Muscat – A total of 194 students from 21 universities and colleges across the sultanate are participating in the Oman University Programming Competition, which began on Wednesday under the patronage of H E Dr Saif bin Abdullah al Haddabi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Higher Education and Innovation for Scientific Research and Innovation.

Organised by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT), the two-day event brought together 65 student teams for a rigorous challenge in coding and problem-solving.

Participants, comprising 97 male and 97 female students, are grouped in teams of three. The contest features a five-hour session in which teams solve real-world problems that test algorithm design, logical reasoning, and software development skills. Solutions are coded in Python, Java and C++.

Fahd bin Sultan al Abri, Director General of Sector Stimulation and Future Skills at MTCIT, said the aim is to identify and support emerging programming talent.

“This initiative fosters innovation and strengthens skills in problem-solving and software system design, empowering students to create solutions that support the development of key sectors,” he said.

Teams are evaluated on the number of correct solutions, time taken, and number of attempts.

Abri said the broader goal is to promote a culture of innovation and build the skills needed for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“The competition contributes to building a culture of innovation and equips young Omanis to engage with technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, especially artificial intelligence and smart applications. This aligns with the national objective of transforming Oman into a knowledge-based, digital economy.”

The competition will conclude on Thursday with an award ceremony recognising top-performing teams with cash prizes for their technical skills and innovative solutions.Oman University Programming Competition