TRA’s innovation camp to be launched next July

Aims to spread innovation and creativity culture in telecommunication and information technology sector

The Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) will launch the 2nd TRA Innovation Camp next July (17) and will last until August (18), which aims to spread innovation and creativity culture among young students, through a set of activities and targeted events throughout the UAE.

The camp, which will receive children from age 6 years to 17, aims to spread the culture of innovation and creativity especially in communications and information technology (ICT) as well as promoting a reading culture among them through a set of group activities which will help the students develop their skills and attitude to face certain issues in life and enable them to provide innovative solutions to these challenges that they might face in the future. The activities are also set to train and discipline them on how to handle their emotions and different feelings, help them earn self confidence, gain emotional intelligence and become more flexible.

The events are also focused on training the participants to acquire a positive behaviour towards their families, friends and colleagues – learn how to communicate and organize themselves as well as develop the desire to innovate, learn and engage in creative work. These skills will help the students build a bright future for them, in line with the country’s sustainable development plans.

The camp organizes a set of cultural activities designed to support the 2016 ‘Year of Reading’ in response to the directives of H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi and H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to establish reading as a social habit.

H.E. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General, TRA, said: “The success of the first summer camp has prompted us to list the event as an annual activity especially that it was highly appreciated by Emirati families and residents. In addition, the initiative falls into one of TRA’s key strategies which support and promote the innovation culture in information technology (IT) and telecoms among the Emirati youth, following the directive of H. H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE to establish an environment that stimulates innovation and make UAE a leader in this field.”

“Investing in the future citizens of the country and help them build an educated Emirati generation is a priority in our social responsibility programmes. This camp is an opportunity to support the young generation to show their skills in innovation and development and present their ideas, which the TRA will highly consider if they are practical and applicable,” H.E. Al Mansoori added.

The camp activities will include IT, creative and life skills, sports, personality evaluation and planning the future in addition to field trips. The students will also be assisted in implementing what they have learned to gain a practical experience through collaborative and creative projects, as well as organizing a cultural meeting to discuss a set of chosen books in support of the ‘Year of Reading’.

The first TRA Summer Innovation Camp was held last year following the directives of H. H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to instill innovation culture among the youth of different ages. The activities were focused on telecommunications, IT and advanced technology such as robot, mobile apps, safe internet use and other smart technologies. To enrich the students’ personality and life skills, the camp also provided opportunities for driving, towers building, and sessions on eating healthy food and financial management.