The students from the Network and Cloud teams of the Huawei Academy, belonging to the Electronic Engineering program at our Alma Mater, returned to Colombia with their heads held high and proudly holding the third place in the global final of the Huawei ICT Competition 2022-2023, thanks to their great discipline, commitment, and academic performance.

After a long and disciplined journey in which Andrea Oime, Adrián Otoya, William Burbano, Daniela Valencia Mellizo, Jarby Daniel Salazar, and Andrés Felipe Jojoa faced different practical and theoretical phases designed to assess their skills and knowledge in the field of ICT, and after competing globally with talented young people from all over the world in the city of Shenzhen, China, we warmly welcome back these promising young talents in the technology field to the University of Cauca. They returned to Popayán and their Alma Mater with the significant recognition of having obtained the third place in the Network and Cloud categories of the competition. As their educational institution, we feel very fortunate to have students of such a high academic level.

In this regard, Professor Catalina Muñoz Collazos from the Department of Telecommunications and Coordinator of the Huawei Academy at the University of Cauca told us about the support provided through the consolidation of the academy: "Our support has been more about disseminating opportunities, providing study materials, and offering the means and spaces they needed." She also highlighted that last year, other students also reached the final stage, but it was held virtually, emphasizing the importance of all students in the Electronic Engineering and Telecommunications program getting to know the Huawei Academy and showing interest in participating in the ICT Competition. This competition takes place every year, and all the conditions are in place for them to have the opportunity to experience this; an experience that opens up significant professional opportunities.

On her part, student Daniela Valencia Mellizo expressed, "One of the things that makes me most proud is knowing that I am part of a public university in Colombia. Education in Latin American countries is often challenging, and knowing that two out of the three teams representing Colombia in China are from public universities, specifically the University of Cauca, is very satisfying." We highlight not only the high academic level of our students but also the quality of the teaching staff that accompanies them. As our student expresses, this achievement goes beyond highlighting our role as educators; it demonstrates that in countries like ours, and even more so in a department like Cauca, it is possible to excel in nations with much more advanced technological, social, and economic development.

Finally, the invitation is for all students, not only those in the Electronic Engineering and Telecommunications program but in all the programs we offer in Popayan and also in Santander de Quilichao, to seize the opportunities presented in their academic formation. In various programs, we are always promoting experiences that will help them achieve significant professional and personal accomplishments.

In this way, we reiterate the special pride we feel in seeing how our students have raised our name high, as well as the blue and red of our flag, demonstrating the quality of professionals we are educating in this path of strengthening a University of Excellence and Solidarity, where we dream big and remain highly committed to education as a vehicle to transform lives.