By A Staff Reporter -
MUSCAT — In line with ITA’s efforts in spreading a Free and Open Source software culture for the past two years, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in support of the Open Source Intel Global Challenge in Oman was signed here recently between the Information Technology Authority (ITA) and Intel Corporation.
On behalf of ITA, the MOU was signed by Omar Salim al Shanfari, Deputy CEO for Infrastructure & eServices at ITA, while Nassir Nauthoa, General Manager ¬- Gulf countries, represented Intel Corporation.
Intel Corporation and ITA are collaboratively working on a national Open Source business plan competition that aims to encourage emerging entrepreneurs, university students, and graduates, and reward ideas that have high potential to become a new business. The first stage of the competition started in mid-November, 2012, through conducting a workshop for the representatives of the participating colleges and universities.
76 students from various colleges and universities in the Sultanate registered in the competition. In order to familiarise the participants with the commercial domain and enhance the value of projects in commercial terms and economic feasibility study of the implementation, the participants received weekly lectures via e-learning offered by Intel for one month.
The competition results are due to be announced during the activities of the International Conference of Free & Open Source Software, which is going to be in mid-February, organised by ITA in co-operation with the Sultan Qaboos University.
The first three places will participate in the Intel competition in the Middle East, and if they succeed, they will participate in the competition at the international level.
Aiming to promote public private partnerships in digital society development initiatives, such challenges and competitions encourage the boosting and development of the ICT sector, fostering innovation and youth development across the region. It opens horizons for encouraging, nurturing and rewarding ideas and applications in this new industry to grow and invest in this field.
Intel Corporation markets and sells computer-related micro-processors and architecture and is among the leading information technology companies with expertise in various areas of computer devices, including wireless and mobile telecommunication solutions.
