Page 48 - Centena Group PR Report - January 2025

Robotics competition ‘FIRST® LEGO® League’ Challenge round hosted by ATLAB kicks off in UAE tomorrow

Robotics competition ‘FIRST® LEGO® League’ Challenge

round hosted by ATLAB kicks off in UAE tomorrow

(MENAFN- CommuniGate Middle East) UAE, 16 January 2025: The highly anticipated ‘FIRST® LEGO®
League (FLL)’ Challenge round, hosted by ATLAB, a subsidiary of Centena Group, in collaboration with
its organisers, FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and LEGO®
Education, will officially commence tomorrow. Regional competitions will be held across the Emirates
of Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi, leading up to the UAE Finals slated for February 8 and 9, 2025, at
Raffles World Academy, an Innoventures Education group school.

As a part of the event, Atlab has collaborated with leading UAE institutions such as ASCS from
Bukhatir Group, Nord Anglia International School, Royal Grammar School Guildford, Aldar Schools,
and GEMS Education, to further enhance student participation and reach.

The competition in its 9th year in the UAE, continues to inspire the nation’s young minds,
encouraging them to explore diverse facets of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) through interactive and hands-on learning experiences, enhancing students’ innovation,
leadership, self-confidence, and communication capabilities.

FIRST® LEGO® League, a global robotics program for children between the ages of 4 and 16 is divided
into three specific categories. The ‘Discover’ category for those between the ages of 4 - 6 is designed
to inspire early interest in STEM through playful, team-based challenges; the ‘Explore’ category for
those aged 6-10 strives to impart critical thinking, coding and design skills through STEM-based tasks;
and the ‘Challenge’ category for students aged 9 to 16, enables participants to solve real-world
problems using robotics and advanced STEM applications. Regional rounds of the ‘Explore’ category
for Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi have successfully concluded.

Nilesh Korgaonkar, CEO of ATLAB said: “FIRST® LEGO® League inspires students to think critically,
collaborate effectively, and explore their creative potential. The competition was created to empower
the next generation with the skills necessary for future success in STEM fields while equipping them
with essential 21st-century skills. By participating in FLL, students gain hands-on experience with
cutting-edge educational tools that foster problem-solving and leadership skills. To make this
experience more accessible, we offer official FLL and LEGO Education kits designed specifically for
this competition which are available on our eCommerce website atlabshoponline.com.”
The winners of FIRST® LEGO® League UAE will proudly represent the nation at prestigious
international festivals in the USA, Australia, Norway, and various European countries. Notably, in the
2023-24 season, the FLL UAE team earned the ‘Best Robot Performance Award’ on the global stage,
winning against top teams from around the world.

The event aligns with the ‘UAE Centennial 2071’ plan, ‘Vision 2021’, and the ‘National Innovation
Strategy’ aimed at enhancing future-ready skills, as well as the goals of the ‘UAE Artificial Intelligence
Strategy 2031’ and the ‘UAE Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy’. Moreover, the UAE remains

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