An-Najah U-Sketch team from the Computer Engineering Department won first place, above all Palestinian Universities in the 7^th Annual IT EXPO 2014 organized at Birzeit University last week.

Over 30 teams from the different Palestinian Universities competed, with projects judged by a panel of specialists from different Palestinian Universities and companies.

The winning project U-Sketch, supervised by Dr. Samer Arandi, was a computer application that turns regular items and surfaces, such as the whiteboard eraser or a pencil, into an interactive surface. The computer technology can be efficiently used in private and public schools for a creative and attractive way of teaching.

Dr. Amer Hammouz, Dean of Engineering and Information Technology, congratulated the winning team saying that the excellence of the students of Engineering and IT in general and Computer Engineering in particular is the fruit of the teaching staff’s efforts for which they deserve thanks and appreciation. Dr. Hammouz added that this win is a new addition to the University’s many awards and proof of the entrepreneurship of its students.

The U-Sketch team aspires to make their application available on the local market to help refine education by integrating technology.

Notes:

1-      The participating universities were An-Najah, Birzeit, the Arab American University in Jenin, Al-Quds University, and Polytechnic University.

2-      The U-Sketch team consisted of 4 Computer Engineering students: Rawan Abu Zahra, Zeinab Emran, Mai Abu Shamma, and Yazan Emran.

3-      This is U-Sketch’s 2^nd achievement as it has recently made high level achievements in the Microsoft Imagine Cup Competition.