NEW DELHI: Saudi students are aiming for the podium at the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics held in India’s Mumbai this week, building on their team’s successful debut last year.
The IOAA is a worldwide annual competition to recognize talented high school students in astronomy and astrophysics through a series of theoretical, practical and experimental tests.
This year, the event featuring 320 students from 64 countries is organized by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education — a national center of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research — in Mumbai from Aug. 11-21.
The Saudi team has been trained by Mawhiba — the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, a non-profit endowment dedicated to nurturing young talent in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — with support from the Ministry of Education, the Saudi Space Agency, and NEO Space Group.
“This year, five talented students were nominated to be part of the Saudi national team after highly competitive and rigorous qualification stages that spanned almost a year,” Talal Al-Dawood, supervisor of the astronomy and space program at Mawhiba, told Arab News.
“It goes without saying that they are extremely proud and excited to represent the Kingdom in such a prestigious international event.”
’s national team at the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics pose for a photo with their team leaders in Mumbai on Aug. 12, 2025. (Mawhiba)
The IOAA was first held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2007. debuted in the competition at its 2024 edition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with its three-member team winning three bronze medals.
“Given this remarkable success in our debut year, our students are now setting their goals on even higher achievements. With more experience and a larger team, we have every reason to be optimistic about surpassing last year’s performance,” Al-Dawood said.
“In the Kingdom, scientific olympiads hold tremendous significance for our high school students. Thousands compete annually for the honor of raising the Saudi flag on the winners’ podium.”
Besides examinations, students will also take part in several excursions in and around Mumbai.
“Since the announcement of the IOAA 2025 host last year, everyone has been looking forward to this opportunity. India has long established itself as one of the most exceptional hosts for scientific olympiads … Our students were absolutely thrilled to be here,” Al-Dawood said.
“For them, this represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase their talents on a global stage and bring honor to their nation.”
