Four AUK Teams Qualify for Microsoft Imagine Cup Kuwait Finals

For the 4th consecutive year, AUK makes its way to the prestigious Microsoft Imagine Cup contest, this time participating with four teams. Over the years, AUK has established its competence within the world's most prestigious technology competition that proposes solutions to serve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

This year, 12 teams from different universities in Kuwait submitted their software design ideas to Microsoft. Only five teams qualified for Kuwait finals, four of which were AUK teams. The five winning teams will compete again in April to be whittled down to one winner who will advance to the world finals in Australia in July 2012.

Under the mentorship of Dr. Amir Zeid, Program Lead of Computer Science & Information Systems (CSIS), AUK teams have been gaining regional titles in the Annual Imagine Cup Competition since 2009, winning 1st Place Mobile Award in 2009; 1st Place Software Design Award in 2010, and 2nd Place Software Design Award in 2011. In addition, two AUK teams have qualified to the world Finals in Poland 2010 and New York 2011.

The number of AUK teams qualifying for the regional rounds has been increasing over the past years to reach four qualifying teams this year. Dr. Zeid expressed his delight at the progress the young teams are making "Having 4 teams from AUK competing for a spot in the world finals is a record and achievement by itself. The contest will be tough but I consider it a great learning experience. To me, it is very rewarding to see our students competing in such prestigious contest every year"

The four qualifying teams representing AUK this year are:

Team GG, composed of AUK Senior students Ali Taqi, Talal Alyaseen, Omar Elkhatib, and Thamer Al-Mayyan.

Team TriQ8, composed of AUK Senior students Barrak Al-Sarraf, Eman Karam, and Wadha Al-Dalama.

Team Code Breakers, composed of AUK Senior students Khaled W Al-Qahtani, Khaled A Al-Jassar, Abdulla Al-Shaya and Mohammed A Al-Shati

Team 1337 composed of AUK Senior students Khaled Al- Hazeem, Mubarak Al- Enezi, and Dalaa W. Al- Qahtani.

The Computer Science and Information Systems (CSIS) program at AUK encompasses the principles of computing that enables students to keep abreast of developments in a rapidly changing technology. CSIS students not only gain a solid foundation in the theory and design of modern computing systems, but are exposed to a variety of applied applications, both in lab assignments as well as in internships and in a semester based senior capstone project course. The students are also encouraged to explore cross-disciplinary connections by completing a Minor in a related field.

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 25th March 2012