Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA), the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) and Google Cloud today announced the expansion of their partnership to include a new Center of Excellence training facility and new Google office in Qatar. This follows earlier announcements about a Google Cloud region in Qatar allowing new and existing customers, as well as partners, to run their cloud workloads locally (more info here). These initiatives, which build on QFZA’s strategic collaboration agreement with Google Cloud announced in 2020 support the continued growth of the technology ecosystem in Qatar.

The Center of Excellence provides free, hands-on training in Google tools and technologies for both individuals and businesses seeking to expand their technology skills and succeed in an increasingly digital world. The objective of the training facility is to foster innovation in the State of Qatar using the latest technologies and tools offered by Google. The Center will also serve as an incubator for high-potential startups and a hub for research to address digital transformation challenges.

Training programs currently on offer at the Center of Excellence focus on Cloud technology and include the Cloud Academy program, a 7 and 11 week online learning journey supported by instructor-led training days. Attendees of all programs will benefit from an online community for peer to peer support, technical mentorship and office hours as well as 6 months access to the full library of the Google Cloud training materials. In line with COVID precautions, the Center of Excellence is now live virtually and interested learners can register for courses today here: g.co/cloud/coeqatar. 

The physical Center of Excellence space will open its doors in Doha later this year. Once launched, the state-of-the-art learning center will be a hub of innovation and learning and incorporate workshops, lectures, training and mentoring on digital skills in addition to research to address digital transformation challenges.

Google Cloud has officially been established in Qatar, and Qatar Free Zones will host the new office in Msheireb Downtown, Doha. Companies of all sizes are welcome to reach out to the locally based team to find out more about Google Cloud’s products and solutions that accelerate organizations’ ability to digitally transform and reimagine their business through data powered innovation. In addition to the local Google Cloud team, a strong network of partners has been onboarded to support companies with their digital transformation projects. You can find more details about Google Cloud’s partner network in Qatar here.

Lim Meng Hui, CEO of QFZA, said, “Through our growing relationship with Google Cloud and enduring strategic partnership with MOTC, we’re proud to support the continued growth and development of the technology sector in Qatar, and help the community of innovators operating in QFZ reap the benefits of that growth. The new Center of Excellence will be a great resource for our investors as we continue to develop and expand our leading technology ecosystem.”  

Robert Enslin, President of Google Cloud, said, “We could not be more thrilled to bring the next stage of our partnership with QFZA to life by announcing the opening of our Center of Excellence and our first Cloud Academy training cohort. These courses are being offered as part of our support and commitment in the process of digital transformation and development for the country.”

“MOTC is glad to broaden its strategic partnership with Google Cloud to include setting up a new training center and inaugurating a new office for the corporation in Qatar. Widening such partnerships with major global technology firms is very important. We are also sure that harnessing digital skills and incubating innovation programs and startups play a key role in promoting the digital transformation agenda and keeping pace with a fast-paced technology landscape, in step with the objectives of MOTC and Qatar National Vision 2030. There is no doubt that Google Cloud has got what it takes to contribute significantly to enhancing innovation and creativity with the power of technology through hands-on training courses the Center will provide, and this reflects positively on our national economy,” said MOTC’s Acting Assistant Undersecretary, Government Information Technology, Ms. Mashael Ali Al-Hammadi.

Qatar is in the midst of rapid digital growth across all industries, including as part of preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2022 – the world’s biggest global sporting event. These new partnerships in the technology industry foster an attractive market for foreign corporations, SMEs and startups geared towards innovation solutions.