Ibdaa Science And Engineering Fair 2026: Riyadh Governor To Patronise National Olympiad Stage

Governor of Riyadh Region Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz will patronize the 16th Ibdaa Science and Engineering Fair (Ibdaa 2026), which opens on Sunday at the Princess Nouf bint Abdulaziz International Convention Center in Riyadh and continues until January 29, highlighting student research and innovation across Saudi Arabia.

The event is organised by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), working in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education, and forms the fifth stage of the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity, which links classroom learning with applied scientific and technological projects.

This edition of Ibdaa 2026 within the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity recorded over 357,000 student registrations, while more than 34,000 students submitted research or innovation projects, from which judges selected 200 projects representing 22 scientific fields, reflecting participation from male and female students across different educational stages and regions.

The 200 chosen projects at Ibdaa 2026, part of the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity, will compete for 68 winning places, and these winners will qualify to represent Saudi Arabia at international and regional competitions, showcasing the Kingdom’s student work before global scientific audiences.

The National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity includes six stages in total, and Ibdaa 2026 stands as its fifth stage, through which top Saudi student projects advance to events such as the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in the United States, ITEX in Malaysia, and the Taiwan International Science Fair (TISF).

Alongside the main competition, Ibdaa 2026 within the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity will offer workshops, scientific and educational lectures, and informational booths designed to enrich visitors, encourage a culture of research and innovation, and present national initiatives that support talented students and creative scientific ideas in Saudi Arabia.

Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education, through Ibdaa 2026 and the broader National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity, continue efforts to develop scientific research in public schools, build research and innovation skills, discover promising Saudi talent, and back a knowledge-based economy in line with Saudi Vision 2030 and national education objectives.

The National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity aims to develop creativity among male and female students in scientific and technological fields and to represent the Kingdom at international forums through high-quality projects, while the timing of this Ibdaa 2026 announcement was carried by SPA at 21:04 Local Time, 18:04 GMT, under reference number 0036.

With inputs from SPA