Doha College pupils excel at First Tech Challenge
Doha College is delighted to celebrate the exceptional achievement of its student robotics team, RTE Robotics (Run Time Error Robotics), at this year’s First Tech Challenge (FTC) – an international competition that blends innovation, programming, and engineering into one thrilling event. Held at the Qatar National Library and hosted by Hamad Bin Khalifa University, the competition welcomed 14 enthusiastic teams from schools across Qatar.
With this year’s FTC theme being “Into the Deep”, the challenge demanded technical brilliance and strategic thinking – and RTE Robotics delivered exactly that. Representing Doha College with pride and precision were Aditya and Made (Year 12), Jaanvi (Year 10), and Aarav (Year 9). Despite being only in their second year competing, they showcased remarkable determination, culminating in an outstanding performance.
Not only did RTE Robotics become part of the First Place Winning Alliance alongside team Laffan, but they also scored the highest points in the event – a phenomenal 122 points – a record for this year’s tournament. The team’s performance was so impressive that they were also awarded the coveted Motivate Award, recognising their commendable efforts in supporting fellow teams throughout the competition.
This kind of success doesn’t happen by chance. It is the result of countless hours of dedication, collaboration, resilience, and intellectual curiosity. The students’ ability to perform under pressure, help others along the way, and still maintain a positive and humble attitude speaks volumes about their character.
In the words of Aditya, one of the team members:
Very pleased to say RTE Robotics was in the final winning alliance, and we ranked first place along with a Qatar team Laffan! We also won the Motivate Award for helping so many of the other teams. Although Laffan won the Inspire Award and will be travelling to Houston, I’m still very proud of our team’s first place… the odds were against us, but we still did really great!
His message reflects not just pride in their technical success but also in the values they upheld – integrity, cooperation, and perseverance – values we at Doha College hold dear.
The First Tech Challenge aligns closely with the Doha College curriculum. Many of the programming concepts used in FTC are introduced as early as Year 7, spanning Key Stages 3 to 5 in Computer Science. The competition offers a dynamic platform for students to apply their classroom learning in a practical, engaging context.
Through FTC, students explore robotics—working with sensors, actuators, and control systems—gaining deeper insight into how software interacts with hardware. They apply programming concepts such as control structures, loops, algorithms, and problem-solving, reinforcing computational thinking and debugging skills.
Beyond coding, FTC fosters essential real-world skills including teamwork, collaboration, perseverance, and communication. Students collaborate on strategy, problem-solving, and presenting their work to judges—mirroring real engineering environments.
The challenge also connects with Design and Technology, as students design and build physical robots using core engineering principles, considering structure, materials, and mechanisms.
Ultimately, FTC is a multidisciplinary journey where coding meets creativity, and technical knowledge is enriched through innovation and teamwork.
Secondary School Curriculum at Doha College