Zagreb, Croatia – Three students from ABA Oman International School represented Oman at the WRO Open Championship Europe 2026 in Zagreb, Croatia, competing against teams from different countries in an international showcase of robotics, programming and innovation.

Yousuf Rashid Al Ruzaiqi, Yusuf Razvi and Norvin Farel Claassen participated in the RoboMission Elementary category with their robot, named Omani Scorpion, at the championship held from October 13 to 16. The event brought together 43 teams from 50 countries, providing a platform for young innovators to demonstrate their technical abilities and exchange ideas.

The team qualified for the international competition after securing second place in a previous event, marking an important milestone in the students’ journey in robotics and programming.

The students were guided by coach Fereshteh Saeedi, with support from Vahid Jourabchi, an international organiser with the World Robot Olympiad Association.

Their participation offered an opportunity to test their robot in an international competitive environment, learn from teams with different approaches to engineering and programming, and gain valuable experience in tackling technical challenges.

The RoboMission category requires participants to design and programme robots to complete specific tasks. Success depends on a combination of engineering design, logical reasoning, planning, testing, troubleshooting and problem-solving.

Students must also demonstrate adaptability and perseverance, as they refine their designs and programming to improve their robots’ performance and respond to the demands of the competition.

For the Omani Scorpion team, the experience extended beyond the competition itself. Taking part in an international championship allowed the students to apply classroom knowledge in a practical setting, develop their confidence and strengthen their ability to work collaboratively under pressure.

The competition also provided an opportunity to observe different robotics solutions, exchange knowledge with fellow participants and gain a broader understanding of developments in the field.

Robotics competitions play an important role in encouraging young people to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through hands-on learning. By combining programming with practical engineering, they help students develop analytical thinking, creativity and the ability to approach complex problems systematically.

The students’ participation reflects their commitment to innovation and continuous learning, while highlighting the value of school-based initiatives that encourage young people in Oman to develop technological skills from an early age.

Having progressed from a second-place finish in the qualifying competition to the European championship, the three students have taken another step in their robotics journey, representing ABA Oman International School and Oman on an international stage.