Saudi Arabia’s Mawhiba Grooms 259 Young Scientists for Global Olympiads

The big picture: The King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) has concluded its First Elite Camp 2026 in Riyadh. Consequently, the foundation has prepared 259 outstanding male and female students to represent Saudi Arabia at global scientific competitions.

The foundation organized the 12-day intensive training program alongside the Ministry of Education under the Mawhiba International Olympiad Program. Specifically, this camp qualifies top performers from the National Science and Mathematics Olympiad. Additionally, organizers nominated top candidates for the astronomy and space track through the physics discipline.

During the training, participants studied seven core disciplines, including mathematics, chemistry, physics, astronomy, biology, informatics, and science. Furthermore, a select group of international trainers and olympiad specialists supervised the daily modules. The program focused on advanced problem-solving strategies, preparing young scholars for upcoming qualification tests.

Establishing a National Talent Pipeline

Why it matters: Saudi Arabia actively prioritizes youth talent development as a fundamental driver of its Vision 2030 economic transformation. Therefore, the Kingdom invests heavily in identifying, nurturing, and empowering exceptional students across key scientific disciplines.

Specifically, Mawhiba aligns its national strategy with priority scientific fields to nurture a generation capable of leading global research and development. In addition, the foundation collaborates with global scientific bodies to upgrade national training standards continuously.

What they’re saying: “Our wise leadership provides continuous support to enable Saudi youth on international stages,” emphasized Dr. Amal Al-Hazzaa, Secretary-General of Mawhiba. “Consequently, our strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education creates a sustainable national foundation for future innovation and scientific discovery.”

Furthermore, these educational programs foster a national culture that values intellectual curiosity and scientific excellence. As a result, young Saudis increasingly pursue advanced degrees and careers in STEM fields, supporting broader national goals.

Moreover, this systematic approach transforms the Kingdom into a global leader in youth innovation. By equipping young citizens with world-class competencies, Saudi Arabia accelerates its transition toward a dynamic, knowledge-based economy.

Building a Global Competitive Edge

The First Elite Camp marks a critical milestone in establishing strong national teams. Consequently, students gain essential theoretical knowledge, practical laboratory skills, and competitive resilience.

Additionally, the qualification journey begins with early talent discovery across public schools nationwide. Selected students then progress through multi-stage training pathways, receiving hands-on laboratory experience and continuous academic mentorship from world-class scholars. Consequently, these young talents develop critical thinking abilities that extend far beyond traditional classroom learning.

Furthermore, Mawhiba operates more than 20 specialized enrichment programs annually. These initiatives offer advanced learning pathways and intensive camps alongside institutions like KAUST Academy. Ultimately, these comprehensive efforts ensure that Saudi competitors maintain a strong presence across prestigious international forums.

In recent years, Saudi teams recorded major wins at international Olympiads in mathematics, chemistry, and artificial intelligence. As a result, global universities actively seek to recruit these talented Saudi scholars.

Raising a Knowledge-Based Future

By the numbers: Under the strategic direction of Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education, Saudi Arabia continues to set new performance records in international scientific arenas.

• 259: Exceptional male and female students completed the First Elite Camp 2026 in Riyadh.
• 12: Days of intensive, expert-led training in advanced problem-solving techniques.
• 7: Core scientific disciplines covered, including physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, informatics, space, and general science.
• 795+: Total international awards won by Saudi students in global scientific Olympiads to date.
• 91: International medals and awards secured by Saudi teams in a single recent competition season.
• 26: International Olympiads where Saudi scientific teams actively competed during the recent season across 23 host nations.
• 88: Cumulative international awards achieved by the Saudi National Math Team at the International Mathematical Olympiad since 2004.
• 100%: National commitment toward advancing human capability development under Saudi Vision 2030.
• ~30 international and regional Olympiads Saudi Arabia enters every year, per Mawhiba.
• 120+ countries take part in the Olympiads the Kingdom competes in annually.
• 2,539 students advanced past Mawhiba’s national Mawhoob qualifying competition this year, out of more than 24,000 entrants.
• 19 countries and about 120 students joined Saudi Arabia at the International Nuclear Science Olympiad it hosted in Jeddah this August, and Saudi students topped the results.
• 11 international awards Saudi Arabia’s informatics team has collected across seven previous Olympiad appearances, ahead of its eighth trip this August.

The bottom line: Saudi Arabia is not waiting for its energy transition to build a knowledge economy. It is training teenagers today. Mawhiba’s 259 graduates won’t all reach an Olympiad podium. But the pipeline behind them keeps growing every year, and so does the Kingdom’s ambition to compete at the top of world science.

What’s next: As the Kingdom continues to invest in its youth, the First Elite Camp 2026 underscores its determination to build a generation capable of leading national transformation and localizing advanced technologies. This initiative is not just about winning awards, it’s about fostering a culture of innovation and positioning Saudi Arabia as a global leader in science and technology.