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UAE Lets Talented Coders Apply For 100,000 Golden Visas
If the initiative turns out to be successful, other forward-thinking countries could decide to attract talent using similar methods.
The UAE would like to become the region’s dominant tech hub, and that’s possible only if the country itself is home to successful tech businesses contributing to its digital economy. To achieve its goal, the country has just launched an ambitious initiative that lets talented coders from around the world apply for 100,000 golden visas.
Called the National Programme for Coders, the new initiative was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in cooperation with Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Cisco, IBM, HPE, LinkedIn, Nvidia, and Facebook.
“The goal is to train and attract 100,000 programmers and create 1,000 major digital companies within five years,” said Sheikh Mohammed. “The National Programme for Programmers is a new step to build our digital economy,” he added.
To be eligible, applicants must be:
- Distinguished experts and talents who achieved success in various areas of coding.
- Those who work for pioneering international technological firms.
- Graduates of software engineering, computer sciences, hardware engineering, information technology, artificial intelligence, data science, big data, and electrical engineering.
The National Programme for Coders is available to both residents and non-residents of the UAE. All coders who meet the above-listed criteria can apply through The Office of Artificial Intelligence in the UAE government or the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship.
Also Read: Amazon Web Services Announces Plans To Open Data Center In UAE
It will certainly be interesting to see how many talented coders will be attracted by the opportunity to get one of thousands of UAE golden visas considering that we’re in the middle of not only a major global tech talent shortage, but also a pandemic.
If the initiative turns out to be successful, then other forward-thinking countries could decide to attract talent using similar methods, knowing that digital transformation is essential for shaping the future we seek for the next generations.
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UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.
The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.
خلال ترؤسنا الاجتماع الأول للمجلس الأعلى للفضاء، بحثنا الاستثمارات الوطنية والمشاريع المقبلة في قطاع الفضاء والذي يشهد تطوراً مستمراً… وجددنا التزامنا بدعم ومواصلة تنفيذ برامج طموحة لاستكشاف الفضاء الخارجي حيث وصل حجم الاستثمارات في هذا القطاع إلى 40 مليار درهم خلال السنوات… pic.twitter.com/etJ33OnuSu
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) December 16, 2024
Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.
Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.
Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.
Also Read: IBM Opens New Doha Office To Support Qatar’s Digital Growth
The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.
The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.