The Hamad Bin Jassim Center for Computer Science Education, established by the Jassim and Hamad Bin Jassim Charitable Foundation in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, a partner university of Qatar Foundation, organized the third annual Lifeline Hackathon, focusing on creating offline technological solutions to support health and sustainability in crisis-affected areas. The event attracted a record number of students from across Qatar.
Over ten days of intensive competition, 284 students from 19 universities and 31 high schools developed multidisciplinary solutions addressing real-world challenges in this critical field.
This year’s focus on health and sustainability encouraged participants to explore issues affecting vulnerable communities, particularly technologies capable of operating without internet connectivity, adapting to environments with limited infrastructure, and ensuring continuity of communication.
Developing Practical Solutions
Michael Trick, Dean of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to impactful innovation that addresses real-world humanitarian challenges.
“The Lifeline Hackathon embodies Carnegie Mellon University’s approach to tackling challenges. We strive to develop thoughtful, human-centered solutions that can be implemented in real-world settings. It is inspiring to see so many young minds coming together to help shape a better future for people living in conflict zones,” he said.
Trick added that the strategic partnership with the Jassim and Hamad Bin Jassim Charitable Foundation has been a key factor behind the competition’s success, alongside support from sponsors such as Qatar International Islamic Bank and Earthna.
Inspiring Youth
Saeed Mudhkar Al Hajri, Managing Director of the Jassim and Hamad Bin Jassim Charitable Foundation, said: “We are committed to inspiring young people in Qatar to harness technology to develop solutions that improve people’s lives around the world. This competition exemplifies the kind of innovative thinking we are proud to support and promote through our unique partnership with Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, which led to the establishment of the Hamad Bin Jassim Center for Computer Science Education as an ideal platform for learning computational thinking and computer science fundamentals.”
Meanwhile, Khalid Abdulrahman Al Shaibi, Head of Business Development at Qatar International Islamic Bank, highlighted the bank’s commitment to social responsibility in the fields of education, health, and sustainability—areas that closely align with the objectives of the Lifeline Hackathon. He congratulated all participants, particularly the winning teams, for their thoughtful innovations with strong humanitarian value.
Winning Projects
The first-place award went to a team that developed a prototype for a comprehensive offline healthcare system designed to protect mothers in crisis zones. The team included Aseel Al Aswad, Waqas Behzad, and Ahmed Hanif from University of Doha for Science and Technology, along with Bakri Mohammed from Texas A&M University at Qatar.
The second-place project featured an SMS-based decision-support system to help displaced women access water sources, sanitation facilities, and hygiene services. The project was developed by a team of students from the University of Doha for Science and Technology: Aisha Iram, Saima Nasrin, Arlene Riona, and Anisa Salsabila.
The third-place award went to a team from Qatar University that designed an offline platform to help restore agricultural activities in Gaza. The team consisted of Mohammed Majd Al Islam, Mohammed Al Ansari, Abdullah Jamali, and Anas Rustum.
Vision of the Competition
Khaled Haras, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar and Faculty Advisor to the Lifeline program, praised the participants’ creativity.
“This year’s participants demonstrated remarkable ingenuity. Lifeline’s vision is to bring together students, academics, and professionals to create solutions that blend technology with compassion, providing support and hope to those in need. These ideas hold tremendous potential to achieve that goal,” he said.
Now in its third year, the Lifeline Hackathon represents the outcome of collaboration among university students, faculty members, and partners across the Qatari community. It serves as the flagship event of the Lifeline program, bringing together university and high-school students to design innovative solutions to global humanitarian challenges.
The competition received support from a wide range of national and international organizations that provided expertise, mentoring, judging, and workshops, including Ernst & Young, the Embassy of Germany in Doha, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Hamad Medical Corporation, Ihsan Venture Studio, Qatar Computer Research Institute, Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council, United Nations Development Programme, Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar, and the World Innovation Summit for Health.
