The Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation in Oman inaugurated a hackathon named “Gimathon” on Sunday, featuring 105 innovators from various academic and research institutions across the country. Participants are grouped into 21 teams and will collaborate for three days to devise solutions addressing national technology challenges in the fields of education, research, sustainability, and entrepreneurship.
“Gimathon” serves as a national platform designed to link students, researchers, and entrepreneurs in a competitive setting, with the objective of generating digital solutions that contribute to Oman”s digital transformation and sustainable development goals. Muneer bin Nasser al Battashi, Director of the Oman Research and Education Network (OMREN), emphasized that this hackathon is a highlight of the Oman Research, Education and Technology Summit, which commences on Monday and is themed “Artificial Intelligence as a Driving Force for Scientific Research and Education.”
Al Battashi remarked that the event transcends the boundaries of mere competition, offering a creative and innovative space for young individuals to leverage emerging technologies for the enhancement of education and research. Participants are tasked with developing technology-driven projects focused on areas such as smart learning, digital research analysis, educational inclusivity, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. The challenges addressed during the hackathon were identified in collaboration with governmental institutions to ensure the solutions proposed are relevant to actual national needs.
The first day of the event included an orientation session, workshops, and activities aimed at generating ideas, along with tours of an exhibition that displayed national innovations and emerging technologies. Over the subsequent two days, participants will engage in training sessions and receive feedback from experts before presenting their projects to a panel of judges at the conclusion of the event.
The results of “Gimathon” are anticipated to bolster Oman”s digital transformation initiatives while enhancing collaboration among higher education institutions, the public sector, and private enterprises, aligning with the National Strategy for Scientific Research and Innovation.
