Riyadh: Saudi Arabia, represented by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity "Mawhiba" and the Ministry of Education, is participating in the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA 2025), hosted in Mumbai, India. The event, running from August 11 to 21, gathers hundreds of students from over 60 countries.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the IOAA, first held in Thailand in 2007, is an annual scientific competition dedicated to high school students under the age of 20, testing participants' theoretical and practical skills. Each participating country is represented by a team of three to five students.
This year, five talented Saudi students were selected to represent the Kingdom after undergoing a series of intensive training sessions under the supervision of Mawhiba, in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education, the Saudi Space Agency, and with the sponsorship of NEO Space Group.
The Saudi team includes Joud Al-Lahiani from the Makkah education department, Fajr Al-Obaidan from the Al-Ahsa education department, Mohammed Al-Qahtani from the Riyadh education department, and Hussain Al-Mubarak and Abdullah Al-Fayez from the Eastern Region education department.
This marks Saudi Arabia's second participation in the IOAA, following its debut in 2024, where the team earned three bronze medals. The Kingdom's continued participation in international scientific competitions highlights its commitment to empowering talented youth on the global stage.
Saudi Arabia is taking part in the IOAA as part of its ongoing excellence in international science arenas, reinforcing its efforts to build a skilled, knowledge-driven generation that contributes to national development and reflects a positive image of Saudi students worldwide.