Gifted | Hamdan Bin Rashid Center for Giftedness and Innovation

General Info

Attendees gathered in the auditorium at a Foundation event

Information about the Foundation and Patron Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Initiated by the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Distinguished Academic Performance was established in 1998, followed by the establishment of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences in 1999. The aim was to strengthen excellence in the educational and medical sectors, foster innovation, and support high-quality initiatives. These Awards were designed to identify, nurture, and encourage talent while advancing scientific research in these crucial fields.

Within a few years, the scope of services and partnerships of both Awards expanded from the local framework to regional and international levels, especially with prestigious international and regional organizations such as the UNESCO, ICESCO, ALECSO, Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States, Fab Lab Organization, World Council for Gifted and Talented Children, International Research Association for Talent Development and Excellence, as well as reputable medical entities like specialized universities and international hospitals. This posed more challenges for the Awards that required an advanced administrative structure and additional resources.

In 2018, a law was issued to establish Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, giving the educational initiative its own institutional identity. In 2023, another law was issued to establish Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences. This law facilitated the transfer of the educational and medical initiative legacies into a single foundation that now possesses a rich portfolio of ongoing programs and projects, along with a solid springboard for further innovation aimed at enhancing governmental and societal efforts in highlighting the importance of the education and medical sectors. The foundation works towards spreading a culture of talent, innovation, excellence, and quality, contributing to the enhancement of quality and performance levels, and fostering creativity in educational and medical institutions at both local and international levels. This includes related elements and components in line with global best practices. Additionally, the foundation contributes to the establishment and support of innovation, talent, and scientific research centers and programs.

A student running a laboratory experiment at the Center

About Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Giftedness

The Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Giftedness and Innovation is committed to providing educational, psychological, social, and developmental services to gifted students in an engaging environment. Its goal is to nurture their personalities by enhancing learning opportunities outside the classroom and offering specialized programs tailored to their abilities and interests, creating a supportive and stimulating educational atmosphere.

Specialists at a workshop on the tools used to identify gifted students

Information about the Talent Discovery Phase

1- The Screening Stage The Screening Stage is implemented by teachers. Several studies published in peer-reviewed journals on the diagnostic instrument used during the Screening Stage (a checklist) show its effectiveness. There are close relations between educational and learning capital (as measured by the Screening Stage diagnostic instrument) and achievement (grades, standardized achievement tests) as well as other measures such as confidence in one’s own abilities, critical thinking, and IQ.

2- The Narrowing Stage The second stage is the filtering and sorting phase, which focuses on identifying gifted and talented students. The implemented identification instrument in this stage consists of a wide range of diagnostic tests for assessing several mental abilities (verbal abilities, non-verbal abilities, and cognitive abilities in mathematics and sciences). It also comprises a set of evaluation forms based on individual, educational, environmental and other sources. The diversity of those adopted instruments has contributed to the development of rigorous assessment mechanisms. The measures for the Narrowing Stage include tests of crystallized and fluid intelligence as well as achievement tests in math, science, and Arabic. The reliabilities and the validity are very good.

3- The Inclusion Stage The diagnostic instrument used for the Inclusion Stage is unique and special in various ways. It helps to plan learning pathways for gifted students. It thus qualifies as a support-oriented identification tool in line with recommendations in recent publications on gifted identification. The Inclusion Stage does not describe a pupil’s status (gifted, not gifted), but rather helps counselors to find the most appropriate educational offerings for each individual gifted pupil. The Screening Stage allows counselors to (1) systematically choose the best program for every student and to (2) choose the most suitable students for different programs.

Students working with machinery during a Center programme

Information about the Talent Care Phase

This phase provides special care for gifted students through various programs aimed at developing their skills and talents.

Events

Students in lab coats operating cutting machinery during the summer programme

Hamdan Bin Rashid Foundation Concludes the Summer Program for Gifted Students and the "Innovations in Sustainability" Forum

The Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences concluded the 2023 Summer Camp for Gifted and Innovative Students, which took place at the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Talent and Innovation from July 17 to 27. The event saw significant attendance, with 50 talented and innovative students aged 9 to 18 participating. His Excellency Suleiman Al Ansari, Executive Director of the Foundation, stated that the continuation of organizing this annual event stems from the Foundation's commitment to supporting the country's ongoing efforts to nurture and encourage gifted students towards further innovation and creativity. He emphasized that these efforts undoubtedly enhance the Foundation's goals of keeping pace with technological and scientific advancements, thereby supporting its training programs and activities and contributing to the development of education to graduate generations armed with knowledge and sciences. He expressed his happiness with the program's success, saying: "The Foundation has concluded the 2023 Summer Program for Gifted Students, which achieved remarkable success. It witnessed notable participation from talented students who participated with great enthusiasm." Al Ansari praised the performance of the participants, their parents, and everyone involved in the program, including the trainers. Dr. Maryam Al Ghaoui, Director of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Talent and Innovation, said that this year's summer camp for gifted and innovative students included various activities and workshops. Enrichment programs suitable for the targeted age groups and specialized workshops, such as smart systems programs and "renewable energy experiments," were offered, in addition to practical experiments. The summer program for gifted students included activities from the "Gifted Program" from July 17 to 23 and the "Innovations in Sustainability" forum from July 24 to 27. The enrichment program also included field visits, including a visit to the Dubai Future Foundation, where 20 talented students participated and learned about the services provided by the Foundation through working on several innovations. They attended many workshops, learned about robot manufacturing and operation, and how to develop themselves, prepare for the future, and create a suitable environment for innovation and creativity. Dr. Al Ghaoui expressed her happiness with the program's success in achieving its goals, saying, "We always strive to promote a culture of innovation and creativity in society, support talented students, discover and nurture them. This is done through a special measure to identify talented students and through enrichment programs organized during school holidays. After discovering and identifying students' talents and levels, the summer program was organized, which included the Mission Robot program, Renewable Energy Experiments program, and Smart Systems program, all specialized in science and engineering offered to talented students based on our approved measures." The organizers of the summer program for gifted students emphasized its importance in refining the talents of gifted and innovative students, as it reflects on their interaction with the presented programs, their enthusiasm for learning new skills, their eagerness to participate, and leaving their marks on all practical activities. It also provided them the opportunity to communicate, exchange ideas, and work in a team spirit in workshops and projects. Engineer Abdullah Al Safadi commented on the importance of the Renewable Energy program, saying that the program explains various energy sources, where students explore and research different renewable energy sources, attempt to find the most efficient sources available in the region, the easiest to use, and how to generate energy from the sun, wind, and water, and how to store it. The program offers practical experiments that combine many sciences such as physics, chemistry, and energy. The young researchers explore sustainable energy sources. All this helps to reinforce the importance of renewable energy, ensure sustainability, and promote its culture among students from a young age. Engineer Jumana Ghazi, who oversees the Smart Systems program, said, "The program aims to introduce students to the importance of smart systems in general and how to form a smart system by explaining ways to design and program a smart system using artificial intelligence algorithms. Students then apply a complete project that contributes to solving a sustainability problem using smart systems." Engineer Nail Al Ashi, a robotics and artificial intelligence trainer, added, "The Mission Robot program is dedicated to preparing gifted students in the field of professional robot design and programming. The program aims to introduce students to smart systems in general, design a smart system, program it using artificial intelligence, and then implement a complete project to enhance the sustainability journey through smart systems." In the same context, the Innovation Programs Department presented the "Innovations in Sustainability" forum, during which trainees from various age groups were introduced to the basics of digital manufacturing and innovation through two training programs in innovation and sustainability. The forum offered training workshops centered around two sustainability projects. Engineer Moath Ali, an innovation programs trainer, explained the program, saying: "Participants in the first program were able to manufacture and program a solar-powered robotic arm made from environmentally friendly materials, which helps in planting plants. It is controlled using a mobile application programmed by the students. During the second program, a three-axis machine was designed and manufactured to plant plants autonomously. The forum included workshops in various fields such as robotics, programming, 3D printing, electronics, and other digital manufacturing fields, allowing students to learn many skills that help them understand how robots work, in addition to explaining the concept of sustainability and how to benefit from it in daily life." It is noteworthy that the 2023 Summer Program for Gifted and Innovative Students included a guidance and counseling program, providing personal and social care for the participating students through dialogue sessions to enlighten them about their potential and talents and find solutions to the problems and obstacles they face. A group dialogue session was held, in addition to individual sessions for the students' parents. The program featured a distinguished group of qualified trainers and experts.

9/19/2024

The Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance announces the opening of nominations for the sixth edition of the "Mubtakron" competition.

The Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance has announced the launch of the sixth edition of the "Mubtakron" competition, aimed at encouraging students to innovate and create in the field of sustainability. Interested participants can visit the foundation's website and submit their applications until July 21, 2023. A judging committee will evaluate the submitted projects, selecting winners for implementation and promotion. Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi emphasizes the competition's importance in promoting innovation and sustainability in the UAE, encouraging young talents to participate.

Experts from educational institutions attending a training workshop

The Hamdan Bin Rashid Educational Foundation launches a program to develop the Hamdan Talent Scale.

The Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance announced the organization of a program to develop the Hamdan Talent Scale to ensure its sustainability by formulating new questions according to scientific standards. The program included discussions, interactive dialogues, and training workshops on tools for identifying gifted students. It was conducted by Professor Aladdin Ayoub, with the participation of about 30 experts from educational institutions. Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi stated that the program aims to develop a question bank for the scale to identify and support gifted students using the latest scientific standards. The Hamdan Talent Scale is one of the best and most internationally recognized Arab scales, designed based on the latest scientific theories.

Attendees gathered in the auditorium at the Fourth Gulf Forum for Gifted Students

Simultaneously with the Gulf Talent and Creativity Day - Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Educational Performance organizes the Fourth Gulf Forum for Gifted Students in Dubai.

The Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Giftedness and Innovation, affiliated with the Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Educational Performance, organized the Fourth Gulf Forum for Gifted Students in Dubai from March 10 to 11, coinciding with the Gulf Talent and Creativity Day. The aim was to facilitate the exchange of scientific experiences among gifted students from GCC countries, enhance their personal and leadership skills, and provide opportunities for collaboration in specialized scientific fields. The event featured various scientific workshops and discussion sessions held at multiple locations across Dubai.

The Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Educational Performance announces the results of the second season of the "Future Science Challenge" competition

The "Future Science Challenge" competition provides an opportunity for talented students in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries to showcase their abilities and enhance their skills and talents. The results of this competition were announced at an event sponsored by the Hamdan Bin Rashid Center for Giftedness and Innovation. His Excellency Hamid Mohammed Al-Qatami, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, emphasized that the participating students demonstrated knowledge awareness and advanced scientific skills. He praised the efforts of the Foundation in supporting education and empowering students, stressing the importance of these scientific competitions in highlighting student talents and achieving the higher goals of education and sustainable development.

Registration Condition

Nominations are accepted from the student, the parent, the school, or the affiliated entity.

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Selection Criteria

Candidates will be selected according to the admission criteria and stages in place at the center.

Citizenship

The student must be a citizen or resident of the United Arab Emirates.

Educational Phase

The student must be in one of the grades from fourth to twelfth grade.

Attachements

Attach a personal photo, a copy of the student's passport, and a copy of the personal identification card.

Academic Certificate

Attach a recent academic certificate.

Proof of Talent

Attach proof of talent, which may include a recommendation letter from the school or the entity to which the candidate belongs, achieving top positions in local or international competitions, a certificate of appreciation, etc.

Communication with the Student

The center has the right to contact the nominating entity of the student to inquire about the details entered in the nomination form.

Exam Nomination

This nomination is preliminary, and the student must pass the gifted identification tests and the personal interview to be accepted into the center.

Results

Parents/guardians or the student's nominating entities will be informed of the test results and the types of programs that the gifted students will be enrolled in.

With accreditation from Stem.org

Programs that meet the highest international standards.

The Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences is the first institution in the United Arab Emirates to earn this accreditation.

It represents a qualitative leap in the Center's work and firmly establishes its official presence on the global stage in the fields of talent and innovation. It also contributes to international efforts to advance gifted education and to enhance the UAE's competitiveness in talent and innovation.

Review the STEM.org standards

STEM.org Accredited Educational Experience certificate presented to the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Giftedness and Innovation

Faq

Students who pass the scale are eligible to participate in the center's programs, subject to the terms and policies in place at the center. The criteria for program admission are determined based on the type of program and the target groups.

Test results are displayed through the guardian's account on the scale's application platform, as well as via text messages confirming the student's success in the scale. Meanwhile, the results of students from schools and educational institutions are shown through the school's or institution's account on the testing platform.

The center allows students to take the scale tests once in each educational stage:

First Stage (Grades 4, 5, and 6)
Second Stage (Grades 7 and 8)
Third Stage (Grades 9 and 10)
Fourth Stage (Grades 11 and 12)

Yes, there are instructions, and materials will be sent to the students regarding the electronic scale application instructions. Instructions will also be displayed during the test in each section.

The results will be announced within two to three weeks from the date of the test, and the lists of talented students will be sent to the coordinators at schools and beneficiary organizations.

Join the test and explore your talents