RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) is scheduled to launch 13 international programs in the most prestigious universities in the US, Canada and Britain. Starting Monday, the foundation will enroll 114 students in a variety of programs with first-year secondary school students participating for the first time. Among the most important programs is “Stones and Bones,” which will enable students to study fossils and learn about geological concepts, the earth's strata, methods of excavation and how to maintain fossils. The students will spend four weeks studying molecular cell biology and technology used in research laboratories, and carry out experiments in laboratories at the University of Chicago. A technology program, to be taught at a number of US universities, will teach students about fields such as programming, robotics, web design and other technological fields. Some students will attend the Center for Talented Youth, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, which has 30 years of experience teaching talented students by determining their needs. A scientific program at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology includes research, lectures and field trips to NASA laboratories and other destinations. A math program focuses on expanding students' capabilities and boosting their performance in contests. It includes training courses in mathematics for intermediate- and secondary-school levels, and for math olympiads. Through its endeavor to encourage elite students to enroll in its international programs, Mawhiba aims to upgrade the students' scientific capabilities and skills, help them to get acquainted with advanced theories and experiments, expose students to top research institutes and give them the opportunity to get scholarships in the universities that conduct these programs.
