eng. Mohammad al-Zarooni, TDRA's Deputy Director General of the Information & Digital Government Sector, congratulated the Camp's team and the participants on the success of the 2022 edition of the TDRA Virtual Camp, adding: “This Camp has become a frequent milestone on the path of shaping the future driven by the spirit of innovation that is evident in the creativity of our student sons and daughters. This year's edition was an extension of what has been achieved in preceding years, but it was bolder in delving into the world of the future. This has been reflected by the application of virtual reality based on the promising metaverse experience, which will be a feature of the world over the next few years.”
H.E. Mr. al-Zarooni stressed the significance of the experience lived by the participant students, saying: “You lived a unique experience, but let me remind you of the goals for which the TDRA Camp was founded.” We belong to a country heading fastly and firmly to the future. We are well aware that for us to succeed in our future projects we have to rely on you; you who belong to a generation known for its openness to techniques which were unknown previously. Your generation enjoys a multitude of knowledge tools and insights into the vast world, and as such, we would like you to become your country’s ambassadors in the future world.”

The closing ceremony featured the honoring of both Advanced and General Track winners. In the Advanced Track, students Eithar Mohammed al-Khazaleh and Noora Saeed al-Ketbi won the gold prize, where students Aysha Saif al-Kaabi and Abdallah Yousef Khaleel won the silver prize, and students Ghala Abdulla al-Hosani and Ismael Ashraf Khalil won the bronze prize. As for the General Track, students Ali Humaid al-Loughani, Anisa Mubarak al-Ketbi and Zayed Salem al-Kalbani.

During the ceremony, the winning students provided a detailed description of their projects. TDRA then thanked parents of the students for their remarkable efforts in helping their children and bringing the Camp to a success.

The TDRA Virtual Camp in its 8^th edition is a continuation of the successful sessions in the past, and a reflection of TDRA’s commitment to its social responsibility towards Emirati students, by equipping them with the skills to lead in the adoption of future technologies (such as the smart city); skills to the safe use of technology and social media; and skills in design, arts and creativity, among others. The Camp has trained more than 21,000 students during its previous sessions, and saw some 15,000 ICT home labs.

 

 

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Terms:

TDRA Virtual Camp: The Camp aims to acquaint the younger generation with future technology prospects. It also supports exploration, innovation, future foresight and self-development of youth's technical skills in line with UAE's ICT trends.

The Camp, which targets UAE school students aged 6-17, includes a variety of programs, particularly in the fields of ICT. The Camp focuses on programming, which is included in the three main tracks: Digital Innovation & Entrepreneurship, AI & Data Science, and Robotics & IoT in order to allow all students to learn about latest programming techniques and methods, thereby supporting the UAE’s progress and upbringing a generation ready for future jobs.

Metaverse: A term used to describe a digital environment allowing interaction via a virtual character and enabling the user to communicate directly with others, using virtual reality, augmented reality or even computers.