Riyadh, 22 Sha'ban 1447 AH (10 February 2026)

The Ministry of Education and the General Authority for Defense Development (GADA), in cooperation with Tuwaiq Academy, the National Company for Mechanical Systems (NCMS) and Colleges of Excellence, have launched the "Defensethon" challenge, in the presence of Eng. Iyad Al Qarawi, Assistant Minister of Education for Private Education and Investment, Badr Al Buraidi, Deputy Governor of GADA, and Ayman Al Abdullah, CEO of Colleges of Excellence.

The challenge is part of the World Defense Show 2026 and aims to develop the capabilities of intermediate and secondary school students, students of the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation and university students, strengthening their technical skills and connecting them with promising paths in the defense industries.

Defensethon supports national capacity building across four main tracks: programming, robotics, aviation and unmanned vehicles, and digital manufacturing, under a competitive methodology that develops innovative thinking in defense technology and stimulates participants' technical creativity.

Registration is open through the competition's dedicated link: https://defensethon.tuwaiq.edu.sa/. The challenge launches in March 2026 through three integrated learning stages, beginning on the "Satr" platform, followed by an intensive training camp at Tuwaiq Academy in Riyadh, and culminating in the final stage at the International Education Exhibition 2026.

At a Glance

  • Location: Riyadh
  • Event: the Defensethon challenge, World Defense Show 2026
  • Organizers: Ministry of Education, GADA and their partners
  • Tracks: programming, robotics, aviation and unmanned vehicles, digital manufacturing