HBJ Center

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About

Who we are

Hamad Bin Jassim Center

In 2018, Carnegie Mellon University and Hamad Bin Jassim Charitable Foundation came together to create the Hamad bin Jassim Center for Computer Science Education. The HBJ Center engages various stakeholders in the community through a variety of educational initiatives and national events geared towards fostering and promoting computational thinking. Computational thinking is a key component of Qatar’s human and workforce development, in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030. Saeed Mathkar Al-Hajri, Board Member and CEO of Jassim and Hamad Bin Jassim Charitable Foundation, says: “The center’s goal is essential for the future of Qatar: to foster students’ computing skills and raise awareness of the importance of computer science to progress and development.” Michael Trick, dean of CMU-Q, acknowledged the support of Jassim and Hamad Bin Jassim Charitable Foundation: “The foundation’s support has been very important to our efforts to help educate Qatar’s students in the area of computer science. This partnership ensures we can continue to reach out and share our passion for computing with the next generation.”

Over the past decade, the Hamad bin Jassim Center for Computer Science Education has developed and delivered a wide range of events and activities to thousands of learners. More than 20,000 students from schools and universities have attended our outreach and educational initiatives. From those, more than 4,000 students have participated in national-level competitions and events. The center was also instrumental in customizing, arabizing, and integrating Carnegie Mellon’s Alice programming tool in Qatar’s national ICT curriculum, which has impacted more than 45,000 students. The Center continues to innovate and expand its reach, fostering computational thinking to empower students across schools and universities, while equipping today’s workforce with the skills of tomorrow.

Mission

Our mission is to advance critical inquiry and analytical problem-solving by integrating computational thinking as a foundational skill across all levels of learning and practice.

Vision

Our vision is to lead educational innovation in the region, establishing a platform that cultivates creativity while advancing computational thinking for all learners.

Strategy

We develop, deliver, and support computational thinking programs and events, empowering students and professionals with critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

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What we offer

MindCraft Initiative

MindCraft is an educational initiative hosted by the HBJ center that empowers learners to solve real-world problems using Computational Thinking (CT). Launched in 2016, it aims to inspire creativity, innovation, and problem-solving through hands-on learning experiences. By promoting CT’s importance in today’s rapidly evolving technological world, MindCraft helps students see it as a superpower that transforms ideas into impactful solutions and drives industry transformation. For more information on upcoming mindcraft events please check out the Registration Page.

Alpha

Camps

OnDemand

National Competitions

The HBJ Center runs and supports various events and national level competitions that are designed to challenge and leverage your computational thinking skills. Whether you're a coding enthusiast or someone who is looking to make a difference, join us and compete with like-minded individuals, showcase your talents, and push the boundaries of a future built on technology and innovation. For more information on upcoming national events please check out the Registration Page.