RIYADH: A Saudi science and engineering team departed for Columbus, Ohio, to compete in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2025.
The event, running from May 10 to 16, is the world’s largest scientific competition for pre-university students, drawing over 1,700 participants from 70 countries, according to the report.
Saudi Arabia, represented by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) and the Ministry of Education, has taken part in ISEF annually since 2007, earning 160 awards 110 grand and 50 special prizes.
This year, the Kingdom is fielding its largest team to date, with 40 students competing with projects in advanced scientific fields.
The participants were selected from among the top winners of the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity (Ibdaa 2025), chosen from a competitive pool of 200 finalists.
The increase from 35 to 40 Saudi projects follows ISEF's 2024 decision to expand participation, citing the Kingdom's strong performance, growing Olympiad participation, and broader engagement in educational exhibitions.
Engineer Anas Al-Hunaihan, director of research programs and innovation development at Mawhiba, highlighted the team’s year-long training in research and scientific skills, designed to prepare them for success on the global stage.
Ibdaa 2025 saw over 291,000 student registrations and 23,000 project submissions across 22 scientific fields.
The finalists advanced through several competitive stages before reaching the fair, hosted earlier this year by Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh.
