RIYADH: Technology will play an important role in the implementation of Vision 2030, Jean-Philippe Courtois, Microsoft International president, told Arab News here on Wednesday.

“It is an inspiring plan in an exciting society with a striving economy,” he said, adding that technology can empower people and workforces and will create huge job opportunities for the youths of the country. It will also open up new ventures in the area of SMEs and diversify the public and private sectors harnessing the general resources, oil and gas, he added.

“Technology enables evolution. This can take shape in several forms: New online services, better education, creating ideas that are more creative, and opportunities for businesses, and a broader digital market to sell products and services. Anyone can start their own business now without worrying about IT infrastructure costs and deployment time. Anyone can create their own online store to sell their products, and anyone with a software development background can create the next best application for the world to use.”

“We at Microsoft offer the best tools and services for individuals, entrepreneurs, businesses and government. We offer these tools to everyone, and we believe we will witness many creative … uses of these tools and services in Saudi Arabia.”

“Technology can help empower teamwork and communication among students and teachers. Students can work together on their assignments and homework anywhere and anytime, all while seeing and speaking with each other. They can also ask for their teachers’ assistance during after their classes in case they need to understand some point. Parents can be an active part of the discussion now and help their children in case they are traveling or at a remote location.”

“We believe that this process requires training teachers on the best uses of technology. Investment in training is a very important pillar for a successful technology implementation in the classroom. Technology changes fast, and keeping up to date is challenging but essential for the learning process. Both parents and students must be actively involved in the evolutionary process, and continuity between home and school should always be there. Parents must be provided with the feedback on the existence and effectiveness of a technology program in the child’s classroom,” he said.

“Saudi Arabia’s Internet penetration rate is high, and the rate is increasing. Telecom operators are offering more fiber optic broadband connections at competitive prices. The Kingdom is ranked third in the world in smartphone penetration rate. E-government initiatives are being adapted in all government bodies to offer immediate and 24/7 services. All of these factors mean that the Kingdom is ready for cloud computing.”

“Saudi Arabia is a very important market for technology companies. The advanced IT infrastructure, wide geographical distribution, e-government initiatives, electronic banking, electronic-based education and many other factors make it a ripe technology market. Many nationals have the entrepreneur mindset, and technology helps them achieve their goals. I strongly believe Microsoft Arabia enjoys a strong relationship with the Saudi public and private sectors as we offer the latest products, help train their IT teams and is an active part in developing the technology skills of students.”