Saudi Team Wins Top Prize at International Standards Olympiad in Korea

The Saudi Standards Team achieved a major international milestone after winning the Platinum Award, the highest honor at the 21st International Standards Olympiad held in South Korea.

The competition brought together 105 male and female students from 11 countries, challenging middle and high school students to develop solutions to real-world problems through the use of technical standards, creativity and STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — skills.

Kingdom Wins Platinum Award for the First Time

The Saudi team’s Platinum Award marked the first time the Kingdom has secured the competition’s top prize. The award is presented to only one team throughout the competition, making it the Olympiad’s highest distinction.

The team also secured silver and bronze awards, bringing its total haul at this year’s competition to three international awards.

Combining Standards, Innovation and STEM

The International Standards Olympiad is an annual global competition for middle and high school students. It focuses on applying technical standards to real-world challenges while encouraging creativity, teamwork, problem-solving and STEM-based innovation.

The competition originated in South Korea as a national event in 2006 before becoming an international competition in 2014. Saudi Arabia’s previous participation also produced international recognition, including a bronze medal and a special award in the 2024 edition.

Supporting Saudi Talent

The Saudi team’s preparation was supported by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), the Ministry of Education and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO).

The achievement highlights the continued development of Saudi students’ capabilities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, while providing national talent with opportunities to compete on the international stage.

It also adds to the Kingdom’s growing record in global scientific competitions. In 2025, Saudi national science teams secured 116 international awards, including 91 medals and awards across 23 international science Olympiads, according to Mawhiba.