Under the patronage and attendance of the Acting President of King Khalid University, Prof. Saad bin Mohammed bin Dajam, the activities of the second edition of the "Innovation Hackathon in Education" kicked off on Sunday, July 7. The hackathon was organized by the Deanship of Electronic Services in partnership with a number of entities, and was held at the Exhibitions and Conferences Center in Al-Fara'a. Among the attendees were university Vice Presidents, Deans, Students, and faculty members, alongside technology and business pioneers.

In his speech at the ceremony, bin Dajam stressed the importance of innovation in education and explained the pivotal role of the university in supporting creativity and innovation to develop education. He expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by our wise government under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and his Crown Prince and Prime Minister, His Royal Highness, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz - may God protect them - who dedicate great attention and care to education.

Bin Dajam pointed out that the Kingdom's vision 2030 carries ambitious goals that emphasize the importance of education and innovation. He explained that King Khalid University has drawn inspiration from Vision 2030 in its strategy, in line with the Asir Development strategy. The university’s objectives include improving the educational process, developing the quality of university life, applying emerging technologies, and enriching innovation to achieve sustainable development.

He highlighted the efforts made by the university to involve external sectors in supporting and sponsoring the university's activities, confirming that the Innovation Hackathon in Education is a distinguished model of these efforts. He expressed his gratitude to the Deanship of Electronic Services, the Deanship of Student Affairs, the sponsoring entities, and the participants from inside and outside the university for their great efforts in organizing and supporting this event, which enhances community partnership and enriches experiences.

In his speech, the Vice Dean of the Deanship of Electronic Services for E-Learning, Dr. Adel Al-Suri’a stressed that innovation is not a luxury, but a necessity to meet the challenges facing the education sector. He explained that the hackathon aims to cultivate creative solutions using emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to improve the quality of outputs and promote sustainability in education. The hackathon also seeks to strengthen cooperation between various stakeholders, including teachers, technicians, designers, and business experts, to benefit from each other's strengths and find innovative educational solutions.

Dr. Al-Suri’a added that the hackathon aims to address multiple challenges in education, including improving educational experiences in applied science subjects and analyzing learner data to develop intelligent assessment tools. It also aims to motivate students to participate effectively in the educational process by providing unique educational experiences that rely on peer learning and the use of emerging technologies.

Dr. Al-Suri’a explained that this event brings together more than 150 participants from more than 30 universities and institutions from all around the Kingdom, which enhances community partnership and enriches educational experiences. Participants can refine their skills and showcase their smart and innovative solutions on a global level.

It is noteworthy that in this annual event, participants compete in two main paths: teaching and learning, and evaluation and assessment. Awards for this hackathon reach 30,000 Riyals, in addition to training grants. The hackathon is a pioneering initiative that aims to empower participants to develop educational solutions and improve cooperation.