Dhahran – Asdaf News:
The King Abdulaziz Cultural Center (Ithra) – an initiative of Aramco – announced the qualification of 20 teams at the conclusion of regional rounds of the 5th edition of the Saudi STEM Racing competition, as they prepare to advance to national finals, which will be held at Ithra from June 4–6, 2026.
The twenty qualified teams were selected from among 47 participating teams that competed in an enthusiastic and dynamic atmosphere across six regions: Dhahran, Jubail, Al-Ahsa, Riyadh, Al-Madinah and Jeddah, during the month of April. Their qualification followed participation in a comprehensive six-month training program supervised by Ithra and delivered by 37 local and international expert trainers, across six specialized training centers.
The regional competitions brought together more than 280 male and female students representing schools from across the kingdom, where participants undertook an integrated learning journey covering engineering fundamentals, design principles, teamwork, project management, presentation and communication skills, in addition to performance testing and race challenges.
Maha Abdulhadi, Program Lead of Saudi STEM Racing at Ithra, stated that the program’s continuation into its fifth edition reflects its sustained impact and long-term commitment to developing youth capabilities in the fields of science, technology, and engineering while aligning with best practices in management, marketing, and modern digital skills. She added, “the program has further strengthened its position as the first initiative of its kind in the kingdom to offer a comprehensive, team-based experiential learning model”.
She continued: “At Ithra, we are committed to supporting students who are passionate about science and emerging technologies, with the aim of advancing their academic and professional development and preparing them to become future leaders and a driving force behind the kingdom’s distinguished creative industries.”
The program highlights Ithra’s continued commitment to empowering youth across diverse knowledge and creative fields through a wide range of initiative that integrate culture and innovation on a global state.
Notably, several students participating in Saudi STEM Racing have qualified to participate in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world’s largest international science competition, which is held annually in the United Sates each May with the participation of thousands of students from more than 70 countries.
This further underscores the program’s impact on students by offering promising opportunities that support their effective use of information technology and introduce them to key areas of creativity, enabling them to develop essential skills and apply their learning in a practical environment that promotes innovation and constructive competition.
The team that qualified for the national finals represent the following cities: Jubail: (Flare, Aerix, Rooh), Al-Ahsa: (Drein, Revex, Avion, Sahr), Dhahran: (Lynx, Gaddaha, Tors), Riyadh: (Leap, Veyn, Peak), Madinah: (Anaq, Velora, Rehla), From Jeddah: (YLA, Baz, Astriv, Aerion).
Saudi STEM Racing, delivered by Ithra, is one of the kingdom’s leading global educational programs designed for school students. It aims to raise awareness of STEM disciplines (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) among students across regions in the Kingdom and around the world, while fostering a spirit of challenge and inspiration through a program based on a unified leading methodology.
