Inspiring a nation of innovation powered by 5G

Tuesday, 21 December 2021 03:33 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in accelerated digitisation spanning all the sectors of the economy. According to an early study, it has sped up digital adoption by several years. This accelerated digitisation and the emergence and wide adoption of technologies, such as AI/ML, cloud computing, IOT, robotics, big data analytics and 5G, etc, has resulted in what some tout to be the ‘4th Industrial revolution’.

As a nation, how do we ensure we end up on the winning side? Or at least play some role in it, so that in a few years’ time we do not find ourselves left behind by the rest of the world. The dreamers, visionaries, strategists, ideators, innovators, entrepreneurs and all need a platform to stand on. A platform to launch themselves from.

Dialog Axiata PLC, in collaboration with the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Sri Lanka, has taken the initiative to create such a platform. Dialog’s ‘5G Innovation Centres’, established in engineering faculties of the nation’s leading universities, is a platform where industries and academia can collaborate and bring to life innovative solutions that are affordable, yet meet the specific needs of the country. They will be leveraging the state-of-the-art 5G technology, but will work on practical solutions to everyday problems, utilising any technology from the basket of 4IR technologies that are available to modern innovators. The ecosystem also includes Dialog’s technology partners Ericsson and Huawei, who are global leaders in mobile technology.

Furthermore, these innovation centres will help bridge the gap between academia and industry, providing opportunities for Sri Lanka’s best talent to be noticed early. Together, this network of innovation centres will help inspire our talented and capable youth, the enterprises and the academic institutions to drive innovation across our nation in cohesion, and create new economic opportunities for all Sri Lankans. As Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, Dialog Axiata shares the national vision for Sri Lanka to emerge as a global hub for technology and innovation, and these 5G Innovation Centres placed at the heart of our national hubs of learning and creativity is just one more step on the road to achieving this important goal.