Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has launched the App Master competition for university students to develop a smart entertaining application for seven-year-olds and older. DEWA aims to use the app to promote environmental awareness and a culture of energy and water conservation in society in an easy and enjoyable way. DEWA recognises the role of young people in supporting and leading the sustainable development of the UAE, and to enhance a spirit of competition and innovation. The competition is open for university students in the UAE from 25 January 2015 to 31 March 2015.

This App Master Competition supports marking 2015 the Year of Innovation, and spreading a culture of innovation as part of our strategy to support sustainable development. The competition also supports our strategy to enhance social development and raise awareness on rational consumption of energy and water resources, especially amongst the next generation, said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

DEWA has a comprehensive strategy to motivate and implement creative ideas and suggestions. This strategy is based on leadership and innovation to enhance its vision to become a sustainable world class utility. DEWA adopts the latest studies, research, and creative suggestions in all its strategic planning to promote its leading position nationally and globally, added Al Tayer.

The competition is an initiative by DEWA to promote awareness of society on environment and sustainability. It encourages individuals to adopt a sustainable lifestyle by consolidating the concept of rational use of energy and water. The smart app will be developed by students to solidify these concepts in a new and interesting way. It will contribute to achieving desired goals and the competition will take into consideration the basic moral and legal responsibilities to protect the environment, added Al Tayer.

Winning individuals and teams will receive prizes totalling AED 120,000. We will organise an awareness session for contestants to answer their queries. We will also highlight DEWAs principles and strategic direction in environmental protection and enhancing sustainable development. We will brief them about the Smart Services Delivery Excellence Model that is adopted by Dubai Smart Government and DEWA, said Moza Al Akraf, Acting CIO of DEWA.

DEWA will honour the top five winners at a ceremony that will be held next June. The first place winner will be awarded AED 50,000 and a chance for a job interview at DEWA. The second place winner will receive AED 30,000. The third place winner will receive AED 20,000, and the fourth and fifth place winners will receive AED 10,000 each.

A special committee at DEWA will evaluate the applications against a set of technical criteria it has developed. The apps have to be original or true works of the participant, not copyrighted or patented by any other party. The apps have to be free from any technical faults, easy to use by seven-year-olds and above. The apps have to support both iOS and Android operating systems. Participants have to send the source code to DEWA on a USB to PO Box 564 Dubai for evaluation.

Registration and more information is available on DEWAs website: www.dewa.gov.ae