RIYADH: A 42-strong team of Saudi students set off for the US on Friday to compete against more than 1,700 participants from 70 countries at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2026, which takes place in Phoenix, Arizona, from May 9-15.
Representing the Kingdom through the Ministry of Education and the King Abdulaziz and His Companions for Giftedness and Creativity Foundation (known as Mawhiba), the team was selected from the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity (Ibdaa 2026), which set a Guinness World Record as the world’s largest competition for innovative solutions with over 34,000 scientific projects submitted.
The 42 finalists qualified after a rigorous six-stage evaluation process and a year-long intensive training program designed to refine their research, presentation and scientific skills, reported the Saudi Press Agency.
ISEF is the world's largest scientific event for pre-university students in the fields of science and engineering offering innovation projects.
Projects are evaluated by a judging panel composed of leading international scientists and experts, giving students the opportunity to showcase their projects and demonstrate their scientific capabilities on a global scale.
Since joining ISEF in 2007, the Kingdom has secured 185 awards, including 124 major and 61 special prizes. Its annual participation underlines Saudi Arabia's commitment to developing its people and maintaining a leading global position in innovation and scientific research.
