Hamdan Centre team secures second place at FIRST LEGO League Asia Open Championship

The Hamdan Centre for Giftedness and Innovation, part of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, has secured second place in the Champion’s Award at the FIRST® LEGO® League Asia Open Championship 2026 in Beijing.

Held from August 13 to 16, the competition saw the Emirati team achieve the highest-ever placing by a UAE team in an international FIRST® LEGO® League competition. It also marked the first time a UAE team has finished among the top three in the prestigious Champion’s Award.

The Champion’s Award recognises a team’s overall performance across several competition categories, including the Innovation Project, Robot Design, Robot Performance and Core Values.

Emirati team advances through national competition

The team’s international achievement followed a successful journey through the UAE competition. The Hamdan Centre team first won the Dubai FIRST LEGO League competition before being crowned UAE champion for the 2025–2026 season.

The victory earned the students the opportunity to represent the UAE at the international championship in Beijing.

Ahead of the event, the team completed a specialised preparation programme at the Hamdan Centre. Training focused on robot design and programming using LEGO Education, analysis of competition challenges, engineering solutions and development of the Innovation Project.

Students also received training in presentation skills, critical thinking, teamwork and communication. Competition simulations were used to prepare them for the judging sessions and other aspects of the international event.

Foundation highlights support for gifted students

H.E. Dr Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, said the achievement demonstrates the students’ ability to compete with leading international teams when given an educational environment that supports talent development.

He added that the result reflects an integrated development pathway that begins with identifying gifted students and continues through specialised training, preparation and participation in local and international competitions.

Robotics and innovation skills

The FIRST® LEGO® League combines hands-on learning with robotics, programming, research and innovation. Participating students work in teams to address real-world challenges, develop solutions, design and programme robots, and present their projects to judging panels.

The programme is designed to develop skills including problem-solving, engineering thinking, creativity, communication and teamwork.

The 2026 Asia Open Championship was held at the Beijing Yanqi Lake International Convention & Exhibition Center. The event was organised by the FIRST LEGO League Greater China Committee in cooperation with the Huairou District Government in Beijing, under the supervision of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism and LEGO Education.

The Hamdan Centre’s second-place finish highlights the growing participation of Emirati students in international robotics and technology competitions and supports the foundation’s efforts to develop gifted talent and encourage greater involvement in scientific and technological fields.