Official government website of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 
The university achieved a new global accomplishment by securing first place in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2026, held in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday, July 9, 2026. This recognition was awarded for the QSpark project in the e-learning category. His Excellency the University President, Professor Dr. Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Sharikh, received the award trophy in the presence of the Vice President for Business Development and Community Partnership, Dr. Majed bin Fadi Al-Enezi, and the Dean of the Deanship of E-learning and Information Technology, Professor Dr. Saleh bin Mohammed Al-Bahli. This took place during a ceremony attended by a select group of global entities and institutions concerned with digital transformation and information and communication technologies.
The sole participating project from the Kingdom qualified for this competition among the top five projects globally in the e-learning category, out of 90 projects that qualified for the final stage across various award categories, in a new confirmation of Qassim University's excellence in developing innovative digital educational solutions with global impact.
From his side, His Excellency the University President affirmed that this achievement is an extension of the support that the education sector enjoys from the wise leadership - may God protect it - and from His Highness the Prince of Al-Qassim region, Prince Dr. Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, and his continuous support for all university activities, and the support and follow-up from His Excellency the Minister of Education, Professor Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Bunyan. This achievement also reflects the university's orientation towards investing in modern technologies and artificial intelligence to develop the educational process, enhance the quality of outcomes, and build a digital learning environment that contributes to achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, appreciating the efforts of the work teams that contributed to achieving this global accomplishment.
QSpark is a smart learning platform developed by Qassim University. It utilizes artificial intelligence technologies to provide a personalized and adaptive learning experience for each student through a unified dashboard that combines academic analytics and educational support. The platform can predict students at risk of academic difficulty and offer appropriate remedial plans. It also employs predictive analytics and gamification techniques to enhance engagement and improve academic performance. QSpark integrates with various university systems to deliver a comprehensive digital experience that contributes to the advancement of higher education and supports the digital transformation journey.
The 2026 edition of the award saw a record participation of 1595 projects and initiatives from around the world, with 360 projects qualifying for the final round. Awards are presented across 18 categories representing the main action lines of the World Summit on the Information Society. The award holds special significance as one of the most prominent international awards organized by the International Telecommunication Union to honor initiatives that leverage information and communication technologies for sustainable development and the achievement of global development goals. This makes Al-Qassim University's win a qualitative addition to the national record of achievements in the field of digital innovation and e-learning.
The 15th edition of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes, presented by the International Telecommunication Union, opens a new chapter for global recognition of digital impact following the results of the WSIS+20 Review by the United Nations General Assembly. The international platform is unique in recognizing WSIS stakeholders as winners and champions for their excellence in accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and contributing to the goals of the Global Digital Compact.
