Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance announced the launch of ‘Discover Talented Students’ programme at Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Giftedness and Creativity.

Targeting students from grade 4 to 12 in both public and private schools across all the UAE, the programme aims to discover and support talented students, using a set of advanced and standardized scientific tools known as ‘Hamdan Talent Rubric’.

Students are nominated for the programme through two mechanisms: self-nomination, where the student or their guardian fills out their information on the programme’s website, or collective nomination in coordination with schools and institutions.

In his comment on the launch of the program, His Excellency Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi, the Secretary-General of Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, said: “As a consolidation of the role of Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance in supporting the culture of talent and innovation, we are pleased to launch the programme entitled “Discover Talented Students” at Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Giftedness and Creativity. The new programme uses ‘Hamdan Talent Rubric’which is the first scientific tool to discover talented students in the country. The program stems from the foundation’s vision and continuous efforts to achieve leadership in discovering talented students, fostering them, and involving them in programmes that suit their scientific abilities and skills. Through the programme, talented students are identified and supported by determining the type and level of their talents to cater to their needs and provide suitable educational services for them. This is achieved by applying a set of the latest standards to identify the talents and skills of the candidates, in preparation for their acceptance into the center’s programs. This aligns with our wise leadership’s vision to support the distinguished students, nurture talents, develop their innovations in all fields, and prepare them to bear future responsibilities in elevating the country’s status and contributing to supporting the UAE’s position as a hub for creativity, innovation, science, and technology.”

Dr. Al Suwaidi added: “This programme aims to discover the largest number of talented students in a wide range of fields to ensure a suitable fit between the capabilities of talented students and the quality of programs that are appropriate for them. In addition, the programme intends to spread   awareness among members of the community about the latest methods and practices used in detecting talented students.”

A comprehensive and integrated system is utilized in detecting talented students, starting from the nomination process and continuing until their integration into suitable programs according to their abilities. The assessment methodology adopted in the measurement is scientific and complies with modern standards, relying on measuring a range of cognitive skills and special abilities of gifted students. If the student passes the assessment, he/she will be able to participate in various gifted programs, including technology, science, mathematics, engineering, and others, in accordance with the conditions and standards applied at the center.

Dr. Al Suwaidi concluded by stating that ‘Hamdan Talent Rubric’ represents one of the best and most advanced Arab assessment tool recognized globally. It has been developed by a specialized scientific team from prestigious international universities in Germany and Saudi Arabia, according to the latest scientific theories and best global practices in the field of talents.