As part of its 80th Founding Anniversary Celebration, the University of Batangas Lipa City (UBLC) successfully mounted Think IT, Prompt IT, Build IT: The InnovED 2026 Student Bootcamp and Hackathon, a learning initiative organized by the Information Technology Center (ITC) in collaboration with the College of Information and Communications Technology (UBBC-CICT) and the College of Information Technology, Entertainment and Communications (UBLC-CITEC). The event gathered nearly 700 participants composed of students, UBBC AND UBLC faculty members, employees, and members of the UBLC community, reinforcing the university’s commitment to advancing digital competence, innovation, and lifelong learning aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 and 9: Quality Education and Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.
The InnovED 2026 Student Bootcamp and Hackathon aimed to introduce learners to Artificial Intelligence (AI) application development using no-code technologies, equipping students with practical skills needed for emerging digital industries. By bridging academic learning with real-world technological applications, the initiative strengthened UBLC’s role in preparing future-ready graduates capable of contributing to an increasingly AI-driven society.
The event featured two major components: the AWS PartyRock Bootcamp in the morning and the Mini Hackathon in the afternoon.
All registered participants attended the AWS PartyRock Bootcamp, a hands-on training session focused on AI application creation through prompt engineering. AWS PartyRock, a no-code AI application builder developed by Amazon Web Services (AWS), enables users to design functional AI-powered applications using prompts instead of traditional programming languages. During the session, Mrs. Bernadet Macaraig of CICT guided participants from theoretical understanding toward practical innovation by demonstrating how AI tools can generate social media content, streamline workflows, and create productivity-enhancing text summarizers.
Through the bootcamp, participants learned the fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence prompting, the basics of prompt engineering, and methods for building AI-powered applications using PartyRock. Students also explored how to design simple yet functional prototypes using a no-code platform, allowing even beginners to experience application development. The training served as a preparation phase, equipping participants with the technical confidence and foundational skills required for the succeeding Hackathon development activity.
In the afternoon, registered teams proceeded to the Mini Hackathon, where participants were given two hours to conceptualize, design, and present technology-driven solutions. Each team was tasked to define a specific pain point aligned with one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), develop a functional prototype application using AWS PartyRock, and prepare a pitch deck explaining the identified problem, AI-powered solution, and its projected social impact. Participants were allowed to utilize internet resources and AI-assisted tools to support rapid innovation and collaborative problem-solving.
Coinciding with the Hackathon was a keynote learning session titled Journey to the Cloud: Ignite Your Potential – An Insider’s Guide to Tech Leadership and Cloud Landscape, delivered by Mr. Nikko Cajayon, Network Community Lead of AWS Cloud Club Philippines, Skill Builder Engineer, and AI and Automation Engineer. His talk emphasized career readiness, cloud computing opportunities, and leadership pathways within the global technology ecosystem, inspiring students to pursue innovation beyond the classroom.
From the 17 competitive entries that sparked the innovation journey, the panel of experts selected the six best no-code AI applications that exemplified the creativity, innovation, and technical ingenuity of UBian student innovators. In the Senior High School category, Jobling SHS UB Main emerged as the champion, followed by MindBud as first runner-up and Triheliz as second runner-up. In the College category, NeuroTech of CITEC UBLC secured the championship title, with UBAkwit placing second and NovelTech earning third place, collectively showcasing students’ capability to develop impactful AI-driven solutions aligned with real-world challenges.
Through InnovED 2026, the University of Batangas Lipa City strengthened its vision of cultivating digitally competent learners and innovation-driven leaders. By integrating AI literacy, collaborative problem-solving, and sustainable development awareness, the initiative exemplified how higher education institutions can respond to global technological transformation while promoting inclusive and equitable quality education consistent with UNSDG 4.
The success of Think IT, Prompt IT, Build IT: The InnovED 2026 Student Bootcamp and Hackathon underscores UBLC’s continuing commitment to empowering students to learn technology and to create solutions that address real-world challenges, positioning UBians at the forefront of innovation in the era of Artificial Intelligence.