Villa College proudly presented the country’s first engineering exhibition today, setting a new benchmark in the educational arena of the Maldives. This event highlighted the creativity and technical skills of final-year engineering students Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical & Electronics Engineering), Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering and featured more than 40 innovative projects.

The exhibition started with the Holy Recitation of the Quran followed by an introduction to the exhibition by the Head of School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Udhuma Abdul Latheef. In her speech,she emphasized that education should transcend traditional classroom boundaries, providing an immersive experience that equips students with the confidence and skills needed to tackle future challenges effectively.She also looked into how the faculty is built on three foundational pillars: world-class research, exceptional pedagogy, and a resolute focus on connecting with industry and the broader community.

The exhibition was officially inaugurated by the esteemed chief guest, Muaz Mohamed Rasheed, Managing Director of Fenaka Corporation Limited. In his opening remarks, the chief guest highlighted the pivotal role of university/ College students in driving innovation and developing practical solutions to contemporary challenges. He emphasised the importance of nurturing a culture of creativity and hands-on problem-solving among the future engineers in the Maldives.He also expressed Fenaka Corporation's willingness to support these students by offering assistance in any way they could.

The chief guest was also given a token of appreciation by the Rector of Villa College, Dr. Ahmed Anwar.
Following his speech, he visited the project displays, where he was provided with a comprehensive briefing on the showcased work. The exhibition was then opened to the public from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM.

The closing ceremony, held at 4 pm in the exhibition hall, was honored by the presence of Adam Shareef Umar, Minister of Cities, Local Government, and Public Works. The ceremony began with a Holy Recitation of the Quran, followed by an introduction of the exhibition by Udhuma Abdul Latheef. Mr. Eng. Sahan, Director of Accreditation at the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, then delivered a keynote address on why engineering is imperative and how important it is to get the degrees accredited.

On behalf of the evaluators, Professor Vengadesh presented a detailed overview of the awards evaluation.
Following this Minister Adam Shareef Umar delivered a speech, reflecting on the significance of the students' contributions and the potential impact of their projects on the future of engineering in the Maldives.
He was also presented with a token of appreciation by the Rector of Villa College, Dr. Ahmed Anwar.

This was followed by the Minister presenting awards to the best projects. Under the following categories, Winners were chosen under the following categories:

· Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical & Electronics Engineering) - Mohamed Badheeu, Ecobreez: Enhancing Air Conditioning Efficiency through Drain Water Radiator Cooling, 1st Place

· Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical & Electronics Engineering) - Abdul Matheen, Development of a Smart Wheelchair for Individuals with Limited Hand Mobility, 2nd Place

· Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical & Electronics Engineering) - Hassan Meesaq, Solar Power Vaccine Storage Refrigerator, 3rd Place

· Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering - Mohamed Zidhan Hasan, Ceiling Cassette Type Air-conditioner Indoor Servicing System, 1st place

· Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering - Hussain Rasheed, Harnessing Power from the Residual Brine of Desalination Plant, 2nd Place

· Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering -Ali Humaid, Suspension Seats Using Pneumatic System for Marine Vessels, 3rd Place

· Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering - Abdulla Shahid, Boat Lifter Development for Enhanced Marine Vessel Protection, 3rd Place

· Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering - Mausoom Mohamed, Sensor Based Motorcycle Restrain System With An Integrated Brake System, 1st Place

· Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering - Ahmed Areej, Automated Cargo Handling System, 2nd Place

· Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering - Mohamed Azim, Power Pulse Monitoring, 3rd Place

· Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering - Mohamed Ahmed, Tracking and Recording of Assets for Co-working Environments, 1st Place

· Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical & Electronics Engineering) - Fahud Ibrahim, Rasheed Tracking and Recording of Assets for Co-working Environments, 1st Place

· Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering - Ismail Looth Shameem, Tracking and Recording of Assets for Co-working Environments, 1st Place

· Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering - Hawwa Rushdha Hussain, Tracking and Recording of Assets for Co-working Environments, 1st Place

· Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical & Electronics Engineering) - Hussain Yameen, Optimizes Solar Powered Irrigation and Monitoring System for Enhanced Agricultural Efficiency in the Maldives, 2nd Place

· Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical & Electronics Engineering) - Mohamed Masih, Optimizes Solar Powered Irrigation and Monitoring System for Enhanced Agricultural Efficiency in the Maldives, 2nd Place

· Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical & Electronics Engineering) - Ahmed Rasheed Optimizes Solar Powered Irrigation and Monitoring System for Enhanced Agricultural Efficiency in the Maldives, 2nd Place

· Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical & Electronics Engineering) - Adam Nifaaz, Optimizes Solar Powered Irrigation and Monitoring System for Enhanced Agricultural Efficiency in the Maldives, 2nd Place

The ceremony concluded with Dr.Ali Najeeb, Vice Rector of Villa College, sharing his insights on the college’s plans to support student projects, with hopes of bringing these initiatives to fruition in the near future. He also highlighted that, students pursuing undergraduate degrees in engineering at Villa College will have the opportunity to continue their studies with a master’s programme in engineering at the college.

The exhibition was met with enthusiasm making it a resounding success. It highlighted the skills of Villa College’s engineering students and showed the college's commitment to encouraging innovation in the technical field.

This pioneering engineering exhibition at Villa College aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting industry, innovation, and infrastructure (SDG 9), and fostering quality education (SDG 4), thereby contributing to sustainable development through technological advancement and skilled human capital.