Professor Mohamed Hussein Mahmoud, President of Tanta University, attended today the final rounds of the “FRC Bowling Ball Competition 2026” in its exceptional edition, organized by the student chapter of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) at the Faculty of Engineering, which is ranked among the top 100 student chapters worldwide. The event was attended by Professor Ahmed Nasr, Dean of the Faculty; Professor Abdel Hakim Abdel Khaleq, former President of the University; Professor Emad Othman, Academic Advisor to the chapter and former Vice President of the University; the Faculty Vice Deans; and Professor Reda Behairy, Deputy Academic Advisor.

   The event featured a highly competitive engineering contest among eight teams representing six Egyptian universities: Tanta, Suez, Benha, Damietta, Horus, and the Higher Institute of Engineering in Tanta. Students showcased their innovations in fiber-reinforced concrete bowling balls, which underwent rigorous standardized testing, including weight and dimensional assessments, rolling accuracy evaluations, and ultimately a “toughness” or crush test to measure durability and energy absorption capacity.

   Professor Mohamed Hussein, President of the University, honored the winning teams, with Team “CEC CORE” from Damietta University securing first place, followed by Team “Suez 1” from Suez University in second place, while Team “PSG” from Tanta University achieved third place. The event also incorporated an educational and practical component, as student delegations toured the specialized laboratories of the Faculty of Engineering and attended practical demonstrations delivered by distinguished faculty members, thereby strengthening the connection between academic study and modern laboratory applications.

   During his speech at the awards ceremony, the University President expressed his pride in the scientific caliber of Egyptian engineering students, emphasizing that the student innovations presented today reflect international standards in concrete technology. He affirmed that Tanta University is moving steadily toward graduating engineers capable of competing on a global scale. He further noted that the inclusion of the university’s ACI chapter among the world’s leading student chapters is the result of distinguished academic efforts aimed at connecting students with global scientific research and the labor market.

   Professor Ahmed Nasr added that the “Concrete Bowling Ball” competition is far more than a recreational activity; rather, it is a sophisticated engineering application that tests students’ abilities in working with fiber-reinforced concrete and designing balanced concrete mixtures. He reaffirmed the Faculty’s commitment to providing all necessary resources to support such innovative models and to opening the university’s laboratories as spaces for creativity that contribute to national development projects.

   It is worth noting that the competition included a series of precise standardized tests for the concrete balls, including weight and dimensional tests to ensure compliance with the required engineering standards, rolling tests to evaluate balance and trajectory accuracy, and toughness tests to assess the ability of the student innovations to withstand loads and absorb energy.