Riyadh, 6 Sha'ban 1447 AH (25 January 2026)

The 16th Ibdaa Science and Engineering Fair, "Ibdaa 2026", opened today under the patronage of Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh. Organised by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education, the fair is held at Princess Nourah bint Abdulaziz International Conference Center and runs until 29 January.

The fair is the fifth stage of the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity, with 200 students competing with distinguished projects selected from more than 34,000 submitted by students from across the Kingdom, covering 22 advanced fields of research and innovation.

Mawhiba Secretary General Abdulaziz Al-Kuraidis said the Ibdaa Olympiad is the largest national platform dedicated to scientific research and innovation and has, over its history, uncovered projects of promising scientific impact. Its rigorous judging standards and high level of competition, he said, make it a national benchmark for selecting the candidates who represent the Kingdom internationally, and reflect the leadership's strong support for empowering gifted students in line with Vision 2030.

Judging panels begin evaluating the projects tomorrow to select 68 winners across four main tracks: leadership in energy and industry, environmental sustainability and basic needs, economies of the future, and human health. Winners will qualify for international and regional competitions in 2026, foremost among them the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in the United States and science fairs in Malaysia and Taiwan.

An integrated programme of workshops, scientific lectures and interactive pavilions from knowledge partners accompanies the fair, enriching the visitor experience, promoting a culture of research and innovation, and introducing national initiatives that support talent.

This year's olympiad set an unprecedented record with more than 357,000 students taking part from 16 educational regions, an indicator of the breadth of scientific talent in the Kingdom and of the effective partnership between Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education in building a creative Saudi generation able to compete globally.