Dhofar University Shines in the Second Edition of OQ Hackathon 2024

DU students achieved remarkable success in the second edition of the OQ Hackathon 2024. . A team from the Department of Architecture won first place in the challenge titled “Developing old places and buildings in Central Salalah, Eastern Salalah, and Al-Dhariz,” set by the Office of the Governor of Dhofar. The team’s innovative design, titled “ERTH Al-Dhariz,” combined historical preservation with modern sustainability solutions, benefiting the local community. The team members were Ahmed Khalid Bamakhalaf, Hassan Jamal Ali, Abdullah Ahmed Bait Othman, Linda Mujahid Kanaan, and Nour Eldin Mamdouh. In a related challenge, Team “Mu’een” from the University of Dhofar secured third place in a “Customer Service Using Artificial Intelligence” competition sponsored by Nama Group. The team, comprising Ali Al-Mujibi and Amin Al-Mashani from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Shihab Al-Jabri from the Department of Computer Science in the College of Arts and Applied Sciences, offered an innovative solution to enhance customer experience using AI. Additionally, the team earned two awards from Matterz, which included an Innovation Certification and a Design Thinking Professional Certificate. Hackathon organizers plan to adopt and support the winning ideas. Furthermore, Dr. Lamiaa Mostafa, a lecturer in the Department of Architecture, provided support and training to the students from the early stages of the competition and also participated as an expert in the event, reinforcing the university’s role in fostering innovation and supporting students in achieving academic and professional excellence.