National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity

Introduction

In fulfillment of the Vision 2030 of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with the goal of a prosperous economy and a fruitful opportunity by providing education that contributes to advancing the nation. One of the work commitments is the "focus on innovation in advanced technologies and entrepreneurship and in line with the tenth development plan, to transform that into society. The National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity "Ibdaa" seeks to create a competitive, creative scientific environment that stimulates the mind of a pre-college scientific researcher. It also prepares them for competition and entry into the global knowledge system based, on innovation and scientific research to achieve sustainable national development.

Ibdaa has embodied distinction and creativity at the local and international levels by the hands of the sons and daughters of the nation through distinguished scientific projects throughout the past 11 years. The achievements continue now in creativity with full potential and is organized by the Ministry of Education and the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity "Mawhiba". It is part of the implementation of the education policy in the Kingdom, with the goal to encourage and develop the spirit of research and scientific thinking, and to consider to global achievements in the fields of science and knowledge.

National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity - An Introduction

It is an annual scientific competition based on competition in one of 21 scientific fields and is implemented through the submission of individual scientific or engineering projects, according to International standards and controls.

Ibdaa Science and Engineering Fair

An exhibition to select the winners in "Ibdaa", from whom represent the Kingdom at the International Science and Engineering Exhibition "ISEF" in the United States of America.

The Scientific Project

It is the study of a problem to solve based on precise scientific rules, and it is a way to ask questions and scientifically answer to them by observing and doing experiments and providing results. It is organized scientific thinking carried out by a person called the researcher to investigate facts about a particular issue or problem called the subject of scientific research. This is implemented by following an organized scientific method called the scientific research method, with the goal of reaching appropriate solutions for applications or to validate results for generalization to similar problems called results of scientific research. This will prove or deny the hypothesis and this research may lead to an engineering design that requires creative work.

Goals

Provide a competitive environment that satisfies the interest of the nations' sons and daughters.
Develop the creative spirit among students in the scientific and technical fields.
Discover the scientifically talented students.
Provide students with scientific research skills and to provide the development of their scientific talents.
Represent the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in international forums with distinguished projects.
Embrace students' creativity to reach solutions to solve global sustainable development problems.
Teach creative students about the importance of the economic impact of scientific research.
Transform students' projects into usable manufactured models.

Students Journey with Ibdaa

Phase 1: Registering the student's information

Phase 2: Training courses for students

Phase 3: Project Submission

Phase 4:

E-arbitration (judging)
Announcement of winners to the next phase
Uploading prototypes on websites

Phase 5:

Fairs and workshops (1-2-3)
Announcement of nominees to National phase
Continue developing projects

Phase 6:

Ibdaa Science and Engineering Fair
Preparatory Workshop for ISEF
Joining ISEF team, if selected

Scientific fields

Achievements

Registration

Note: Registration for the Olympics is available during the period from August to September of each year, and is carried out during the period from October to May of each year.

Target group

Middle or high school students within the age group (11-20 years).

Registry Permissions

The participant must be a Saudi national and one of the intermediate or secondary school students in the age group (12-20 years).
Must be registered in "Ibdaa" via the electronic form to request participation. Any project that is not registered will not be accepted.
The participant must be from schools affiliated with the Ministry of Education in the Kingdom, and the Executive Committee has the right to exclude any participant if it is proven that there is incorrect information in the basic data.
Choosing a project supervisor must be done according to the specified controls, and in the event of violating any of the aforementioned controls, the supervisor will not be approved. Note that the supervision of the project will not entail any rights if the project won at any stage of the Ibdaa links to a project supervisor.
The necessity of the participant's attendance for all days of the qualifying and training programs, the days of the central exhibitions, and Ibdaa exhibition for science and engineering.
The participant is obligated to review the guidelines, rules, and regulations for Ibdaa through the Mawhiba website.

Terms and conditions for participating in the project

The student is entitled to participate in only one project, provided that the project is individual, meaning that only one student participates in the project. Registration on the site with a group project will not be accepted.
It is forbidden to participate in the same project idea for more than one male or female student, and if this occurs, the participation of both students will be canceled.
Completing the registration stages, which includes recording personal information, then project information in the second stage, then bank data, then printing an Ibdaa card to attend central exhibitions and Ibdaa exhibition for science and engineering upon project qualification.
When filling out the project information, the participant must write the project summary comprehensively with all the abstract elements as the electronic arbitration depends on the summary and plan of the project registered on the Mawhiba website.
The projects that did not fully record project information in the specified time are excluded.
The Executive Committee has the right to exclude projects in which the project title and the project summary do not match.
The Executive Committee has the right to exclude projects that do not have basic scientific information in the project summary.
The Executive Committee has the right to exclude the participant who has other competitions/events that coincide with any stage of Ibdaa, and affect his participation in accordance with the rules, regulations and obligations contained in the framework.
That the participation is within the allowable fields of Ibdaa, where the project will be judged according to the participant's choice of the field. The participant is not allowed to change the field after the project is judged.
That the participation is an original and unprecedented work and allowed if it is a further development of previous work. It must be a personal effort of the participant, bearing in mind that any participation in the electronic arbitration stage or any stage of Ibdaa will be excluded if it is discovered that the work is reproduced or incomplete.
It is not possible to change the project supervisor after registering his name on the “Mawhiba" website, and any supervisor who meets the criteria has the right to supervise more than two projects as a maximum. “Supervisor Selection Controls"
Commitment to scientific ethics controls in conducting experiments and implementing the project, and adherence to safety and security controls and instructions for the presentation of the project. “Scientific Ethics"
Fill out the forms required for the project according to the field of the project, noting that there are mandatory forms for all projects, and no participation will be accepted without filling out the forms
If there is an engineering model, the specified measurements must be adhered to: (The maximum length is 50 cm, the width is 40 cm, the height is 20 cm). A width greater than these measurements will not be allowed, and a video clip and photographs of the engineering product can be displayed.
Preparing the project display board as shown on the Mawhiba website, as well as preparing the project code when starting the project and writing the project plan and summary, as shown on the Mawhiba site.
If the project is a continuation of the past year, the following must be adhered to:

Clarification to the arbitrator in the central exhibitions and Ibdaa exhibition for science and engineering during the arbitration interview that the project is a continuation of the past year.
Form No. (7) available on the Mawhiba website for completing the project and displaying it on the display board for this year's project.

To be satisfied with writing the (new) developed part of the project only in the presentation board and the project summary without writing the procedures of the previous year.

Important instructions for participants

1. It is necessary to read and understand the scientific ethics regulations for the participant and the project supervisor.

2. Fill out the required forms for each field, taking into account accuracy in writing the Gregorian date and including the signature, while taking into account the following:

A. When dealing with animals, experiments must be conducted in a suitable environment and limited to observation and monitoring of the animal’s behavior only, without directly affecting the animal or causing harm or danger to it, while preserving its life in accordance with the regulations in the Kingdom.

B. When dealing with hazardous or internationally prohibited materials, the participant’s role is limited to observation and monitoring, with the necessity of adhering to international security and safety laws and working under the supervision of an academic scientific supervisor specialized in the field in accordance with the regulations in the Kingdom.

C. When dealing with human elements such as: (distributing questionnaires to a number of people):

General questionnaires: which measure the efficiency of the innovator's work without the need for personal data or opinions and does not require writing the person's name or written consent.
Special questionnaires: with a specific category such as: (Age, gender, position, etc. ...) it requires obtaining written consent in addition to filling out Form No. 4 with a consent form for each person and persons under the age of 18 years, the guardian's approval is required.

3. The participant gets the feedback about his project directly from the arbitrator in the central exhibitions and Ibdaa exhibition for science and engineering through questions and discussions during the interview on the day of the arbitration only, knowing that this feedback is not available to both the Ministry or Mawhiba.

4. The results of the arbitration are final and not subject to discussion or objection.

5. For comments or inquiries regarding arbitration, contact is made via e-mail Judging@mawhiba.org.sa

6. For scientific inquiries (scientific ethics controls, project presentation, direction, and guidance), contact via e-mail src@mawhiba.org.sa

7. If there are technical problems in all stages of registration or stages of Ibdaa, please contact Customer Service.

Voluntary Arbitration

Voluntary arbitration

It is the arbitration of scientific (research) projects registered to participate in the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity “Ibdaa” by experts, specialists or volunteer academics in the same field of the project, and then evaluating them according to specific scientific standards.

ISEF Exhibition

The Kingdom, represented by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) and the Ministry of Education, is participating in the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), which is the largest scientific competition in the field of scientific research for the pre-university stage. The fair hosts approximately 1,800 participants from more than 75 countries around the world.

This competition is organized by the American Society for Science & the Public, and sponsored by Intel until 2019. The sponsorship was transferred to Regeneron in 2020.

This competition started as a local competition in 1950 and then became an international competition in 1958. The competition is held annually in May in the United States of America, and the location of the exhibition varies from year to year.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's participation began in 2007 based on an agreement between the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity and the Science and Society Society (SSP).

Ibdaa is the gateway to ISEF

For more about ISEF.

FAQs

Common Questions

General

What is the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity?

It is an annual scientific competition based on competition in one of the scientific fields, by submitting individual scientific projects according to the standards and controls specific to the project, and it is judged electronically and directly by an elite group of academics and specialists according to specific scientific standards with the aim of identifying distinguished projects to nominate them for the higher competitive stages.

What are the stages of the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity?

Stage One: Registering Student Information

Phase 2: Training Lectures

Stage 3: Recording project information

Stage Four: Electronic Arbitration, Announcing Candidates for Central Exhibitions, Uploading Creativity Models on Mawhiba’s Website

Phase Five: Central Exhibitions and Accompanying Training Workshops, Announcement of Qualifiers for the Creativity Exhibition for Science and Engineering “Creativity”

Stage 6: Creativity Exhibition for Science and Engineering “Ebd3”, Qualifying Workshop for International Participations, Participation in the International Science and Engineering Fair “ISEF”

How do I participate in the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity (Ibd3a)? What are the fields of the Olympiad?

To know the conditions for participation in the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity (Ibd’a) and its fields, you can visit the participation conditions page.

Is there a guide for the Olympics?

Yes, there are guides in the Olympiad library.

How do I verify the authenticity of a project?

There are several ways to help the student ensure the originality of his idea through:

· Search the Internet for patents, or similar ideas and products.

· Follow TV programs related to science and technology with a creative perspective to come up with new ideas, as this enables you to find the step that will complete the journey of those who preceded you in the field.

· Review the titles of last year’s projects, as the new idea is based on new variables in the project.

· Review the websites of accredited scientific journals and publications.

· View the websites of scientific bodies and universities.

· Visit some scientific centers where science is simplified and innovations are explained, if they exist in the region.

Who nominates students in the first stage?

All students who meet the registration requirements are allowed to participate, the most important of which is that the participant must be a general education student in the middle or secondary stages

If I am nominated and unable to participate in the Olympics, what is the necessary procedure?

In case of withdrawal, the competition management must be notified immediately by writing an official letter explaining the reasons for taking the necessary measures and sending it to the following email: ibdaa@mawhiba.org.sa

What is the method of writing the project?

To learn how to write a project, you can visit the Olympiad Library and view the file “Instructions for Writing a Project Summary and Plan.”

What does the display board contain?

You can access the Creativity Olympiad Library and view a file titled Project Display Board Template

(Click here)

We would like to participate and we are a group of female students and the form only supports one name. What should we do?

One of the conditions for participating in the Creativity Olympiad competition: the project must be individual, meaning that only one student participates in the project, and registration on the website with a group project will not be accepted.

What kind of support does the Scientific Committee provide to participating students?

The Scientific Committee answers inquiries regarding filling out scientific research project forms, and verifies that the project complies with the controls and ethics of scientific research. The Scientific Committee can also evaluate some projects and provide comments with the aim of improving and developing the project.

Scientific Committee Email: SRC@mawhiba.org.sa

What are the means of asking questions and providing comments?

Or the arbitration committee:judging@mawhiba.org.sa

Or the Scientific Committee:src@mawhiba.org.sa

What are the international competitions available to students who won the Mawhiba Science and Engineering Fair “Ibdaa” and what is the mechanism for selecting them?

Each year appropriate international competitions are determined,

Selection mechanism: This is done by a specialized committee that selects projects that meet the competition criteria.

Are there forms to fill out?

Yes, there are forms that must be filled out, noting that there are mandatory forms for all projects and no participation will be accepted without the forms (the forms are available in the Olympiad Library)

Can the scientific committee contribute to facilitating students’ entry into laboratories to conduct experiments or providing academic supervisors for research?

Yes, the scientific committee facilitates the student’s entry into the laboratory when it is available to conduct experiments after evaluating the research, with the importance of verifying that the experimental procedures are in accordance with the scientific ethics controls of the Creativity Olympiad, and also after verifying the importance of the project and the originality of the idea.

How can we communicate with the scientific committee?

Send a message to the Scientific Committee’s email: src@mawhiba.org.sa

The message explains the following:

Participant’s name, city, mobile number, project name, field, mention of the request, attaching the research summary and research plan with a clear and precise explanation of the experimental procedures.

Are there any cash prizes for the winners?

Yes, prizes (cash or in-kind) are offered and announced at the Ebdaa Science and Engineering Fair.

If the project is a continuation of last year's, do I have the right to participate in it?

Clarify during the arbitration that the project is a continuation of the participant’s previous efforts. 2- Fill out Form No. (7) available in the Olympiad Library , which is specific to completing the project and displaying it on the display board for this year’s project. 3- Do not write the procedures that were carried out in last year’s project in the research summary and the display board, and it is sufficient to display the developments that have taken place in the project this year. 4- Submit a summary of last year’s project to the arbitrator if requested.

Who are the targets of the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity?

Middle and high school students.

I am a student who has finished high school and I am twenty years old. Do I have the right to participate?

Conditions for participation in the Creativity Olympiad:

The participant must be a general education student in middle or high school.

What are the conditions for participation in the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity?

The participant must fully adhere to all the following controls and conditions:

1. The student has the right to participate in only one project, provided that the project is individual, meaning that only one student participates in the project, and registration on the website for a group project will not be accepted.

2. It is prohibited for more than one student to participate in the same project. If this happens, the participation of both students will be cancelled.

3. Completing the registration stages, which consist of registering personal information, then project information and forms in the second stage, then bank data, then printing the “Ibdaa” card to attend the central exhibitions and the Ibdaa Science and Engineering Exhibition when the project qualifies.

4. When filling in the project information, the participant must write a comprehensive project summary that includes all elements of the summary, as electronic arbitration depends on the summary and plan of the project registered on the Mawhiba website.

5. Projects that have not fully registered project information on time will be excluded.

6. The Executive Committee has the right to exclude projects in which the project title does not match the project summary.

7. The Executive Committee has the right to exclude projects that do not provide basic scientific information in the project summary.

8. The Executive Committee has the right to exclude a participant who has other participations concurrent with any stage of “Ibd’a”, and which have an impact on his participation in accordance with the controls, regulations and obligations contained in the framework.

9. Participation must be within the “Creativity” field, where the project will be judged according to the participant’s choice of field, and the participant is not allowed to change the field after the project has been judged.

10. The participation must be an original and unprecedented work, and it is permitted if it is a development of a previous work, and a personal effort of the participant, knowing that any participation will be excluded in the electronic arbitration stage or any stage of “Creativity” if it is discovered that the work is copied or incomplete.

11. It is not possible to change the project supervisor after registering his name on the “Mawhiba” website. Any supervisor who meets the criteria has the right to supervise more than two projects at most. (Link to the controls for selecting the supervisor) .

12. Commitment to scientific ethics controls in conducting experiments and implementing the project, and adherence to security and safety controls and instructions for presenting the project. (Scientific ethics link) .

13. Fill out the required forms for the project according to the project field, noting that there are mandatory forms for all projects and no participation will be accepted without filling out the forms (the forms are available on the “Mawhiba” website).

14. In the event of an engineering model, the specified measurements must not be exceeded: (length 50 cm, width 40 cm, height 20 cm). A display larger than these measurements will not be permitted. A video clip and photographs of the engineering product may be used. 15. Prepare the project display board as shown on the “Mawhiba” website, as well as prepare the project blog when starting the project and write a plan and summary of the project as shown on the “Mawhiba” website.

16. If the project is a continuation of last year, the following must be adhered to:

- Explain to the judge at the Central Exhibitions and the Creativity Exhibition for Science and Engineering during the arbitration interview that the project is a continuation of last year.

- Fill out Form No. (7) available on the “Mawhiba” website, which is specific to completing the project and displaying it on the display board for this year’s project. (Link to Form No. 7) .

- Write only the developed (new) part of the project in the display board and the project summary without writing the procedures in the previous year.

Is any student entitled to participate in more than one project?

The student may participate in only one project, and the student is not allowed to participate in more than one project.

Is it required that the project supervisor be specialized in the project field?

The project supervisor does not have to be a specialist in the project field unless the project is in the field of medicine or experiments are conducted in a scientific laboratory. Otherwise, the supervisor can be a person who holds a bachelor’s degree in one of the specializations, and it is preferable that his specialization be the same field as the student’s project. The supervisor may be a teacher, a parent, or a relative who has knowledge and awareness of the Creativity Olympiad competition, and is familiar with the conditions for participation in the Creativity Olympiad and the controls of scientific ethics and the controls for presenting projects. He has the desire and readiness to support and assist the participant in the project from the beginning of planning the work until it comes out in its final form for display in any of the Creativity Olympiad exhibitions or any international participation.

Are there any specific requirements or proofs required of the student when attending the Olympiad?

Print a creativity card to confirm completion of registration procedures, as well as bring the project summary, project blog, and project display board.

How will projects be judged?

Projects are judged electronically and directly by a group of academics and specialists according to specific scientific criteria with the aim of identifying distinguished projects to nominate them for the higher competitive stages.

What are the ethical controls that must be taken into account when starting a project?

The Olympiad Library has a special file on scientific ethics regulations that you can view.

One of the most important features of creative work is simplicity of manufacture and ease of operation. Does this mean that complex inventions such as electronics and others will be excluded!!

No participation will be excluded unless it is not original. All innovations have some kind of modernity and complexity, but what we mean is simplicity of explanation, simplicity of presentation of the idea, and clarity of explanation of your innovation, as we seek a simplified formulation of the innovation only.

Does the project require a working model or are pictures and explanations sufficient for any model?

If the project includes an engineering design, a miniature model must be provided to illustrate how it works.

If there is no model for innovation, what is the solution?

Sometimes a sample is not required if the engineering design is a computer program or a mathematical proof.

If the innovation can be applied and displayed, it must be available at the Creativity Exhibition for Science and Engineering “Creativity” stage.

Are there any certificates that students participating in the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity “Ibd’a” will receive?

All participants in the final stage, which is the Science and Engineering Creativity Exhibition, will receive a certificate of participation.

Is there attendance at the exhibition for non-participants who are interested?

Yes, and a time will be set to open the exhibition for everyone to visit.

What are the scientific fields of the Olympiad?

Scientific field	Category
Animal Sciences	Animal Sciences (ANIM)
Social and behavioral sciences	Behavioral and Social Sciences (BEHA)
Biochemistry	Biochemistry (BCHM)
Biomedicine and Health Sciences	Biomedical and Health Sciences (BMED)
Biomedical Engineering	Biomedical Engineering (ENBM)
Cellular and Molecular Biology	Cellular and Molecular Biology (CELL)
Chemistry	Chemistry (CHEM)
Computational Biology and Informatics	Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (CBIO)
Earth and Environmental Sciences	Earth and Environmental Sciences (EAEV)
Embedded Systems	Embedded Systems (EBED)
energy	Energy (EGSD)
mechanical engineering	Engineering Mechanics (ENMC)
Environmental Engineering	Environmental Engineering (ENEV)
Materials science	Materials Science (MATS)
mathematics	Mathematics (MATH)
Microbiology	Microbiology (MCRO)
Physics and Astronomy	Physics and Astronomy (PHYS)
Plant Sciences	Plant Sciences (PLNT)
Robots and smart devices	Robotics and Intelligent Machines (ROBO)
Software systems	Systems Software (SOFT)
Translational Medical Sciences	Translational Medical Science (TMED)

How to join the Olympics?

The student wishing to participate in the Olympiad registers his information on the website.

Is it possible to send the activation code to the mobile or email, or change the mobile number and email registered in the student account?

The student can recover the account and send the activation code via the mobile number or email registered in the student account (or modify the mobile and email data and recover the password and activate the account) via the ID number via the option “I cannot access my account/I forgot the password”