Rustaq – The South Batinah Governorate, in collaboration with the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS) in Musannah, inaugurated the South Batinah Design Hackathon at the Office of the Wali of Rustaq on Monday.

Held under the theme ‘An Urban Design with the Identity of Place’, the two-day event aims to develop an integrated tourism project for Khor al Quraym in the wilayat of Musannah. The initiative seeks to blend the area’s environmental and cultural heritage with modern planning approaches and advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).

The hackathon is aligned with the national vision for sustainable tourism and smart urban development, supporting the broader objectives of Oman Vision 2040.

More than 125 students representing 25 educational institutions – both from within the sultanate and abroad – are taking part in the event. Working in multidisciplinary teams, the participants bring together expertise in urban planning, architecture, civil engineering, and interior design.

The programme features a series of training workshops and consultative sessions led by subject matter experts, aimed at enhancing participants’ technical competencies and refining their design proposals.

On the final day, a judging panel will evaluate the submitted projects based on key criteria, including innovation, sustainability, integration of cultural and environmental elements, spatial efficiency, and the effective use of AI technologies.

The top three winning teams will be awarded valuable prizes, with the first-place project earmarked for implementation at Khor al Quraym. The intellectual property rights of the three shortlisted designs will be retained by the South Batinah governorate, which reserves the right to execute or adapt them for the public benefit.

This hackathon serves as a dynamic platform to empower Omani youth, showcase their creative talents, and engage them in shaping sustainable tourism and urban landscapes that reflect community aspirations and align with national development priorities.