Princess Nourah University launches an educational hackathon to promote educational innovation
Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, the world’s largest women’s university, has announced its readiness to launch the fifth edition of its prestigious student forum, “Tamkeen,” organized by the College of Education and Human Development. The event, which will take place next Tuesday and Wednesday at the university’s Conference and Seminar Center, is held under the patronage of the Acting President of the University, Dr. Fawzia bint Mohammed Al-Amro, and serves as a leading platform to support young talent and promote a culture of innovation in the education sector.
General context: Empowering youth as a key pillar of the Kingdom's Vision 2030
The organization of the “Tamkeen 5” forum comes within the framework of integrated national efforts to achieve the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which places human capital development and youth empowerment at the heart of its priorities. Saudi universities, foremost among them Princess Nourah University, play a pivotal role in this transformation by providing a stimulating academic environment that encourages scientific research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The forum, which has evolved over its previous editions into a national event, embodies the university’s commitment to building a generation of innovators capable of keeping pace with global developments and contributing effectively to building a knowledge-based economy.
"Educational Hackathon" to transform ideas into tangible solutions
This year's forum is headlined by the launch of a specialized "Educational Hackathon," designed to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical projects. The hackathon is structured as an intensive competitive and collaborative environment where students work to develop innovative technological solutions to address real-world challenges in the educational process. It focuses on leveraging modern technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and gamification to tackle pressing issues like enhancing students' mental health, implementing sustainability principles in educational settings, and developing customized teaching methods that cater to the individual differences among learners.
The importance and expected impact of the forum
The significance of the forum and its accompanying hackathon extends far beyond the university campus. Locally, the event contributes to honing students' skills and equipping them with the practical experience required by the future job market. It also fosters collaboration among Saudi universities by opening participation to students from across the Kingdom, enriching academic dialogue and accelerating the exchange of expertise. Nationally, the innovative outputs of the hackathon, including educational applications and platforms, could form the nucleus of entrepreneurial projects and startups in the EdTech sector, a vital sector that supports the Kingdom's economic diversification goals. This trend also reflects the Saudi education sector's commitment to adopting digital transformation as a strategic tool to improve the quality of educational outcomes and enhance its competitiveness regionally and internationally.
In addition to the hackathon, the forum includes a rich program that includes an exhibition of scientific posters and innovative products with more than 70 scientific contributions, as well as dialogue sessions, workshops and consultation sessions presented by the university’s centers of expertise with the participation of a select group of experts and specialists, making it an integrated event that supports the national research and innovation system.
