How can we encourage students to learn problem-solving skills through real-world industrial applications? Esprit engineering school in Tunisia has found one answer: organize a student competition.

The event featured 140 students organized into 27 teams, putting their modeling and analysis skills to the test on various topics proposed by industrial local partners—assembly lines of aircraft components, bottling lines, calibration services for quality control, gas station operations, and more.

On November 11th, 2017, each team presented their simulation model and results to a jury of teachers and industry professionals. After deliberations, the jury designated these winning teams:

• First Place: Mohamed Houssem Chortani, Yosra Mkadem, Mohamed Aymen Trigui, Hamza Ben Mansour
• Second Place: Mehdi Chaabouni, Rami Sadki, Youssef Naas, Hafedh Saoudi, Mariam Bellil
• Third Place tie: Adel Gueddi, Nawres Ayari, Imen Mzah
• Third Place tie: Farès Njimi, Ahmed Bouslema, Mohamed Guembri, Mustapha Nouir, Anas Fenina

Esprit is already looking forward to the next student competition in 2018, and organizers are thinking about extending the tournament across several engineering schools in Tunisia.