Qatar University (QU) has launched its ninth Computing Contest (QUCC), an annual competition organised by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at the College of Engineering (CENG), and sponsored by Qatar Petrochemical Company.
The competition requires students to program a robot that will perform several movements within a limited time.
Student projects will be conducted under the supervision of high school teachers and in co-ordination with the contest committee.
As previous years, the contest is based on logic programming of the sensor inputs of a LEGO-based robot. This year, students will use the LEGO EV3 kit, and in an added engineering component, they will compete in the final day on May 7 to demonstrate the time it takes for their robots to complete tasks. A workshop will be held on March 5 to orient students and teachers on the competition.
The first place winner will be awarded QR10,000 and a scholarship to study at CSE. The second and third place winners will receive QR6,000 and QR4,000 respectively.
CENG dean Dr Rashid Alammari said: “It underlines QU’s mission to engage high-school students in creative and innovative projects, and strengthen their skills in organisation, teamwork and leadership. It also reflects CENG’s commitment to producing a generation of technical experts and leaders who can create a sustainable future in Qatar and beyond.”
CSE head Dr Sumaya al-Maadeed said: “This contest is designed to offer students across Qatar the opportunity to interact with each other and demonstrate their creativity and teamwork skills. It also provides a platform for CSE and high schools to focus on the demand of the labour market for computing professionals.”