Saudi innovators at the forefront

Under the aegis of Riyadh governor, as many as 518 young Saudi inventors will be competing in 17 different scientific categories, involving 400 projects, from March 17-20 at the Faisaliah Hotel in the capital.
The announcement was made at a joint press conference held by King Abdul Aziz and his Companions Foundation for the Gifted and Creativity (KACFGC), or “Mawhiba”; and the Ministry of Education at Mawhiba’s headquarters recently.
According to the statement, 252 girls and 266 boys will bring their innovative skills to the forefront of the scientific spectrum in the fields of molecules and space. The winners will represent Saudi Arabia in the international competition.
The head of the Supreme Committee of the Olympiad and Mahmoud Al-Naqad, deputy secretary general of Mawhiba, said it is a proven fact that investment in knowledge to encourage innovative spirit is the best means to create a knowledge-based society instead of being merely consumers of technology products.
Al-Naqad said that both Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education are working to upgrade the tools of knowledge and its dissemination through education, training and scientific research in preparation for the National Olympiad for Science Innovation (NOSI). In addition, they aim to increase the value of its direct impact and its ability to produce new knowledge to support the national economy.
Abdul Rahman Al-Barrak, undersecretary at the Ministry of Education, said that the NOSI is a reflection of the leadership’s vision to invest in Saudi human capital during the transition to a knowledge-based society and integrated creativity. He described it as a step in the right direction on the grounds that a country’s advancement is measured by its innovative culture and the opportunity to create the right environment.
Al Barrak added the Kingdom’s first priority is to provide students with a high level of education that would qualify them to be prepared for global competitions. He said the ministry is making a concerted effort to improve the outcome of public education in the Kingdom, both in terms of numbers and quality, to match the highest international standards and to build a generation of enlightened leaders empowered with scientific knowledge and creativity.
It is noteworthy that the second phase of the Olympiads brought together around 2253 students during which 2072 projects won at the qualifying round organized by education departments. Overall, 16,728 male students and 8,275 girls took part in the innovation category of the competition, while 18,104 boys and 9,075 girls participated in the course of the scientific research in 180 exhibitions held in various parts of the Kingdom.
NOSI is a scientific competition in innovation and research, in which contestants are encouraged to submit projects individually or in groups in accordance with the standards and controls for each category. Contestants are judged by a group of academics and specialists in accordance with specific scientific criteria identifying unique projects for their nomination to higher stages.