Dhahran: The 25th edition of the Asian Physics Olympiad 2025 (APhO) will kick off on Monday, May 4, and run until May 12 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The event is organized jointly by the Ministry of Education, the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, at the university's campus in Dhahran, with exclusive sponsorship from Saudi Aramco.
According to Saudi Press Agency, this marks the second international Olympiad hosted by Saudi Arabia, following the successful hosting of the 56th International Chemistry Olympiad in July 2024 in Riyadh, where 333 students from 90 countries participated. The chemistry event was widely praised for its organization and competitive atmosphere.
This year's Asian Physics Olympiad will feature participants from 30 Asian countries, represented by 240 students who will compete in two main exams: one theoretical and one practical, each lasting five hours. The exams will follow rigorous scientific standards, with preparation and evaluation overseen by the International Olympiad Committee.
In addition to the scientific competition, the program includes educational visits, cultural activities, and recreational events, providing participants-students, team leaders, and supervisors-the opportunity to explore Saudi Arabia's cultural heritage and ongoing developmental progress. This offers a holistic educational and communicative experience.
The first Asian Physics Olympiad was held in 1999 in Indonesia, with participation from 12 countries. It is one of the most prominent international annual competitions for talented high school students in the field of physics. The event is open to countries that have earned high rankings in the International Physics Olympiad.
The selection process for student participants is based on their cumulative performance in training forums, where they progress through multiple levels of preparation. At the fourth level, students undergo intensive programs with qualifying exams that ultimately determine the national team to compete.
Saudi Arabia first participated in the Asian Physics Olympiad in 2012, and to date, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has earned 16 medals and international awards in this competition, from a total of 864 medals and awards won by Saudi students in international Olympiads and global competitions. This reflects the caliber of Saudi talent and underscores the efforts of "Mawhiba" in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, in preparing, training, and empowering students to compete and excel in international scientific forums.