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8/9/2019 ictQATAR's 2008 Annual Report
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Competition thrives
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People thrive
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Contents
Message from the Secretary General 1
Introduction 2
Progress Toward a Networked Nation
Demonstrating Qatar’s e-readiness 4
Ushering in a new era of telecoms
competition and choice 6
Building a vital market for ICT 10
ICT in Daily Life
Interacting with Qatar’s government 14
Engaging students in exciting ways 16
Benefitting everyone through ICT 18
Empowering persons with disabilities 19
Advancing Qatar’s goal of world-class
healthcare for all 20
Protecting Qatar against cyber threats 22
ictQATAR organization 24
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In 2004, ictQATAR was established as the nation’s
ICT policy and regulatory body. Its goal is to
connect people to technologies that enrich lives,
diversify the economy, and inspire confidence in
the future. Through its initiatives and partnerships,
ictQATAR has built programs to benefit all people
in Qatar—from business leaders to students to
healthcare practitioners to those with disabilities.
By leveraging the power of technology for
education, healthcare, government, and the
marketplace, Qatar is becoming a more competitive
and more equitable society.
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The successful integration of information and communication
technology into daily life throughout Qatar came closer to reality in 2008. More
and more businesses, schools, government agencies, and families thrived
because of ICT. The results are evident everywhere: in classrooms, where the
digital curriculum is inspiring students to solve real-world problems with peers
around the world; in businesses, where balance sheets are reflecting new
markets opened up by the Internet; and in public spaces, where the chorus
of ring tones signals more and more consumers connected with friends
and families—and enjoying better rates on their calls.
This is just the beginning. ictQATAR is developing a national ICT policy that
will continue to secure a thriving, diversified economy. The policy will address
priorities that include creating a high-speed broadband national network to
better connect schools, hospitals, and government organizations to the
people they serve; improved interoperability of networks, while promoting a
safe user environment; and new standards to lower the environmental damage
caused by ICT. We will also continue our work structuring a regulatory climate
in which both businesses and individual consumers benefit.
It is also our duty to ensure that all segments of the population benefit from
advancements in ICT. We are empowering women to enter the skilled ICT
workforce and helping the unemployed and elderly contribute to society in
new ways. As part of our commitment to enriching the lives of those with
disabilities, we are opening the Assistive Technology Center, where anyone
with a disability can find out what ICT resources are available to them.
Together, we will build a stronger Qatar, one defined by innovation
and good ideas.
Dr. Hessa Sultan Al-Jaber Secretary General of ictQATAR
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The year 2008 was marked by momentum on many fronts. More parents are
involved in their children’s day-to-day educational progress. Business leaders
are boosting performance and revenue. And more than 300 online services can
be accessed anytime, anywhere, through Qatar’s online government portal
Hukoomi. And because of round-the-clock vigilance by a team of international
cyber security experts, children and adult users are safer on the Internet.
The world is noticing ictQATAR’s progress. The Global Information Technology
Report 2008–2009, produced by the World Economic Forum in cooperation
with INSEAD, ranked Qatar 29th of 134 nations in the Networked Readiness
Index—rising from 32nd place in last year’s Index.
The work is far from over. The results of Qatar’s ICT Landscape ’09 report show
that all stakeholders must accelerate efforts to adopt technology in order to
realize Qatar’s vision of a diverse, flexible economy that advances the welfare
of all. To that end, ictQATAR is developing a comprehensive ICT policy for
the entire nation that will be ratified at the cabinet level. With broad input from
stakeholders throughout the country, the policy will guide initiatives in education,
healthcare, market development, regulatory affairs, and the environment.
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Progresstoward a
networkednation
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underscores that good education fundamentals,
innovation, and wide ICT access are key to nations’
social growth and economic competitiveness.
After four years of advancing ICT use in Qatar, ictQATAR
commissioned its own report to analyze the state of
ICT in Qatar and to determine the pace at whichsegments crucial to the growth of a knowledge-based
economy are adopting ICT—residents, government,
and business. Researchers also studied ICT adoption in
the fields of education, healthcare, tourism, and
workforce development. From June through October,
2008, Madar Research interviewed more than 4,800
people in Qatar and compared the results to existing
studies of countries throughout the world. The resulting
comprehensive report, Qatar’s ICT Landscape 2009 ,
is the country’s first survey-based ICT study.
The study shows that in just a few years, Qatar has
made steady progress in ICT adoption. The country is
well on its way to building an information-based society.
Based on combined performance in basic ICT indicators
such as the number of computer users, Internet users,
and subscribers to broadband Internet and mobile and
fixed line telephones, ICT adoption in Qatar places thecountry among the best three in the Arab region.
Demonstrating Qatar’se-readiness
The Global Information Technology Report 2008–2009 ,
produced by the World Economic Forum in cooperation
with INSEAD, reflects Qatar’s steady march toward
ICT adoption. In the report’s Networked Readiness
Index, Qatar rose to 29th among 134 nations from the
previous year’s ranking of 32nd among 127 nations.
In 2005–2006, the first year Qatar was included in this
global assessment, the country ranked 39th in the
report’s Networked Readiness Index.
The Index is the world’s most comprehensive inter-
national assessment of the impact of ICT on nations’
development and international competitiveness.
The 134 developed and developing economies
surveyed in the 2008–2009 report account for more
than 98 percent of world GDP.
The Networked Readiness Index examines how
countries use ICT in three areas: general business,
regulatory, and infrastructure environment for ICT;
readiness of government, individuals, and businesses
to use and benefit from ICT; and the actual usage of
available ICT by these stakeholder groups. The report
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2008 Annual Report
Marketing grows businesses. That was
the essence of ictQATAR’s second
Business Connect seminar, “Realizing
the Power of e-Marketing.” More than
150 managers from small andmedium-sized businesses learned
about e-marketing techniques that
have the power to maximize business
results, beginning with the creation
of a company website.
Connectingbusinesses toone anotherand the world
But the study also found that three important
stakeholder groups—government, business, and
residents—are not equal in their level of ICT
adoption. Residents, excluding transient workers,
performed better in overall ICT indicators than
government and business. Of the three groups, busi-
nesses have the most progress to make. The lack
of ICT skills is the largest barrier to widespread ICT
adoption, especially among small businesses.
As ictQATAR worked in 2008 to address challenges
raised in the report, offices and departments
sought valuable input from leaders throughout the
world. Through international memberships and
partnerships, ictQATAR is ensuring its programs
and projects are world-class while sharing itsown insights in a global ICT forum. ictQATAR is a
member of the International Telecommunications
Union (ITU), the United Nations Global Alliance for
ICT and Development, GCC Ministers of ICT, the
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for
Western Asia, and the Internet Governance Forum,
among others. ictQATAR has also signed memo-
randums of understanding with numerous foreign
governments and international corporations.
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In 2008, ictQATAR achieved one of its earliest goals
when telecommunications liberalization opened the
mobile market to competition. ictQATAR issued a
license to Vodafone Qatar QSC (Vodafone Qatar), and
after a careful, ordered, and transparent process,
Vodafone Qatar was also awarded the second fixed
license. All consumers should benefit from better
value, as well as the accelerated innovation of
advanced products and services demanded by a
growing, diverse economy.
Qatar’s telecommunications liberalization has three
primary objectives:
1. Foster an efficient telecommunications sector to
kkbenefit society
2. Create a showcase for successful sector reform
3. Provide a sustainable business environment
To achieve these goals, ictQATAR is committed to
facilitating wide availability of advanced next genera-
tion broadband services. These networks and services
will allow for delivery of more robust services to
business and government, allowing organizations of
all kinds to provide a richer, fuller experience to online
customers and visitors. Advanced next generation
broadband is of particular importance to education
and health, areas where immediate responses
and interactivity are important. And for the busi-
ness community, these services will be central to
competitiveness.
In 2010, ictQATAR will conduct a comprehensive
Strategic Sector Review of the telecommunications
sectors. This review will determine the state of
competition in Qatar; whether additional operators
in the market or regulatory measures would advancethat competition; and what structural changes, if any,
would benefit consumers and the market.
Regulatory Framework
In its role as regulator with a consumer protection
mandate, ictQATAR is developing a full regulatory
framework to advance healthy market competition
conditions and ensure that consumers can exercise
their rights in a competitive market.
The Regulatory Framework includes elements to
ensure development of markets and competition.
Dominance Designation
In keeping with best practices from around the world,
ictQATAR analyzed its telecommunications markets
to see if any service providers had dominance over
another. ictQATAR determined Qtel was a dominant
service provider in fifteen retail and wholesale
markets, including, among others, access to mobile
and fixed networks, international telecommunications
services, broadband services, access to network facili-
ties, and call origination and termination.
Ushering in a New Era ofTelecoms Competitionand Choice
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Abuse of market dominance of one provider over
another inhibits competition and harms consumers.
With ictQATAR’s designation of Qtel as a dominant
service provider in 15 markets, a range of legal
obligations and remedies under the
Telecommunications Law and Telecommunications
Licenses were triggered. Market dominance
designation also mandates that tariffs for
telecommunications services provided by dominant
service providers should be based on the cost of
providing efficient service under the Regulatory
Accounting System. ictQATAR will continue to monitor
the 15 markets to determine whether any changes in
Qtel’s market power have occurred and also to ensure
compliance with dominance requirements.
Interconnection Agreement and Rate
Determination
After receiving its Mobile Telecommunications License
in June, 2008, Vodafone Qatar submitted
interconnection and access requests to Qtel for
telecommunications services and facilities. The terms
of Vodafone’s and Qtel’s licenses state that if such
requests are not settled within 60 days, matters may
then be submitted to ictQATAR with a request for
determination. In November 2008, Vodafone Qatar
submitted a number of unresolved issues to ictQATAR.
Determinations were subsequently made on
interconnection charges (mobile termination rate, fixed
termination rate, and SMS termination rate), access to
and use of international landing station facilities in
Qatar, and access to and use of in-building
telecommunications infrastructure.
Tariff Approval
Licenses issued to Qtel and Vodafone Qatar state that
for companies designated as a dominant service
provider in specific markets, prior approval from
ictQATAR is required for a tariff or any change
to a tariff at least 28 days before the proposed
effective date.
For Licensees that are not dominant service providers,
tariffs must be submitted to ictQATAR no later than the
date on which the tariff is scheduled to go into effect
ictQATAR has 21 days to approve or object to the tariff.
If it objects, ictQATAR can order its suspension, modifi-
cation or withdrawal.
In all cases, companies must notify customers at least
21 days in advance of any tariff involving a price
increase.
Billing Instructions
Clear, accurate bills for products and services are a
hallmark of a liberalized market. Because billing
methods were a source of frequent consumer
dissatisfaction, ictQATAR proposed draft billing
instructions for providers to follow. ictQATAR’s goal
was to help customers understand bills, identify
billing errors, and avoid erroneous charges.
Licensing Framework
Effective licensing fosters a healthy telecommunica-
tions sector by controlling market entry, furthering
competition, protecting consumers’ interests, and
managing national scarce resources such as radio
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frequencies and numbers. Public consultations were
planned on a licensing framework that includes class
licensing for resellers and private networks. The new
framework will address business and market needs
and align licensing practices with the
Telecommunications Law.
Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT)
Liberalization
VSAT is a system of using satellites to provide tele-
communications services, including Internet. This sys-
tem is critical for the oil and gas industry, especially
offshore rigs.
Individual licensees such as Qtel and Vodafone Qatar
are authorized to provide VSAT services and operate a
VSAT network. There is also high demand from busi-
nesses for the ability to purchase VSAT services from
other providers.
ictQATAR intends to launch a VSAT license application
process so interested applicants can apply for a VSAT
license to own and operate a VSAT network and
provide services.
Type Approval
Service providers and suppliers of telecommunica-
tions equipment in Qatar must ensure the equipmentis used safely without causing long- or short-term
damage to the network. ictQATAR intends to propose
standards and processes for such telecommunications
equipment to reduce the possibility of network dam-
age or interference, as well as compliance with the
Frequency Allocation Plan.
Numbering
Since telephone numbers are a scarce resource,
ictQATAR developed a National Numbering Plan to
ensure availability of numbers in Qatar for years to
come. ictQATAR carried out reviews through 2008 of
the use of numbers in the country. The reviews
highlighted the need for strictly regulated procedures
for allocating numbers ictQATAR allocated Qtel
additional numbers in the 3xxxxxx range. The newlylicensed second mobile operator, Vodafone Qatar, was
allocated the 7xxxxxx range.
Number portability is a licensing requirement for Qtel
and Vodafone Qatar. ictQATAR has established a
Numbering Plan Coordination Committee to assist the
providers with portability implementation. As the
population continues to grow, the Committee will also
examine whether there will be a need to increase thelength of telephone numbers from 7 digits to
a higher number.
Spectrum Allocation and Management
Radio frequency spectrum is a finite resource of vital
importance to Qatar. Spectrum management is key
to linking Qatar with the global digital economy and
sustaining long-term economic growth. Successful
spectrum management also supports national defenseand programs promoting social welfare, inclusion, and
protection.
As the national regulatory authority responsible for
radio frequency management, ictQATAR has reorga-
nized radio spectrum to meet current and future
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requirements. ictQATAR is developing a spectrum
management strategic plan for Qatar that will enable
the efficient allocation of spectrum to foster growth
of competitive spectrum-dependent industries such
as terrestrial and satellite-based digital media. The
plan will address the growth of broadband and packet-
switched networks, increase of end-use mobility, and
the need to migrate from analogue to digital broad-
casting in order to free spectrum for new applications.
Consumer Protection and Fair Trading
Competition leads to benefits that can be passed on
to consumers. ictQATAR has a legal mandate under
the Telecommunications Law to ensure those benefits
are actually passed on. In 2008, ictQATAR launched
a series of consumer protection and fair trading initia-
tives based on the legal obligation of licensed serviceproviders to their customers.
ictQATAR published information about consumer
rights and responsibilities, and created a consumer
email address (HYPERLINK"mailto:consumervoice@
ict.gov.qa"[email protected]).
ictQATAR is reaching out to consumers
across Qatar to inform them of their
rights in a competitive market.
Informing and
educating consumers
Consumers can also call a hotline phone number for
help with complaints and disputes (+974-499-5353).
Public Consultations Engage
Stakeholders and implement
Transparency
ictQATAR is dedicated to the principle that those whowill be affected by regulatory rules and policy should
have a voice in how regulation is implemented.
Since its inception, ictQATAR’s work has been charac-
terized by open, public participation in the regulatory
process. Involving stakeholders through public
consultations helps ensure the regulatory process is
balanced and effective in practice.
In 2008, ictQATAR held public consultations on corpo-rate tariffs and billing guidelines. Several other public
consultations will follow in 2009.
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Nearly 200 reporters, communications professionals, and students attended “Media Connected,”
ictQATAR’s forum for journalists. Speakers and panelists agreed that journalism is neither dead
nor dying, but is instead evolving almost overnight because of technology. When news cycles are
constant and mobile phones can capture breaking news photos, ordinary people increasingly play
a role in relaying news to the world. Speakers at the event included the Economist ’s Tom Standage
and Leonard Brody, CEO of NowPublic, the world’s largest citizen news company. Among the
panelists discussing the future of new media were representatives from Al-Jazeera Network, Al-Jazeera Talk, Arab Advisors Group, BBC Arabic, and Northwestern University-Qatar.
Innovative ways to gather and share news
Building a vital marketfor ICT
Businesses of all sizes need to be positioned to
benefit from the opportunities that globalization
presents. ictQATAR is working to raise awareness
of technology’s crucial role in business growth and
improving effectiveness of government agencies and
non-profit organizations.
Customer-driven businesses and entrepreneurs must
integrate technology into what they do in order to
grow and thrive. ictQATAR in 2008 established aMarket Development Department. The Department
fosters innovation and technological change by
addressing both supply and demand.
The Department works to:
• Attract foreign companies to establish a presence
or invest in Qatar
• Help grow existing companies and incubate new
business ventures
• Accelerate awareness of the business
benefits of ICT
• Nurture a knowledge-sharing culture across
government
The Market Development Department is also exploringglobal sectors that are positioned to be high-growth
markets. The Department will determine which of
these sectors present opportunities for Qatar to
compete and thrive—such as development of ICT
applications for energy efficiency.
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2008 Annual Report
A cornerstone of economic development is the suc-
cess of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
They create jobs, increase regional competitiveness,
improve the community, and diversify the nation’seconomy. The Market Development Department
analyzes the ICT sector to determine what needs
SMEs can meet, and what kind of capacity SMEs offer.
SMEs’ products and services can then be matched to
the demand of the marketplace.
To help Qatar’s SMEs market themselves regionally
and internationally, ictQATAR developed Fahras Qatar,
an online business directory. Fahras Qatar,
www.fahrasqatar.com, allows potential partners,
investors, customers, and vendors to view information
about companies throughout Qatar, including contact
information, location, product offerings, and special
promotions. The directory guides foreign investors
Nurturing involvement of Arab women in technology
ictQATAR hosted a workshop—“Advancing Arab Women in Technology: Strategy Made
Reality”—that brought together more than 40 leading women in technology from throughout
the Arab world and the United States. The purpose of the workshop was to advance plans
to create the Center for Women and Technology for the Arab Region. The Center will serve
as an important resource for supporting women’s involvement in the knowledge society,
helping to ensure that girls and women are prepared to compete for rewarding, high-paying
jobs in the technology sector.
exploring opportunities in Qatar while allowing local
enterprises to promote their value beyond Qatar.
Collaborative tools, such as chat, voice text, a regular
newsletter, and videos have been incorporated toenhance the Fahras Qatar experience.
Over the next year, ictQATAR will add exciting new
services to help Qatari SMEs compete. An innovation
center will incubate entrepreneurs and their start-up
companies for the crucial initial years. ictQATAR will
nurture small companies through this period, providing
mentoring as well as brick-and-mortar support, until
they are ready to enter the marketplace.
Over the past few years, Qatar’s ICT sector has
progressed rapidly. The country has made enormous
strides in developing and implementing ambitious ICT
programs and projects. But currently, Qatar
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suffers from a dearth of people possessing specific
technological skills needed to ensure success of these
efforts. In order to build domestic IT capabilities,
entrepreneurship, and to develop SMEs throughout
the country, ictQATAR launched Malomatia, a com-
pany that delivers high-quality, specialized IT services
in education, government, healthcare, and the private
sector. Malomatia’s efforts will increase the level of
entrepreneurship in the IT sector and help it manage
a constantly evolving environment. Malomatia
plans to become a publicly traded company with the
goal of expanding its services regionally.
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ICT in daily life
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communications platform. Linking government
agencies safely and reliably is integral to streamlin-
ing processes, reducing inefficiencies, and providing
enhanced security for e-services. By standardizing
connectivity between government agencies, the
government network will allow higher utilization of
bandwidth than currently available—
especially
benefitting the health and education sectors.
Information between hospitals and from doctor to
doctor will be sent much faster through the network,
enhancing patient care and confidentiality. Schools
will also be better connected to one another and to
parents. Qtel will build and host the network.
In 2008, ictQATAR launched Hukoomi, a single portal
for all government transactions. Citizens, residents,and visitors conducted 1.4 million fast, easy transac-
tions by the end of 2008 through Hukoomi. More than
300 information services and more than 60 transaction
services are currently available and accessible online.
In 2009, a comprehensive usability evaluation of
Hukoomi was initiated to ensure users are getting the
government service and information access they need
as effectively as possible. Following completion of
the usability evaluation, Hukoomi will be enhanced to
bring users new helpful services and features,
and provide new channels and points of access for the
site, bringing government closer to its constituents.
Through the Hukoomi portal, businesses of all sizes
can take part in an automated government e-tendering
system. Launched in December with two pilot agen-
cies, government e-procurement enables the whole
Interacting withQatar’s government
Since 2006, a nationwide effort has been under way
to make government more effective and responsive to
the people it serves. This modernization effort, i-Gov,integrates and streamlines all services provided by
government agencies into a unified system. The goal
is to make all government interactions, information,
and transaction services available electronically
through a single access point for all users. Integration
and standardization of all government systems, infra-
structure, and processes will help achieve this goal.
Government entities have come together to advance
this sweeping reform. A new model of collaboration
involving the highest levels of government and a broad
range of stakeholders improves the chances of the
program’s success. This strong governance model also
allows for the participation of end-users in decision-
making processes and has resulted in a heightened
state of government e-readiness. In the World Economic
Forum’s Global Information Technology Report 2008–
2009, Qatar ranks 22nd in government readiness in
areas such as government prioritization of ICT, govern-
ment procurement of advanced technology products,
and importance of ICT to government’s vision of the
future. In government usage of ICT, Qatar ranks 25th.
To foster data communications across government,
ictQATAR is creating a government network to
directly connect Qatar’s government over a secure
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tendering process, from evaluation to selection, to
take place online. Throughout 2009–10, the system
will be rolled out to other agencies. In addition to
making tendering more transparent, the online system
will increase efficiency by making it easier to update
tenders and submit documents.
In 2008, development of a new service was started
to provide essential information to residents and
businesses about customs clearance procedures. This
efficient and transparent customs clearance initiative
will be automated, paper-free, and streamlined. An
additional benefit to the new system will be one-stop
servicing for trade declaration approvals.
In an effort to make government more responsive,
a government contact center was also established.
People can reach any government entity by email,
phone, or fax through a single point of contact. Each
government agency will retain its own support and
customer service, and the government contact center
will connect the public with the right service. The
contact center will also provide support for Hukoomi’s
online services.
The future will bring more automated services. Thei-Gov program is in various stages of designing and
implementing new services, including recruitment
services and business setup services. A total of
17 i-Gov initiatives are currently in progress and an
additional 12 are planned for launch in 2010.
ictQATAR is running a public
awareness campaign along Doha’s
streets, in government buildings, and
on government websites encouraging
people to take advantage of thetime-saving, efficient government
information and transaction services
on Hukoomi—with a click!
Campaign to CLICK
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Engaging studentsin exciting ways
Building a world-class education system is critical to
Qatar’s progress. And at every grade level, ICT helps
students learn more creatively and effectively. Beyond
traditional classrooms, technology enables students
to gain new knowledge and skills.
Together with the Supreme Education Council (SEC),
ictQATAR engaged with school administrators, teach-
ers, and parents to look for the most effective ways
to integrate ICT into the learning process. An array
of e-education programs and projects means more
creative, stimulating, and innovative K–12 classrooms
as well as opportunities for adults to strengthen their
technology skills. The ultimate goal is to achieve
ICT-integrated independent schools that improve
students’ and teachers’ performance.
Knowledge Net
In partnership with the SEC, a three-way portal allows
students, teachers, and parents to share informationand catch up with a few clicks on the keyboard. With
personalized single sign-on and password protec-
tion, all members of the education community obtain
immediate, private access to information and commu-
nications applications. Those logged into Knowledge
Net (K-Net) can review lessons, study guides, and
homework assignments, and communicate directly
or through chats and discussion boards.
In 2008, the SEC and ictQATAR launched the second
phase of the project, with 37 independent schools—
and more than 40,000 individual users—now
participating. Phase Two rolled out new features that
will improve the experience of all users and support
student achievement. A teacher’s section now allows
classroom leaders to collaborate and exchange
More than 500 school leaders and teachers gathered in March 2009 for a
two-day conference, “Exploring ICT in Education.” ictQATAR partnered with
the College of the North Atlantic-Qatar to bring speakers from around the
world to Qatar, including experts from Australia, the UK, United States,
and South Africa, among others, to discuss best practices for integrating
technology in the education process in schools. Schools from Qatar shared
their experiences in using technology in the classroom and attendees
participated in hands-on workshops.
Sharing best practices from around the world
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2008 Annual Report
lessons and experiences. A section for parents lets
them access student and school data. Additional
training was also provided to teachers to assist them
in integrating K-Net into their teaching.
Digital Oasis Schools
In partnership with the SEC, a pilot program is under
way at four independent schools—two middle schools
and two high schools—to drive classroom innovation
and creativity. These schools, Digital Oasis Schools,
are integrating technology in teaching and learning to
improve student outcomes and enhance the quality
of the student experience. These schools will become
a model for all schools in Qatar. The main objective
of the Digital Oasis schools is the development and
delivery of a learning environment that combines the
latest proven technology with progressive teaching
practices to create the best possible outcomes for all
learners in schools.
The Digital Oasis schools are achieving results by pro-
viding learners with a range of opportunities to learn
in a way that meets their individual needs, setting
targets for student attainment based on internationalstandards. Students and teachers have access to
appropriate technologies and information to support
student learning. Best practices are disseminated
across the network of independent schools in a way
that enhances the quality of learning in all schools.
Children and young adults had an opportunity to “Live Technology” in June, 2008 and
experience firsthand the benefits of ICT. ictQATAR, along with iSpot and RasGas, hosted an
interactive exhibition at the Villaggio Mall as part of its Promise of e campaign. Designed for
children ages 6 to 16, the exhibition provided an opportunity to see, hear, and feel the latest
technologies. Attendees participated in games, competitions, and hands-on lessons and
demonstrations. iSpot and RasGas donated computers, drawing pads, art supplies, gifts,
and prizes for the exhibition. The iSpot team also trained children on how to use the new Mac
iLife program in order to create movies, interactive presentations, and online drawings.
Technology lives!
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Benefitting everyonethrough ICT
Everyone is entitled to equal access to the technolo-
gies that can enrich their lives. To help develop an
ICT-skilled workforce that can succeed in a knowledgeeconomy, ictQATAR launched its e-Inclusion program
in 2008. The program gives priority to disadvantaged
demographic groups, especially women, retirees, and
citizens with special needs.
The program’s goal is to elevate Qatar to the third
level of e-maturity as defined by the United Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia.
E-maturity takes into account the degree to which
citizens are familiar with technology and the extent
to which they use its applications in daily life.
Through 2009, the e-Inclusion program will develop
policies and procedures, strategic partnerships with
government agencies and the private sector, and
launch a national e-skills initiative.
e-Literacy
ICDL, the largest purveyor of computer skills certifica-
tion, provides computer training opportunities to
adults of all skill levels. In 2008, more than 1,200 men
and women participated in ICDL training to improve
their computing skills. Nearly 500 trainees werenon-working women, thanks to the collaboration of
the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, and nearly
500 were doctors and nurses at Hamad Medical
Corporation.
In collaboration with the Institution of Administration
Development, government and private sector
employees and non-working adults have the chance
to advance their careers without leaving their desk.
The e-Learning Portal offers users more than 4,000
online interactive courses that can each be completed
in less than four hours. Employees in government, the
non-profit sector, and underserved populations benefit
from audio and video simulations and demonstrations
in 29 discrete subject areas. These subjects include
computer skills, marketing, leadership, team-building,
and stress management. Easy to navigate, the courses
are offered in English, Arabic, and French.
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Toward fairnessand equality
Empowering personswith disabilities
ictQATAR is implementing programs and policies to
ensure the promise of technology is for everyone. By
connecting people with disabilities to technologies
that will improve their lives, ictQATAR is helping those
with physical, emotional, or mental disabilities engage
more fully in society—in school, work, and civic life.
The entire community benefits as a result of fuller
engagement.
In 2008, as part of ictQATAR’s commitment to
provide universal access to people with disabilities,
www.ictQATAR.qa was enhanced to fully complywith the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Level
AA accessibility standards.
ictQATAR’s goal is to offer a website that is acces-
sible to the widest possible audience, regardless
of visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive impairments.
Working closely with the website’s developers, the
upgrade featured a full review of the existing website
code, updating items such as navigation links and
alternative image names. Multimedia content will be
accompanied by text descriptions to ensure that all
users will be able to understand the audio or visual
content, regardless of their impairments. Further
upgrades were also made to the content management
system used to maintain the site to ensure that all
future content is AA accessible.
In December 2008, ictQATAR marked
International Day for Persons with
Disabilities by sponsoring a forum on
assistive technologies. Technologies for
the visually impaired were showcased,and a panel addressed the needs and
aspirations of the disabled.
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ictQATAR24
This year, ictQATAR also established the Assistive
Technology Working Group, a team of individuals
representing corporations and organizations com-
mitted to improving life for persons with disabilities.
The Working Group includes representation of the
Shafallah Center, the Al-Noor Institute for the Blind,
and the Qatar Society for Rehabilitation of People
with Special Needs.
One direct result of the Working Group’s efforts is
the recently announced plan to create a Center for
Assistive Technology. The Center will be a non-profit
organization devoted to ensuring that persons with
disabilities in Qatar have access to the technology
that will enrich their lives. The Center will bring
together key industry partners and will serve as a
catalyst for research and development of assistive
technologies, create public awareness around best
practices, and coordinate existing efforts in Qatar.
Advancing Qatar’sgoal of world-classhealthcare for all
Qatar is investing in a state-of-the-art healthcare
system to ensure excellent patient care and enhanced
clinician efficiency. Information and communication
technology has the potential to revolutionize health-
care, and ictQATAR’s e-Health program is working to
bring such benefits to Qatar’s medical community.
In collaboration with its national partners, the Supreme
Council of Health and Hamad Medical Corporation,
ictQATAR is implementing a national e-health strategy
that will allow for a coordinated healthcare system
in both primary and secondary care. As part of this
strategy, ictQATAR developed an ICT infrastructure
blueprint for new hospitals in Qatar, so that the latest
technologies will be seamlessly integrated.
“Connected Speakers” share ideas
To address some of the hottest issues on how technology is changing our lives, ictQATAR is
bringing global and regional thought leaders to Qatar. As part of the Connected Speakers
Series, the first speaker was INSEAD professor Soumitra Dutta. Dr. Dutta shared insights from
his latest book, Throwing Sheep in the Boardroom. He discussed how businesses must be
prepared to embrace a socially networked generation. Dr. Soumitra also addressed the Web 2.0
revolution and how social networking is changing the way we work, communicate, and play.
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To deliver many of the national e-health projects,
including the electronic health record (EHR) and
picture archive and communications system (PACS),
a fast, reliable, and secure network is required. The
healthcare system in Qatar will be one of the primary
users of ictQATAR’s government network currently
under construction. The EHR will provide a central
point for sharing of important patient information in a
timely manner—often providing the crucial seconds
needed to save lives. PACS will allow for the easy
sharing and quick access to digital medical images,
such as x-rays and radiology images.
ictQATAR is also working closely with Hamad Medical
Corporation (HMC) on the implementation of itse-health strategy. HMC currently provides nearly 85
percent of patient care in Qatar. As part of HMC’s
strategy, a voice dictation system was introduced,
allowing medical information to be recorded correctly,
reducing the chances for mistakes in treatment. With
the first phase of the new system completed and 500
doctors trained in its use, inpatient and outpatient
departments are using a fully integrated transcription
service that captures medical data in a standard
format that matches local and GCC requirements.
By the end of 2009, the emergency room at theHMC main hospital will showcase state-of-the-art
technology at work, providing doctors and healthcare
providers with nearly instant information to make
crucial clinical decisions. As a result of faster pro-
cesses, emergency room patients will benefit from
a better experience while healthcare workers and
clinicians have the information they need, at the
moment they need it.
ictQATAR will provide strategic direction and guidance
to the health information technology team at Sidra
Medical and Research Center as it transitions into
a state-of-the-art digital facility. Sidra will be the
first academic medical center in the region offering
specialty care for women and children.
Keeping connected
Every month, ictQATAR sends more than 4,000 subscribers a bilingual
electronic newsletter filled with news and trends about the impact
of ICT in Qatar and the region. The audience includes business and
non-profit leaders and managers, the education community, regulators,
IT professionals, and government employees—all learning how
technology can improve their work and personal lives.
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Protecting Qatar againstcyber threats
In Qatar, information security and safety of online
users is paramount. To that end, the Qatar Computer
Emergency Response Team (Q-CERT), the country’s
center for information security, is at the heart of
ictQATAR’s comprehensive National Information
Assurance Program to safeguard the country’s infor-
mation systems and data.
Q-CERT works with the private and public sectors
to protect Qatar’s infrastructure and to immediately
address security incidents when they occur. Q-CERT
also helps identify and solve issues that may threaten
an organization’s internal security.
Q-CERT has developed a framework of policies and
standards for information privacy and protection
of critical information infrastructure. These crucial
systems keep the country operating—finance and
banking, water supply, healthcare facilities, telecom-
munications, and government. Q-CERT is holding
working group meetings for IT leaders and managers
in key industries to improve understanding of national
security risks. It also provides training in how to
obtain and preserve digital evidence of cybercrime.
No nation functions alone in our global economy.
Q-CERT collaborates with peer organizations
throughout the region and the world to discover risks
originating elsewhere, and to share expertise,
challenges, ideas, and successes.
A priority for ictQATAR is protecting children on the
Internet. In collaboration with the Supreme Education
Council, ictQATAR sponsors workshops for educators
in both Arabic and English. Driven by the goal of
promoting security awareness, the workshops help
teachers develop ways to present security concerns
to students in an age-appropriate fashion. Teachers
also learn how to partner with families to protect
children in cyberspace.
Looking ahead, ictQATAR will work with the SEC, the
Supreme Council of Family Affairs, and the ITU to
create cyber curricula for schools, designed to help
teachers and learners use the Internet safely.
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With Web 2.0 and social media transforming the way people interact and communicate,
ictQATAR has become involved in a wide array of social networks.
Active in 14 social media outlets in both English and Arabic, ictQATAR has built a network
of more than 1,400 friends on the social networking sites Facebook and Twitter. Friends
receive the latest ictQATAR news, events, and technology trends. They have become
part of the greater ICT community in Qatar, often initiating their own technology-related
conversations, commenting on policies and “re-tweeting” ictQATAR tweets to their network
of friends. A number of friends even send tweets in real time from ictQATAR events.
Photos from events are uploaded to Flickr. Photos as well as news and updates are
promoted and shared virally through Digg and Delicious sites. Videos of ictQATAR events,
exclusive interviews with thought leaders, advertisements and public service announce-
ments are posted to YouTube and then promoted through a variety of other social networks.
Based on the quality of its content, ictQATAR was granted a special exception to include
longer videos online by YouTube, one of the few organizations in Qatar with this exception.
ictQATAR is also tapping into the rich online communities that already exist in Qatar, such as
Qatar Living. News of ictQATAR often shows up on the homepage of this most-visited site in
the country. And participation on Qatar Shares, a widely visited online Arabic forum, drives
people to ictQATAR’s website.
Engaging throughsocial media
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Communication Office
Strategic Planning
Finance
Human Capital
and Administration
Secretary General
Legal Advisor
Internal Audit
ictQATAR organization
ictQATAR is structured to reflect its key functions,
enabling it to best realize Qatar’s ICT vision,
strategy, and master plan.
The Secretary General leads ictQATAR, with
a board of directors responsible for overseeing
policy, performance, and compliance with
laws and regulations.
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Market
Development
and Knowledge
Management
ICT
Development
Programs
Government
Information
Management
Office
Regulatory
Authority
Cyber Safety
and Security
Technical
Affairs
Government
IT Platforms
e-Inclusion
Infrastructure
Development
Enterprise
Development
Legal
Government
IT Operations
e-Health
Knowledge
Management
Policy and
Economic
Policy and
Program
e-Education
ICT Sector
Development
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ictQATAR is located in Al Nasr Tower,
Al Corniche Street, Doha - Qatar
Phone: +974-499-5333
Fax: +974-493-5913
Email: [email protected]
P.O. Box: 23264 Doha, Qatar
www.ictQATAR.qa