UAE students pitch sustainability solutions in first Takween Al Ghurair finals

Students from all seven emirates gathered in Dubai for the first national Takween Al Ghurair Student Challenge finals, presenting ideas that ranged from satellite-based heat reduction to solar-powered irrigation. The competition highlights how the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation is using project-based learning to build future-ready skills and practical climate solutions. Why it matters: - The first national Takween Al Ghurair Student Challenge gave Grade 6 to 8 students a platform to turn classroom learning into practical ideas for sustainability. - The finals brought together finalists from all seven emirates, showing broad participation in a skills-and-innovation program tied to the UAE’s development priorities. - The challenge points to a growing push to prepare young people for real-world problem solving in climate, technology and community resilience. What happened: - Students from across the UAE competed in the finals of the first Takween Al Ghurair Student Challenge in Dubai. - The Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation ran the challenge through Takween Al Ghurair. - More than 100 team submissions came in from schools across the country. - Sixteen finalist teams advanced to the final stage. - The finalist schools represented all seven emirates. - The competition asked students to develop solutions under two themes: “Space Technologies for a Greener Future” and “Building Sustainable Communities”. The details: - The winning team under “Space Technologies for a Greener Future” came from Dubai National School – Al Barsha. - That team proposed using satellite data to address rising urban temperatures. - The proposal drew on satellites including KhalifaSat, Landsat-9 and Sentinel-2. - The team recommended thermal-insulating building materials, green walls and more urban green spaces. - The goal was to reduce heat, energy use and related health risks. - The first-place team under “Building Sustainable Communities” came from Zayed Educational Complex in Dibba, Fujairah. - That team created a solar-powered smart irrigation system inspired by traditional Emirati water stewardship practices. - The system uses real-time environmental data to decide when and how much water plants need. - The design is meant to reduce waste in school gardens and small farms. - Students worked with parents, grandparents and community members while developing some of the ideas. - The finalists kept working during distance learning in April 2026 and completed project milestones remotely. - AGF and Edutech Middle East delivered prototyping kits to participating schools across the UAE. - The kits helped teams continue building and refining their projects. - The finalists presented before judges from the UAE’s space and cultural sectors, including representatives from Space42, Dubai Culture and Talents UAE. - A representative from the Ministry of Education attended the awards ceremony along with other national stakeholders, students, educators and families. - AGF said the program supports national efforts to equip future generations with skills, confidence and mindset for the UAE’s continued development. Between the lines: - The competition blends modern technology with local heritage, suggesting AGF is trying to make sustainability education feel both globally relevant and culturally grounded. - The mix of satellite tools, smart irrigation and community input shows the program is aimed at applied learning, not just classroom theory. - The participation of space, cultural and education stakeholders signals that the challenge sits at the intersection of education policy, innovation and national identity. - Mona Ghander, SVP of Innovative Solutions & Strategic Partnerships at AGF, said the challenge shows what is possible when young people are given opportunities to turn ideas into action. - Ghander said the students showed creativity, resilience and commitment, and reflected the potential of the next generation to help shape a more sustainable future. What’s next: - AGF is expected to keep using Takween Al Ghurair as a hands-on enrichment program for Emirati students in Cycles 2 and 3. - The foundation says the broader Takween Al Ghurair model has reached more than 18,000 learners across all seven emirates. - AGF and its refugee education fund say they have reached more than 433,000 young people overall. - More project-based challenges and prototyping support are likely as the program continues to expand future-ready learning.