iCodejr, the STEM accredited, licensed online digital and AI literacy academy for school children, hosted the finals of the Code Battle, an esteemed coding competition for students, concluded the 5th annual Code Battle with its strongest edition yet. Over three days at DTEC, Dubai Digital Park, 205 students across 79 teams came together from more than 53 schools spanning Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, and beyond to take on themed challenges in game development, app building, and web design.
Participation this year reflected a clear shift: coding is no longer seen as a niche extracurricular but a core skill that schools, parents, and students increasingly prioritise.
Winners Across Three Grade Categories
Judges assessed teams on creativity, code quality, UI design, teamwork, and presentation. This year’s panel included Dr Judhi Prasetyo (RoboTechX Lab, Middlesex University Dubai), Mohammed AlMazrouei, Arsalan Nawazish, Dr Benita Christopher, and Dr Febin Antony.
Grades 1–4 (Cadet Category)
- 1st: GEMS Millennium School, Sharjah
- 2nd: GEMS Founders School, Dubai South
- 3rd: BC Academy International School
Grades 5–8 (Captain Category)
- 1st: Delhi Private School, Ajman
- 2nd: GEMS Founders School, Al Barsha
- 3rd: GEMS Modern Academy
Grades 9–12 (Colonel Category)
- 1st: Dubai College
- 2nd: Al Mawakeb School, Al Garhoud
- 3rd: GEMS Winchester Jebel Ali
Championing STEM for Future Innovators
Code Battle is iCodejr’s flagship, free-to-enter initiative designed to foster problem-solving, collaboration, and resilience, skills widely recognised as core benefits of STEM learning. Research continues to show that STEM exposure boosts cognitive growth, critical thinking, and academic performance.
Hannan Moti, Co-Founder and CEO of iCodejr, said: “These young coders tackled complex challenges with creativity and confidence, proving that age is no barrier to innovation. Code Battle builds the perseverance and collaboration needed for STEM careers that continue to outpace non-STEM fields. Our mission is simple: empower UAE youth for a tech-driven future and support national ambitions for the Fourth Industrial Revolution through accessible, hands-on learning.”
This year’s competition also followed a Responsible AI policy that allowed AI tools for brainstorming, debugging, and concept exploration, but prohibited full code generation. Students engaged with AI in ways that mirrored ethical real-world development practices, a timely approach as the region continues to address its digital skills gap. Themes were published in advance, contributing to over 90 per cent attendance and strong engagement from families and schools throughout the event.
As EdTech trends move toward AI-personalised learning, VR labs, and wider GCC adoption of coding curricula, Code Battle will continue to expand across the region in 2026, creating more accessible pathways for young innovators to learn and test their skills.
For more information on the event, visit https://codebattle.tech/.
