RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity “Mawhiba” today launched its resource enrichment initiatives for the summer of 2024, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
These include the Mawhiba Academic Enrichment Program, the Mawhiba Research Enrichment Program, the Mawhiba Universal Enrichment Program and the Mawhiba Ambassadors Program. The programs will be implemented in the form of over 100 sessions in 16 cities.
The programs, which start today, will last three, four or six weeks, depending on the specifics of each program. About 13,000 students are participating, including 450 students from Arab countries such as Syria, Jordan, Palestine, UAE, Bahrain, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Sultanate of Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Yemen, Egypt and South Africa.
According to SPA, the programs offer intensive academic enrichment in research, scientific and technical fields. Students will gain numerous academic and personal skills, as well as engage in activities and field trips on and off-site.
The academic enrichment program, which includes 68 programs in 16 cities, is attended by 12,219 students. In addition, 480 students are enrolled in the universal enrichment program, and 485 students are enrolled in the research enrichment program, which includes 14 separate programs. The ambassador program is held in three countries: the US, the UK, and Ireland, and 128 students are enrolled in 24 programs.
Amal Al-Hazzaa, Secretary General of Mawhiba, said the summer enrichment programs offered in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Saudi universities and research centers aim to provide advanced scientific knowledge and experience.
“These programs aim to enhance students’ abilities and skills, offering them tailored support to develop and improve.”
Al-Hazza emphasized that students are trained by leading international experts in the field of gifted education. This training provides them with advanced academic knowledge and scientific skills in a series of specialized enrichment units.
Khaled Al-Sharif, CEO of the Mawhiba Center of Excellence, emphasized that enrichment programs stand out for their ability to expand students’ mental and cognitive horizons, helping them identify and develop academic interests to set future goals and develop personal and social skills, while instilling competencies 21st century.
These programs provide a stimulating academic environment where students can interact with peers in their same age group, engage in supervised science activities to demonstrate their creative abilities, and make the most of their vacation time.
According to SPA, through these science programs, students gain knowledge in conducting research experiments, analyzing data, drawing conclusions, writing scientific reports, and developing original research ideas and proposals.
The programs cover a variety of research areas, including nanotechnology, materials science, environmental sensors, renewable energy, lithium battery engineering, carbon dioxide conversion, hydrogen production, water purification from environmental pollutants and waste transformation into economically viable materials. These initiatives are overseen by a team of experts, lecturers, teachers, scientists and a group of distinguished specialists.