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2nd Web Development Forum, Labé University

FATA.school would like to thank the teaching staff and the Club des Jeunes Programmeurs at Labé university for their warm welcome, and for the inspiring perspectives shared during the 2^nd edition of the Web Development Forum.

We were impressed by the dynamism, vision and collaboration of both the teaching team and their students. Among them were :

• Dr Mohamed Cherif Sow, Rector
• Dr Lanan Wassi Soromou, Vice-rector
• Dr Abderrahmane Keita, Vice-rector, in charge of research and innovation
• Dr Moussa Diakité, Secretary General
• Dr Mamadou Baïlo Barry, Dean of the IT Department
• Mr Abdoulaye Sow, IT Department head
• Mr Delamou Koliko, IT program manager
• Sâa Oscar Ouendeno, PR adviser, who moderated the panel with expertise and wit.

Salamata Diallo, a computer science graduate (Licence 3) and member of the Club de Jeunes Programmeurs de Labé, introduced the panel with impressive talent and intelligence. She convinced us of the importance of digital transformation for a more responsible and inclusive world.

Dr. Lana, Vice Rector, reminded us that, on top of the technological innovation center available to students and teachers in the aptly named Life Pole (Pôle Vie), it is the spirit of collaboration that contributes to the University's mission of providing access to digital technology.

Dr. Mohamed Cherif Sow, rector of the university, emphasized the need to open up the academic world to the professional world; the employability of Guinean students is a key issue. He gave the audience the example of ETI, a company that recently hired 7 students from Labé's IT department, despite previously looking for new hires internationally. Today, "the crucial differential element is brains"; it's up to the teaching staff to prepare young student to be operational when they graduate. By meeting with professionals who have professional experience to share, students gain a concrete understanding of the skills they will need beyond the theory they have acquired.

Diligently taking notes in class is not enough to learn these skills. You have to do your own research, find your own resources, be curious, focused, and determined. The testimony of Alhassane Diallo, high school student and self-taught creator of the CheapChat application, surprised many of the students in the audience, who wondered how he had learned all this before even taking the baccalauréat...

The speakers on the panel to which FATA.school was invited enriched our thinking on how to accelerate the learning of digital technologies in Guinea:

Mamadou Oury Bah, project manager of Saboutech incubator, emphasized that a company cannot grow without digital technology and must completely rethink its business model.

Paul Kamano, Director of Technology and Services at ETI SA, insisted on the definition of digital entrepreneurship: it's not just the use of tools, but a lever for strategic decision-making. Artificial intelligence carries risks, not least the protection of personal data. It also offers the tremendous benefit of being able to focus on your core business in a much more productive way.

Alpha Oumar Bah from the E-Booster incubator highlights the pivotal role of data management as a transversal aspect across all sectors and organizational levels within a company. Emphasizing the importance of digital skills in the hiring process, he underscores their indispensable role in a company's growth. He stresses the necessity for employees to remain adaptable in the face of ongoing technological advancements. Bah encourages students to leverage digital technology to enhance their expertise and break away from imitating Western models. He advocates for a focus on exclusively African challenges, suggesting that embracing this approach fosters greater creativity. Ultimately, he asserts that the fourth industrial revolution is made for Africa.

FATA.school was interviewed on the subject of women and the digital world. If today's global connected world is missing the influence of French-speaking Africa, it’s also missing the influence of women. On average, women account for just 30% of the sector's workforce, even though they make up more than half of the population. What's more, African women demonstrate all the qualities required of an entrepreneur: agility, creativity, resilience. It's a question of visibility. As for artificial intelligence, it could be a factor of emancipation for women: when their mental load is lightened, they have more capacity to respond to the needs of their families, but also to societal issues. We're curious to see what tomorrow's digital world will be like, once women have added their value in greater numbers.

Fodé Momo Bangoura, at Nimba Hub learning center, emphasized that countries that invest in the knowledge economy are the most developed. We are in a unique era of exponential development of intelligence, convertible into financial value. According to him, the very fundamentals of science are shifting, and this is an opportunity for Africa. Quantum physics integrates the invisible, and this is Africa's trump card, except that Africa is not aware of it. He encourages Labé University to take an interest in quantum computing, as it would enable African knowledge to be put to better use.

Thierno Mamoudou Diallo, former student at Labé University, and founder of GuineeDev, anticipates changing consumer behaviors as they spend more and more time on social media. His advice to upcoming generations is to work on a specialized skill set in order to offer a relevant range of skills. He encourages young people to look for mentors, especially on LinkedIn. Resumes are too often general, lacking clarity regarding specific technical skills crucial to a company's growth.

Amara Soumah, Director of Africa Digitale Académie, received questions about financing a new business. He emphasized that the first priority of a project owner is to meet a market need. He agrees with FATA that there is talent in Guinea, and that anyone who can inspire confidence can become a freelancer. Digital technology offers the opportunity to find customers outside Guinea. An entrepreneur shouldn't wait for funding from the government or elsewhere, but should aim for self-financing over time.

The conclusion drawn by Boubacar Keita, legal advisor to ANSSI (Agence Nationale de Sécurité des Systèmes d'Information) was both unsparing and pragmatic: "Where there's a problem, there's an opportunity; where there's a problem, there's money." Indeed, software development finds its meaning in solving challenges and problems.We know we can count on the entrepreneurial and innovative capacity of Guinea's youth. The Club des Jeunes Programmeurs de l'université de Labé (Club of Young Programmers at the University of Labé) demonstrated this.

Finally, the audience was impressed by three FATA ambassadors who showcased our FATA.school mobile application by three FATA ambassadors in front of an appreciative audience. Many thanks to Nafissatou Diallo, Mamadou Oury Baldé and Souleymane Bah.

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