POAI - PPU Dual Studies

Hub of Palestinian Scientific Olympiads

Ps National Selection Guidelines for the Palestinian Delegation to the IOAI

Issued by:

Dual Studies Deanship, Palestine Polytechnic University
In collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the National STEM Committee

Date of Issue: January 2025

Introduction

The International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) is a global competition that brings together secondary school students to solve complex problems in Artificial Intelligence (AI) using creativity, logic, and innovation. Palestine’s participation in IOAI reflects its commitment to advancing AI education and empowering youth through international engagement.

This document outlines the official process for selecting the Palestinian team to participate in IOAI 2025, in accordance with the guidelines published by the IOAI International Committee.

Objectives

To ensure a fair, transparent, and competitive selection process.
To identify high-potential Palestinian secondary school students in AI and computational thinking.
To provide training and mentoring to prepare students for international standards.
To represent Palestine at IOAI with excellence, integrity, and innovation.

Organizing Institutions

The selection process is coordinated by the Dual Studies Deanship at Palestine Polytechnic University, in collaboration with:
• The Ministry of Education
• The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must:
• Be enrolled in a Palestinian high school (grades 10–12) at the time of application.
• Be under the age of 20 on the first day of IOAI 2025.
• Hold Palestinian citizenship, or students from Palestinian Schools in Jerusalem or Refugee Camps.
• Demonstrate strong interest and foundational knowledge in AI, computer science, or mathematics.

Selection Stages

Stage 1: National Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (NOAI) – Palestine

• Format: A national-level examination covering AI fundamentals, logic, problem-solving, and computational thinking.
• Assessment Areas: AI ethics, supervised learning, graph-based models, reasoning systems.
• Outcome: Top 30 candidates are shortlisted.

Stage 2: National AI Training Camp

• Duration: 4–6 weeks
• Content:
o In-depth lectures on AI theory and practice.
o Hands-on workshops in Python, neural networks, reinforcement learning, and data ethics.
o Problem-solving sessions modeled on IOAI past challenges.
• Evaluation: Ongoing assessments, project-based learning, and final exam.

Stage 3: Final Team Selection

The top 4 candidates will be selected to form the Palestinian National Team.
1 team leader and 1 deputy leader (academic staff) will be nominated to accompany and coach the team.

Ethical Standards and Code of Conduct

All participants must:
• Abide by the academic integrity code of Palestine Polytechnic University and the IOAI.
• Respect team members, trainers, and international competitors.
• Avoid plagiarism, cheating, or misuse of AI tools.
Violations may result in disqualification from the process.

Financial Support:

Funding and Sponsorship
The organizing committee, led by Palestine Polytechnic University (PPU), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, is actively working to secure funding from private sector sponsors and institutional partners. The goal is to fully sponsor the participation of selected team members, including coverage of travel, accommodation, and registration cost.