Riyadh: The National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity "Ibdaa 2026" recorded the highest number of registrations in the competition's history, with 357,708 students from across the Kingdom signing up and representing an increase of 22.7% compared to last year.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) and the Ministry of Education announced the close of registrations for the 2026 edition. Ibdaa serves as a national platform designed to promote scientific research, critical thinking, and teamwork, while opening broad opportunities for students to contribute to a prosperous scientific future in line with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives.
This year's edition saw an increase of more than 66,000 students compared to Ibdaa 2025, which attracted around 291,000 registrants, further cementing the competition's position as the Kingdom's largest national scientific event for middle and high school students.
Ibdaa's inaugural edition was launched in 2007. The annual competition invites students to present individual scientific projects, which are evaluated according to specific criteria. An elite panel of academics and specialists judges submissions electronically, selecting outstanding projects to advance through higher competition stages, culminating in participation at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in the United States.