Amman, Nov. 15 (Petra) – The "Play & Innovate 2025" conference, held under the umbrella of the Education Development Program in Jordan, concluded on Saturday under the patronage of Minister of Education Azmi Mahafzah and in the presence of University of Jordan President Nathir Obeidat.

The event, organized by Dimensions Studio for Game Development in partnership with the U.S.-based Endless Foundation, was hosted at the University of Jordan Academy and drew wide participation from 25 teams representing schools and universities across the Kingdom in competitions designed to highlight young talent and support innovation in gaming and modern technologies.

The scientific event served as an interactive platform bringing together students, enthusiasts and idea-makers in a rich experience aimed at inspiring creativity and strengthening a culture of teamwork.

A central feature of the conference was the game development competition, a two-day marathon of brainstorming and intensive design work in which participants created a full game based on a theme announced at the opening ceremony, using the Godot engine.

Participation was divided into two categories: an over-18 category with teams of three to five members and an under-18 category with teams of four to six members. Cash prizes of JD300, JD200 and JD100 were awarded to the top three winners in each category.

The conference also hosted an innovation pitching competition, giving participants an opportunity to present their creative concepts to a panel of specialists. Judging focused on clarity of vision, quality of design and the ability to deliver an innovative project even if not fully completed.

The event marked a culmination of the Education Development Program in Jordan, a charitable initiative that has enabled more than 1,500 students to acquire essential skills in game development using the Godot engine, in an ambitious effort to nurture a generation capable of competing and innovating within Jordan’s growing technology landscape.

More than 1,500 learners from 12 governorates took part in the program throughout 2025, through sessions led by trainers in schools and universities, including the University of Jordan, BTEC schools, Princess Sumaya University for Technology, the American University, Jordan University of Science and Technology, and Al-Balqa Applied University. Training combined classroom instruction, mentoring and practical build demonstrations.

At the closing ceremony, Minister Mahafzah honored the winning projects and participants.

//Petra// AF