What is Hamdan talent scale: How UAE finds the next generation of geniuses to build its future | World News

In 2025, the Hamdan Talent Scale assessed 39,000+ UAE college students, discovering over 400 gifted skills/ Image: Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Giftedness and Innovation

As the UAE accelerates its pivot from a resource-driven economic system to a knowledge-based one, a quiet revolution is happening in its lecture rooms. The nation’s long-term ambitions, from synthetic intelligence to clear vitality, area exploration to sensible cities, rely not on oil, however on minds. Bright, agile, and future-ready minds. Recognizing this, the UAE has positioned distinctive concentrate on discovering and nurturing its most gifted youth, early, precisely, and inclusively. At the heart of this nationwide technique is the Hamdan Talent Scale: a groundbreaking scientific instrument that’s reshaping how the nation identifies and develops its next generation of innovators, scientists, and leaders.

Since early 2025, almost 9,000 college students have undergone evaluations by way of the nationwide Talent Identification Program. The consequence: over 400 gifted college students have been recognized in just some months. Dr. Mariam Al Ghawi, Director of the Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Giftedness and Innovation, mentioned:“Since the beginning of 2025, nearly 9,000 students have been evaluated through the national Talent Identification Program, resulting in the discovery of more than 400 gifted students. This outcome underscores the accuracy and efficiency of the scale. It reinforces the development of tailored programs to support this exceptional group of learners.” To date, greater than 2,000 gifted college students have already been recognized by way of the program. Many of them are at the moment enrolled in specialised educational tracks that emphasize STEM training, innovation labs, and skilled mentorship, a system carefully aligned with the UAE’s long-term imaginative and prescient for nationwide innovation and human capital improvement. Dr. Al Ghawi emphasised:“It is considered one of the most advanced systems for identifying gifted and talented individuals in the Arab world.”

Designed for college kids in Grades 4 by way of 12, the Hamdan Talent Scale is half of a nationwide effort to establish and assist gifted learners utilizing a culturally related, research-based method. Dr. Mariam Al Ghawi defined how the instrument works and why it stands out:“The test is a scientifically developed tool designed to identify gifted students in grades 4 through 12. Initiated by the Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, this test combines international research with local cultural and educational values, offering a comprehensive assessment of students’ intellectual, academic, and creative abilities.”

How Gifted Students Are Selected

The program makes use of a three-stage course of to guarantee correct and honest identification of talent:

“This process ensures fairness and accessibility, covering public and private schools across the seven emirates,” Dr. Al Ghawi added.

Opportunities That Follow: A Path to Growth

Students chosen by way of the Hamdan Talent Scale acquire entry to a world of alternative. The program is constructed round STEM and humanities enrichment, together with:

These experiences are designed to domesticate vital considering, management, and creativity, key attributes for the UAE’s future innovators and leaders. Notably, participation is totally free of cost. Activities are carried out on weekends, college holidays, or by way of college visits. Development packages are structured to evolve step by step over eight years, guaranteeing long-term affect and sustainability.

Open to All: A National Movement for Talent

One of the hallmark options of the initiative is its inclusivity. Open to college students of all nationalities, the program displays the UAE’s broader imaginative and prescient for a future-ready training system. Since launch, greater than 2,200 proficient college students have been recognized, with a goal of 5,000 college students by 2030. Beyond pupil assist, the program additionally invests in:

These initiatives intention to create a nationwide tradition that celebrates and nurtures talent, aligning with the objectives of the UAE Centennial Vision 2071.