UOWD team wins award

The innovative smartphone application project was one of just 14 winners praised at the lavish ceremony at JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, Dubai.

Dubai — Four final year students from the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) have been crowned Arabian Business magazine’s Young Achievers of the Year for their work developing “Heroes”, a motivational smartphone app which has been designed to empower cancer patients, survivors and caregivers.

Initially created as part of the students’ undergraduate Computer Science degree at UOWD, Fariha M. Khan, Abdul Basit, Artaza Aziz and Ashiqur Rahman’s project was among 1,400 entries to this year’s annual Arabian Business Achievement Awards. After a rigorous process which saw the total entries shortlisted to 300, the innovative smartphone application project was one of just 14 winners praised at the lavish ceremony at JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, Dubai.

The students behind the application acknowledged the support of UOWD staff members — Dr Farhad Orouchian, Acting Dean of the Engineering and Information Sciences Faculty, Instructor Zeenath Khan, and Andrea Little, Student Counsellor —who helped the team focus on the latest approaches to cancer care.