Overview
App Challenge Competition launched in 2011, aiming to empower Jordanian school students, from both public and private schools, aged 14 to 16 to design and develop electronic applications and games using the latest technologies, offering them the opportunity to explore the world of game development.
Each cycle of the competition is built around a central theme or challenge, through which participating school teams compete to create an innovative electronic game inspired by that theme. The competition provides an educational and competitive environment that nurtures students’ technical and creative skills.
Objectives
- Enhancing students’ innovation and creativity while introducing them to the game and app development industry.
- Building students’ capacities in designing and developing applications and games on modern digital devices.
- Developing students’ professional and soft skills, including working under pressure, time management, and teamwork.
- Encouraging the use of modern technologies in the digital field, thereby preparing a creative generation capable of advancing Jordan’s position in the information technology sector.
- Promoting Jordan internationally through the use of modern technological tools.
Competition Stages
- Orientation Stage:
Students are invited to participate in an introductory day where they attend an awareness session on the origins and evolution of the electronic gaming industry. Participants then take an assessment test. Based on results, the qualifying schools are selected.
- Training Stage:
Selected students receive five days of intensive training on the fundamentals of programming and game design.
- Development and Presentation Stage:
Over a period of six weeks, students develop their own electronic games, applying the knowledge and skills gained during the previous stages. At the end of this phase, they present their projects before a specialized judging panel for evaluation.
- Evaluation and Award Stage:
Qualified teams are assessed according to criteria such as content and information quality, creativity in design, technical performance, and user-friendliness. Results are then announced, and prizes awarded to the winning team.
The Challenge Award
- The winning team receives a cash prize of up to USD 5,000, dedicated to improving and developing the Information Technology Department at their school.
- The winning applications are promoted on the Play Store platform.
Achievements
- The competition has successfully implemented 17 editions to date.
- It has generated 6,896 direct and indirect opportunities since its launch.
- 1,407 schools have participated in the competition’s orientation sessions.
- 1,365 students from 276 schools have been trained on the fundamentals of programming and game design.
- 29 mini gaming labs have been equipped in winning schools.