Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan and Microsoft Pakistan announced on Tuesday the winners of jointly organized Imagine Cup 2023. The announcements were made during a closing ceremony held at HEC head office in Islamabad.
Dr. Salim M. Al-Malik, Director General, Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) was chief guest on the occasion. The event was attended by Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Executive Director HEC Dr. Shaista Sohail, Microsoft Country Manager Jibran Jamshad, vice chancellors and a large number of students.
Microsoft announced winners in all four categories of Imagine Cup competition i-e Earth, Lifestyle, Health and Education. Winners included team ‘Smart Fruity Bytes’ in the Earth category from Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture Multan, team ‘Journovolt’ in the Lifestyle category from Usman Institute of Technology Karachi, team ‘Human Life Saviours’ in Health category from FAST NUCES Lahore Campus and team ‘AR Learn’ in Education category from University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Peshawar. Additionally, nine university teams from North, Centre, South, and Balochistan regions were declared Imagine cup regional winners and runners-up.
The four winning teams also received cash prizes and will now be representing Pakistan on international level competing with the world’s top finalist teams.
The top teams showcased their projects during the event. Vice Chancellors and students of the winning institutions and other universities discussed their experience of participating in the competition. All participants were of the view that Imagine Cup promoted a strong work ethic among students, allowed them to innovate and gain new skills.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Salim AlMalik said, “Such partnerships with companies like Microsoft not only empower the students to use their creativity in addressing real societal problems using modern technology but also encourage them to take lead in disruptive technologies in the modern world.”
Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed said, “Microsoft and HEC continuously work to introduce tech reforms in the education sector. Imagine Cup is one of the projects that both HEC and Microsoft are proud to have worked on.” He said that HEC has been making continuous efforts for promotion of research and innovation and has addressed the technological issues keeping in view the current and upcoming needs. “These activities also bring students together motivating them to contribute to the greater good of their country,” he said.
Executive Director HEC, Dr. Shaista Sohail said that every year HEC continues to witness real change in the education sector through empowering and mentoring students, enhancing their pitching skills, and indulging industry experts. She emphasized that the strategic partnership with Microsoft has resulted in Pakistan’s ranking among the top participating countries in the world.
Country Manager Microsoft Jibran Jamshad said, “Imagine Cup is one of the successful examples of how Microsoft is enabling students to build 21st century skill set through access to the latest technology, training, and mentorship. As a result, students are offered new opportunities for the future.”
