Huge response from UAE university students with 96 entries; 5 qualify to final stage

As many as 76 contestants have qualified to the final round of the second Best m-Government Service Award, out of 411 entries received from local, Arab and international participants as well as university students. The winners will be announced during the third Government Summit, organized in Dubai under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, from 9 to 11 February, 2015.

Commending the overwhelming response to the award, H.E. Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of Government Summit, said: “The higher-than-expected Arab and international entries show that creative ideas know no boundaries. The huge response also highlights the status of the UAE as a major centre of innovative ideas from all over the world,” HE Al Gergawi said.

The Minister pointed out that the level of interest shown by the UAE university students, who participated actively in the projects and carried out innovative and creative ideas, will contribute to the development of government services. The award offers AED 1 million for the winner in the university students category.

The Award received 411 entries from all groups led by the UAE with 181 entries from universities and government institutions. The participation of 96 students, representing about 20 universities in the country, emphasizes a national interest in the award in its second edition.

There were 230 entries from outside the UAE, including 80 from Arab countries. Saudi Arabia led the list of Arab countries with 30 entries, followed by Oman 14, Qatar 12, Bahrain 11, Kuwait 6, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco 2 each, and one from Sudan.

At the global level, the award received 150 entries with as many as 30 per cent of them from the EU countries. The United States accounted for 22 per cent of the global entries, while the rest were from South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Russia and other countries.

In terms of sectors, the Economy & Commerce Sector led with 77 entries, followed by the Social Affairs Sector with 63 entries, the Safety and Security Sector with 62, Transportation and infrastructure Sector 48, Health Sector 45, Education Sector 44, and sectors of Tourism and Environment receiving 36 entries.

Leading applications qualify for finals:

Students from UAE universities participated in the award in a big way with nearly 400 students involved in the development of 96 applications. Five of them qualified to the finals namely: ‘Discover Emirates’ and ‘Alnajdah App’ from the Abu Dhabi University, ‘Smart Cart’ from the Canadian University of Dubai, ‘La Trasil’ from Al Khawarizmi International College, and ‘Exchange Food Fortified’ application from University of Jazeera.

In the Tourism Sector, many applications from the global level qualified to the final stage. These include ‘Discover Hong Kong’, ‘iTour Seoul’, and ‘Essential New Zealand’. The Arab applications that have qualified are ‘Saudi Tourism’, ‘Bahrain Culture’, and ‘On Qatar’. At the national level, ‘Smart Taxi’, ‘Dubai Culture’ and ‘ExploRAK’ have made it to the finals.

In the Safety and Security Sector, ‘Ready Georgia’ from the United States, ‘Safe Stepping Stone’ from South Korea, ‘Yurekuru Call’ from Japan have entered the finals at the global level, while applications of ‘Ministry of Interior Kuwait, ‘Lebanese Army Shield’, ‘Royal Oman Police’, qualified at the Arab level. The applications of Dubai Police, Emirates Identity Authority, and the Ministry of Interior are the qualifiers at the national level.

In the Education Sector, the applications that reached the finals include ‘HKDSE’ from Hong Kong, ‘Onleihe’ from Germany, ‘Dos Careers’ from the US. Three Arab entries qualified from Saudi Arabia: ‘Ministry of Education’, ‘Ambassador of Students’ and ‘My University KAU’. At the national level, the National Portal of Scholarship Students from the Ministry of Higher Education Forum, ‘My file’ from the Ministry of Education, and the Entertainment City of the Ministry of Interior have qualified.

In Social Affairs Sector the global qualifiers are ‘Hand Talk’ application from Brazil, ‘Active Citizen Moscow’ and ‘Moscow Mobile Reception’ from Russia. The applications of ‘Official Donation Map’ from Oman, ‘Bahrain eGov’ from Bahrain, ‘940 Geo Complaints’ from Saudi Arabia have entered the finals at the Arab level, while the national level qualifiers are Families Enterprise application of the General Women's Union, City Guard application of Abu Dhabi Centre for Electronic Systems and Information, and the application of the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments.

In the Transportation & Infrastructure Sector, ‘mTickets’ from Luxembourg and ‘WSDOT’ from the United States have qualified at the global level. At the Arab level ‘MASRAK I’ from Qatar, ‘Delilat Arriyadh’ from Saudi Arabia, and ‘Traffic Service’ from Bahrain entered the finals while the national qualifiers are ‘Darb Abu Dhabi’, ‘Dubai Airports’, and ‘Smart Drive RTA’. In the Environment Sector, global level qualifiers are ‘My ENV’ of Singapore, ‘Meteo Swiss’, and ‘NASA-Earth Now’. ‘Kuwait MET’, ‘I Qatar e- Nature’ and ‘Kahrama’ of Qatar, have qualified at the Arab level while national qualifiers are ‘Tadweer’ of Center of Waste Management Abu Dhabi, Municipality and Planning Department in Ajman, ‘My City-MPDA’ and ‘DEWA’.

In the Health Sector, ‘Express Plus’ and ‘My Quit Buddy’ from Australia, and ‘BundesArtsuche’ from Germany reached the finals at the global level, and Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, and Saudi Ministry of Health, and ‘We Are Near’ from Saudi Arabia qualified at the Arab level. At National level only two applications reached the finals, namely, ‘Ministry of Health’ and ‘Dubai Doctors’ of the Dubai Health Authority.

In Economy & Commerce Sector, ‘Americas Economy’, ‘Imports.Gouv’ from France, and ‘Hong Kong Trade’ applications qualified at the global level, while applications ‘We Work’ and ‘Public Authority for Human Protection’ from Oman and ‘Commercial Communication’ from Saudi Arabia made it at the Arab level. At the national level the qualifiers are ‘Ministry of Labour – UAE’, ‘Dubai Chamber Africa Gateway Application’ from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, and ‘ADX Smart App’ of the Abu Dhabi Securities Market.