Students speak the language of code at AUS High School Computing Camp

American University of Sharjah (AUS) continues to develop promising young coders in the UAE through its highly coveted AUS High School Computing Camp.

The 12th edition of the training program held online this winter welcomed 185 high school students in grades 10 to 12 from 20 UAE schools. Divided into two groups, participants attended daily sessions and worked with AUS computer science lab instructors.

During the one-week camp, students learned how to program in Python and develop Internet of Things (IoT) devices by understanding the basics of building a smart home. They were also introduced to practical examples of artificial intelligence and machine learning; the basics of building mobile applications and building and configuring computer networks; and elements of digital systems design.

The computing camp left many of the participants craving to learn more.

“I learned quite a lot in a matter of six days! I have gained a deeper understanding of the many areas of computer programming. Every session left me eager to learn more. The topics were taught and discussed in a very structured manner. I would like to especially thank the professors for organizing and conducting the sessions in an interactive and enjoyable way,” said Amal Abdul Azeez, a grade 12 student at Delhi Private School, Sharjah.

Zina Al Kharraz, a grade 10 student from Al Mawakeb School in Barsha, shared her enthusiasm about the new possibilities she discovered through the camp. She said: “This camp opened new horizons for me as it introduced me to a whole new world that I barely knew existed—a world of numbers, codes and letters to which I was a complete beginner. However, as I ventured deeper into this camp, I discovered many things about myself and about this new digital world.”

While student Mostafa Abdelnabi was initially hesitant to join the camp because it was held online due to COVID-19 restrictions, he soon came to appreciate the opportunity of joining.  

“Even during challenging times, AUS and its wonderful faculty members managed to prepare and deliver a wonderful experience for us. The camp included a perfect balance between students who were beginners and expert. As a beginner myself, I never felt excluded as there was always an available instructor who could help me. The camp exceeded my expectations, and it was a great and interesting way to spend my winter break. I looked forward to waking up every day for a new session, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in the field of computer science,” said the grade 12 student.

Dr. Fadi Aloul, Dean of College of Engineering, noted the importance of offering high school students these opportunities for discovery beyond the classroom.

“One of the top world languages is the language of code. The UAE as always has been fast to realize that. We have seen it through the many initiatives and programs it has launched including UAE Codes Day, the National Program for Coders and many others. What we aim to do when we hold our computing camp for high school students is ensure that our future generations understand the basics of the world of code to build upon and become fluent in the language of tomorrow. Illiteracy is no longer limited to whether one can read or write, but rather how much they can use the various technological tools to innovate, and this is where we come in through our camp and the undergraduate and graduate degrees we offer,” said Dr. Aloul.

The 12th AUS High School Computing Camp was sponsored by Western Digital.

AUS offers bachelor’s degree programs in both computer science and computer engineering, along with a master’s degree in computer engineering. For more information about these programs, please visit www.aus.edu/cen/department-of-computer-science-and-engineering.