Liwa – A specialised summer programme focusing on innovation and artificial intelligence (AI) has commenced at the Liwa Science and Innovation Centre in North Batinah, attracting around 125 students from across the governorate.

Organised by the Directorate General of Education in North Batinah in cooperation with the Office of the Governor, the initiative forms part of the nationwide summer programme, Our Summer: Leadership and Creativity, and will continue until July 2.

The programme is designed to equip students with future-ready skills aligned with the Fourth Industrial Revolution through a series of practical and interactive workshops.

Dr Khalid bin Mohammed Al Saadi, Head of the Innovation and Scientific Olympiad Department at the Directorate General of Education in North Batinah, said the programme combines hands-on learning with emerging technologies, including programming, educational robotics, drones, 3D design and scientific research.

“The programme adopts an experiential learning approach that helps nurture creativity and innovation, strengthens scientific thinking and problem-solving abilities, and prepares students for participation in science and technology competitions,” he said.

According to Al Saadi, the initiative offers a safe and stimulating environment where students can gain practical experience and develop technical competencies through direct engagement with modern technologies.

The programme comprises eight specialised training modules covering mobile application development using the MIT App Inventor platform, drone technology, MatataLab robotics, SPIKE and EV3 robotics systems, 3D design, Arduino programming and scientific research methodologies for innovation projects.

Each module has been tailored to specific age groups and learning levels, enabling participants to build skills in programming, robotics and AI while promoting innovation, creativity and design thinking.

Al Saadi noted that the programme also seeks to strengthen scientific research capabilities, support project development and prepare students to compete in local and international science and technology events.

He added that the initiative reflects efforts to make productive use of the summer break through high-quality educational programmes that contribute to developing the skills needed for future careers and a knowledge-based economy.