The Sarajevo ACM-W Professional Chapter was represented at the 12th ACM Celebration of Women in Computing (womENcourage 2025) , held on 17–19 September 2025 at Transilvania University of Brașov in Brașov, Romania. The theme of the conference was "Computer Science: Catalyst for Educational Change."
The chapter was represented by eight students: Tea Dedić (CSE), Amina Hrustić (SE), Hamza Adilović (SE), Selma Alić (CSE), Asja Bašović (AIDE), Nedžla Šehović (CSE), Afan Haznadarević (EEE), and Nejira Subašić (SE). Six students were awarded womENcourage scholarships to attend the event.
Hackathon
On the first day, IUS students joined the hackathon alongside 11 teams from across Europe. Under the hackathon theme "A Catalyst for Educational Changes," teams developed and pitched technology-driven solutions addressing challenges in education.
Team GerBos5, represented by Amina Hrustić and Hamza Adilović, won second place with their project "Synthetic Beauty, Real Harm," addressing the psychological impact of AI-modified images and proposing regulatory, educational, and technological solutions.
Team Minerva, represented by Tea Dedić and Afan Haznadarević, presented a reskilling platform for women returning to STEM. Team UNITE, represented by Asja Bašović and Selma Alić, pitched a mobile app helping older women learn digital basics through chatbots, workshops, and quizzes.
Poster presentations
Dedić, T., Hrustić, A., and Adilović, H. Promoting Gender Equality in Cybersecurity through Education and Mentorship. Poster presented at ACM womENcourage 2025, Brașov, Romania, September 2025.
Bašović, A., Ünal-Aydın, P., Büyükdağlı, Ö., and Aydın, O. Smartphone Addiction, Sleep, and Mental Health: Exploring Causal Pathways and Behavioral Profiles among University Students. Poster presented at ACM womENcourage 2025, Brașov, Romania, September 2025.
Mersni, A., Rustempašić, N., Subašić, N., and Šehović, N. Interdisciplinary Cybersecurity Education: A Systematic Review of Institutional and Pedagogical Practices. Poster presented at ACM womENcourage 2025, Brașov, Romania, September 2025.
Conference highlights
The three-day event gathered nearly 300 attendees from across Europe and beyond, with 54 posters, 17 workshops, four keynotes, a flash mentoring session, a career fair, and a leadership workshop on ACM-W chapters. The closing keynote was delivered by Reyyan Ayfer, founding chair of ACM-W Europe, and the 2026 hosting city was announced: Nice, France.
