Jeddah (UNA/SPA) – The third edition of the International Nuclear Science Olympiad “INSO 2026”, hosted by the Kingdom, concluded on Saturday in Jeddah, with the participation of 120 students and scientific specialists representing 19 countries, under the slogan “Bright Minds, For a Promising Future”.
The third edition of the Olympiad was organized in partnership between the Ministry of Education, the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity “Mawhiba”, and the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, and hosted by King Abdulaziz University, in the first time the Olympiad was hosted in the Middle East region.
In her speech during the closing ceremony, Dr. Maya Al-Azri, President of the International Nuclear Science Olympiad “INSO 2026”, expressed her appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting the Olympiad, praising the level of organization and integration between government agencies, academic institutions, organizing committees and volunteers, and what this contributed to holding the competitions according to the highest international standards.
The closing ceremony, held at the King Faisal Conference Center at King Abdulaziz University, featured a visual presentation showcasing the journey of the Olympics since its inception, and the Kingdom’s hosting of the competitions and accompanying events, followed by the announcement of the results and the awarding of medals and special prizes to the winners.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Kingdom handed over the hosting rights for the next edition of the International Nuclear Science Olympiad 2027 to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The results of the competitions resulted in the Kingdom topping the results of the third edition of the International Nuclear Science Olympiad “INSO 2026”, achieving first place and the title of “Ambassador of Nuclear Sciences”, as the Saudi student Amjad Mahmoud Issa Al Darwish was crowned with first place and the gold medal, and also won the title of “Ambassador of Nuclear Sciences”, after achieving the highest score in the theoretical and practical tests among the competitors.
Student Jana Saleh Abdullah Al-Sabil also won the gold medal and the “Best Student” award in the Olympiad presented by the International Atomic Energy Agency, while student Abdulaziz Abdulmohsen Al-Sharit won the silver medal, and student Saleh Mubarak Dhaifallah Al-Harbi won the bronze medal. The Olympiad witnessed the awarding of 8 gold medals, 13 silver medals, and 18 bronze medals, in addition to a number of special awards.
The accompanying program included a number of cultural and introductory activities and visits, which allowed students, delegation leaders and supervisors to learn about aspects of the Kingdom’s history and cultural heritage, in addition to organizing a cultural evening that brought together students, delegation leaders and supervisors, and introduced the participants to the diversity of Saudi culture and heritage.
The International Nuclear Science Olympiad, approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2024, is an international scientific platform aimed at high school students, with the goal of developing their knowledge and skills in nuclear science, promoting awareness of the safe and peaceful uses of nuclear technologies, motivating young people to specialize in this field, and encouraging them to employ science and innovation in creating solutions that contribute to achieving sustainable development.
(is over)
