On July 11, 2026, Haigazian University’s Computer Science Department, in collaboration with the Computer Science Student Society (CS3), successfully hosted Webathon 2026, a dynamic team-based web development competition that brought together outstanding Grade 10–12 students from schools across Lebanon. The event provided participants with an engaging platform to showcase their technical abilities, strengthen their collaborative skills, and experience the challenges of real-world software development.
Designed to inspire future technology professionals, Webathon 2026 challenged participants to conceptualize, design, and develop a fully functional website using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. To mirror the collaborative nature of today’s software industry, students were randomly assigned to teams, encouraging them to work together, solve complex problems, and deliver innovative solutions under time constraints.
To help participants prepare better for the competition, the organizing committee conducted a two-hour online practice session one day prior to the event. Led by mentors from the Computer Science Student Society (CS3), the session introduced students to the competition format through a project comparable in scope to the official challenge. Beyond reinforcing technical concepts, the workshop offered valuable experience in collaborative software development and helped participants approach the competition with confidence.
The competition officially opened with the welcoming remarks of Mr. Shant Estepan, Coordinator of the Computer Science Department, who emphasized that “Webathon 2026 was designed to foster not only technical excellence but also the teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills that are essential in today’s technology industry.” Participants were then randomly assigned to teams, the competition theme was unveiled, and they were given more than two hours to design and develop their web applications. Upon completion, each team presented its project to a panel of Computer Science faculty members, who evaluated the submissions based on technical implementation, creativity, usability, teamwork, and presentation. The event concluded with THE remarks of Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of Haigazian University, who commended the participants for their enthusiasm, creativity, and commitment to learning. The closing ceremony also featured a special address by Dr. Charbel Daoud, who joined from France as the event’s distinguished guest speaker, offering words of encouragement to the aspiring developers.
The ceremony culminated in the announcement of the winning teams and the presentation of awards recognizing exceptional achievement. The first-place team received laptops, the second-place team was awarded tablets, and the third-place team received gaming keyboards and gaming mice. The prizes celebrated not only technical excellence but also innovation, collaboration, and perseverance throughout the competition.
Webathon 2026 reflects Haigazian University’s commitment to experiential learning and innovation. By creating opportunities that connect secondary education with higher education and industry practices, the University continues to nurture the next generation of technology leaders and encourage students to pursue academic and professional pathways in computer science, software engineering, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and other emerging disciplines.
Haigazian University gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the following sponsors, whose contributions helped make Webathon 2026 possible: