Ministry of Communications and Information Technology Convenes Inaugural Meeting of Digital Skills Working Group to Enhance Digital Capabilities Across Government Entities

• The inaugural meeting of the Digital Skills Working Group was held with participation from representatives of various ministries.
• The meeting focused on discussing the organizational mechanisms necessary to achieve the Group’s objectives.
• The group identified three future pillars to achieve its goals: Digital Skills Frameworks, Digital Skills for Children and Youth, and Digital Training and Development.
• National initiatives were presented, most notably the ‘Digital Skills Framework’ as a reference for digital competencies.

As part of its commitment to accelerating digital transformation and enhancing the digital readiness of national talent in alignment with the Digital Agenda 2030 objectives, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology held the first meeting of the Digital Skills Working Group. This group was established as a national platform aimed at unifying efforts and coordinating initiatives among relevant government entities to systematically and strategically develop digital skills.

The meeting brought together representatives from several government bodies, including the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Ministry of Social Development and Family, the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau, and the Ministry of Labour. This collaboration seeks to harmonize national efforts in digital skills development and ensure alignment with the requirements of the digital economy.

Discussions during the meeting focused on organizational mechanisms to achieve the strategic objectives of digital skills development, reflecting Qatar’s commitment to cultivating national digital competencies capable of keeping pace with rapid global digital advancements. The Working Group identified three pivotal areas forming the foundation of its efforts: digital skills frameworks, enhancement of digital skills for children and youth, and digital training and development. To effectively implement these focus areas, specialized sub-working groups have been formed to monitor related initiatives and projects, with the flexibility to establish additional teams based on members’ needs.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Duha Al-Buhendi, Director of the Digital Society and Digital Competencies Department at Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, emphasized the importance of coordination among government entities, activating partnerships, and enhancing integration in building national digital skills. She noted that the Working Group serves as a vital platform for knowledge exchange, activation of joint initiatives, and acceleration of digital transformation, thereby strengthening Qatar’s position on the global digital competitiveness map.

The meeting featured detailed presentations on key initiatives, foremost among them the ‘Digital Skills Framework,’ which serves as a comprehensive national reference for developing digital competencies at both individual and institutional levels. This framework guides training and development programs to keep pace with rapid digital transformations and is recognized as a strategic tool supporting national initiatives in digital skills development.

This meeting builds upon the foundational session held in December of the previous year, which laid the groundwork for a unified strategy to develop digital skills in line with the evolving needs of the digital age.