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Wits hosts 2023 hackathon

Written by Northcliff Melville Times | Aug 15 2023

The students demonstrated dedication and collaboration, working passionately on their creative applications to address the challenges that they were given during the hackathon.

Students were divided into teams of three to complete with each other.

The Adapt IT Social Good Hackathon hosted on July 29 to 30, concluded with resounding success. The social coding event organised in collaboration with Wits, Adapt IT Telecoms, and education divisions, provided a platform for 102 students, ranging from first-year to honours, to showcase their technological skills and ingenuity.

The participants were given the chance to work in teams of three, mentored by Dr Pravesh Ranchod from Wits School of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics. Their objective was to tackle a challenge that would uplift the socioeconomic status of a community. The students demonstrated dedication and collaboration, working passionately on their creative applications to address the challenge.

After two hours of deliberation on Sunday, the judges faced a tough decision, as all the teams presented amazing and innovative concepts. The hackathon proved successful in inspiring the participants to unleash their creativity.

 

             

          Ndamu Gumane, strategic key account manager and Hackathon lead for Adapt IT Telecoms, winning team Adapting to Change, managing director of Adapt IT Education Luxolo Rubushe.


The event’s success in igniting creativity and fostering innovation was evident as the winning teams were announced. Students were rewarded with the opportunity to develop their projects further, with the aim of showcasing a fully functional solution within the next few weeks.

"To be an industry leader requires a competitive edge to retain and attract top new talent thereby sustaining our demanding culture of innovation. The hackathon is a fantastic tool to unlock potential from new talent. Working alongside top institutions, such as Wits University, we are also able to instil curiosity and moral qualities that leaders in this new age need. We contribute to the betterment of society using technology,” said Ndamu Gumane, strategic key account manager."

"Beyond the accolades and rewards, the Adapt IT Social Good Hackathon served as a catalyst for social consciousness and innovation. It offered students not only the chance to display their talents and compete for spots in the sought-after Adapt IT graduate programme but also underscored the importance of using technology for the greater good."

Source: Northcliff Melville Times