A team of talented young innovators from the Maldives has officially departed for South Korea to compete in the prestigious FIRST Global Challenge 2026, set to take place from 7 to 10 October.
The international robotics competition brings together youth from 192 countries to showcase their engineering prowess and collaborative spirit.
While the overarching national team comprises 10 students, a contingent of five has traveled to Incheon for the live event, supported remotely by the remaining five home-team members in the Maldives. This year’s competition centres around the theme "Igniting Innovation," challenging participants to engineer robotic solutions aimed at minimizing the devastating impact of forest fires.
The FIRST Global Challenge is designed to cultivate youth interest in STEM fields, provide platforms for skill development, and encourage international cooperation. Speaking with PSM News prior to the event, the participating students expressed immense pride in representing their island nation on a global stage.
"One hundred and ninety-two countries from around the world are participating. This proves that even a small country like the Maldives possesses skills in this field. We are very happy to have received this opportunity and hope to achieve a good position in the competition,” " the students shared.
The Maldivian delegation’s journey to the international arena has been a collaborative national effort. The opportunity was secured through the vital support of the local NGO Women in Tech Maldives, the official country partner for FIRST Global, which has facilitated the Maldives' participation since 2023—including a notable top-50 global finish at last year's event in Panama. Additionally, the team received rigorous technical training from For Loop Coding Academy, a certified STEM centre.