A student team of University of Technology and Applied Sciences – Higher College of Technology – has placed first among Arab countries and 22nd globally in Google’s coding competition Hash Code 2021. The team was one among more than 9,000  from around the world.

Called Rakizah, the team comprised four software engineering students of Higher College of Technology, Muscat – Ahmed al Alawi, Ammar al Hudaifi, Khalfan al Busaidi and Luay al Habsi.

Hash Code is aimed at students and professionals from around the world; participants pick a team and programming language and Google picks an engineering problem for them to solve. The competition measures the ability and potential of participants in applying innovative solutions to complex software problems. Past problems have covered challenges like automating smartphone assembly and designing the layout of a Google data centre. 

In a statement, the university said, ‘The Rakizah team’s participation in the competition was a result of the students’ eagerness to acquire skills in the competencies related to the university’s specialisations and what the labour market requires, which is consistent with Oman Vision 2040.’