University President Witnesses the Opening Day of the Global “NASA Space Apps Challenge” in Damietta.
On Sunday, October 5, 2025, Professor Dr. Hemdan Rabie El-Metwally, President of Damietta University, attended the opening day of the “NASA Space Apps Challenge in Damietta”, hosted by Damietta University at the Faculty Members Club.
The event was held in the presence of Professor Dr. Wael Abd Alkader, Dean of the Faculty of Computers and Artificial Intelligence, and Professor Dr. Hamed El-Far, Director of the Quality Assurance Unit at the Faculty of Arts, along with a distinguished group of faculty members and a large number of students from various faculties, in addition to several volunteers and enthusiasts in programming, technology, and space sciences.
This competition is part of the global “NASA Space Apps Challenge”, organized annually by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in more than 150 countries worldwide. It aims to inspire young people and innovators to use science and technology to address challenges facing both Earth and space through innovative projects and creative teamwork.
Eighteen Student Teams Compete in the Damietta Edition of the “NASA Space Apps Challenge”
This year’s Damietta edition features the participation of 18 student teams representing various universities and schools across Egypt. The teams are competing in diverse fields, including programming, data analysis, and the design of technological solutions to challenges proposed by NASA.
During his inspection tour, Professor Dr. Hemdan Rabie El-Metwally listened to a detailed briefing from the event organizers about the competition’s themes and objectives. He also followed the work of the participating student teams as they began implementing the first stage of the challenge, which involves data analysis and the development of innovative solutions to NASA’s proposed problems.
The University President praised the high level of organization and technical support provided to the participants, expressing his appreciation to the faculty members, coordinators, and volunteers for their outstanding efforts in preparing and managing the event. He emphasized that hosting such a global competition reflects the growing reputation of Damietta University in supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as in enhancing students’ capabilities in modern sciences and digital technologies.
In his remarks, Professor Dr. Hemdan Rabie expressed his gratitude to all the entities involved in organizing the competition, calling for such initiatives to be held at least twice a year, given their positive impact on developing students’ skills and encouraging creativity and innovation.
The University President also affirmed that Damietta University constantly strives to create an environment that fosters creativity and scientific research, encouraging its students to participate in international competitions that showcase their talents and open new horizons for collaboration with prestigious global institutions.
For his part, Eng. Mohamed El-Shahat Ismail, the NASA Space Apps Team Leader in Damietta Governorate, explained that the second phase of the competition will be held on Monday, October 6, 2025, during which the participating teams will continue working on finalizing their projects and presenting their innovative solutions before the judging panel, in preparation for selecting the best projects to compete at the global level.
