Page 65 - 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

The event aligns with the UAE’s ambitious educational objectives and Centena Group’s commitment to
promoting essential STEM skills.
Winners will represent the nation at international festivals in USA, Australia, and Norway.
Participants will be provided with official FLL and LEGO Education kits by ATLAB.

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 committed to

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