Bahrain Polytechnic and the Kingdom and Al-Ahlia Universities impose themselves among 2,000 educational institutions around the world.
The Kingdom of Bahrain achieved a new global achievement in the field of technology and innovation, after students from three Bahraini universities won prestigious awards during the global finals of the Huawei ICT Competition 2025-2026, which was hosted by the Chinese city of Shenzhen, in the largest session the competition has witnessed since its launch. This achievement came in an exceptional session that attracted more than 220,000 male and female students from more than 2,000 educational institutions in more than 100 countries and regions around the world, which reflects the advanced level of Bahraini competencies and their ability to compete and excel on the international stage.
After passing the national and regional qualifiers, 177 teams from 49 countries and regions qualified for the global finals that were held within the tenth session of the competition, one of the most prominent international initiatives aimed at developing digital skills and preparing young talent for the economy of the future. Participants competed in the practical application, innovation and programming tracks, amid strong competition among an elite group of international technical talents. The teams representing Bahrain were distinguished by their exceptional performance, making them among the most awarded delegations in this edition of the competition.
In confirmation of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s growing position on the global digital arena, Bahraini students achieved an exceptional achievement in the global finals, winning prestigious awards across a number of technical disciplines. Bahrain Technical College (Bahrain Polytechnic) succeeded in winning the prestigious first prize in the networking track, under the supervision of Dr. Omar Bani Fayyad, Head of the Cybersecurity Department, and with the participation of students Yousef Al-Sayyad, Zahraa Shubar and Sayed Hassan Al-Mousawi, presenting a model that reflects the global level of national technical competencies and their ability to compete and excel in international forums.
In another achievement that strengthens Bahrain’s position as a center for comprehensive innovation and empowerment of competencies, Kingdom University won the third prize in the innovation track, in addition to the prestigious international “Women in Technology” award. This achievement came under the supervision of Ms. Marwa Asim Afyan, Acting Head of the Information and Communications Technology Department, and with the participation of female students Sarah Mohamed Sharif, Fatima Nazira Mohamed Naseer, and Raya Sharafraz. This victory embodies the pioneering role of women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and reflects its influential contributions in developing innovative solutions with a tangible impact globally.
In an additional achievement, Al-Ahliyya University won the third prize in the computing track, under the supervision of Professor Dr. Wasan Shaker Awad, Professor of the College of Information Technology, and with the participation of the two students, Ayat Muddassir and Maryam Salman. Taken together, these achievements confirm the exceptional competencies and capabilities of Bahraini youth in technical fields, and also reflect the Kingdom’s firm commitment to building a knowledge-based economy and preparing qualified national cadres to contribute to leading the digital transformation and keeping pace with the requirements of the future.
Commenting on this achievement, Harry Yu, CEO of Huawei Bahrain, said: “The achievements achieved by Bahrain Polytechnic College (Bahrain Polytechnic), Kingdom University, and Al Ahlia University represent an important milestone in the development of the technology sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain. We are proud to see students from Bahraini academic institutions achieving advanced positions in one of the most competitive technical competitions in the world. Winning the “Women in Technology” award also highlights the importance of diversity and inclusion in supporting innovation and building a sustainable digital economy. These results reflect the fruits of continued investment in developing digital skills and preparing qualified national cadres to contribute to leading the future of the digital economy.”
During the closing ceremony, Dr. Shafiqa Ishaq, Acting Director of the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE), with the distinguished level demonstrated by the participants in the competition, stressing that preparing digital competencies requires close cooperation between governments, academic institutions and the technology sector. She added that the students participating in this year’s edition demonstrated a remarkable ability to employ emerging technologies to address realistic challenges, embodying the pivotal role of education in preparing generations capable of making a positive and sustainable impact.
