University of Mauritius and Oracle collaborate

The University of Mauritius (UoM) and Oracle Mauritius have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to equip 1000 students from the university’s Faculty of Information Communication and Digital Technologies, with resources in the form of cloud-centred technical support and mentorship.

As part of the three-year Memorandum of Understanding between the two parties, Oracle technical and business advisors will deliver knowledge transfer sessions, workshops and guest lectures to students on cloud and other emerging technologies. Faculty staff, meanwhile, will be trained in the use of Oracle Cloud for innovative teaching, research and development purposes. Included is unlimited access to the Oracle Cloud Free Tier, offering $25 000 in value to new Always Free services for faculty and students to use.

Further to training and knowledge sharing, the collaboration will also introduce the student-led Oracle Ambassador Club, which connects students with mentorship opportunities and practical advice around such topics as resume development, networking, financial planning and career strategy development. The objective is to produce graduates fully equipped to grow the Mauritian ICT sector and related fields.

Mauritius boasts one of the most competitive and ambitious economies in Africa, with ICT earmarked as a pillar for national advancement since the early 2000s. Over the past decade, the industry has become a major economic contributor, generating 5.7% of Mauritius’s Gross Value Add in 2018, and employing over 16,000 people. Last year, the value-added of Mauritius’s ICT sector rose 5.9% to Rs 24,248 million.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mauritius, Professor Dhanjay Jhurry says, “This MoU reinforces our partnership with Industry. In addition to helping us more effectively fulfil our mandate as an institution providing the highest quality, future-minded education, the University and Oracle’s Memorandum of Understanding will safeguard the competitiveness of Mauritius in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This will be accomplished by creating knowledgeable and highly employable professionals who can contribute to the developmental needs of the country, whether they choose to work for the growing number of ICT operating out of Mauritius or are inspired to become entrepreneurs themselves.”

Avinash Ramtohul, Managing Director Oracle Mauritius, adds, “The partnership between Oracle and the University of Mauritius is a golden opportunity to develop both skills and technical capacity, with knock-on effects for the country. Working together will enable us to harness cloud technology’s potential in expanding and disseminating crucial research in the field of ICT, while students are empowered with the right skills for the future workforce.”

Earlier this year, Oracle Kenya and Kenya􀆩a University signed a similar Memorandum of Understanding to advance the skills and careers of 7,000 Engineering and Science students at that institution.