ATRC Launches R&D Talent Programme and Database to Track UAE Researchers From School

The programme was unveiled at the National Festival of Science, Technology and Innovation in Al Ain, which ATRC organises with the UAE Ministry of Education, according to Middle East AI News. It is aimed at students, graduates and early-career researchers, and links education, training, mentorship, competitions and research jobs.

The new element is a national database called the Talent Observatory, which will identify and follow promising young people. ATRC expects it to hold more than 20,000 records by 2030. As students take part in challenges, training and assessments, the database will show ATRC and its affiliated organisations where their interests and strengths lie. The council will then offer tailored support through each participant's education and early career.

Most talent schemes in the UAE cover a single stage, such as a school competition or a university scholarship. Tracking individuals across stages is meant to stop promising students dropping out between schemes, and gives the government a clearer picture of its pipeline of researchers.

The pathway starts with the ATRC School Program, a year-long introduction to advanced technology for schools, and community hubs that give children and teenagers hands-on research experience. Students who show potential can move on to assessments, competitions and training in physical AI and space exploration. Later they become eligible for scholarships, internships and industrial training in the UAE and abroad.

The programme builds on ATRC's existing STEM programmes, which the council says have reached more than 50,000 students across the country. ATRC oversees Abu Dhabi's applied research, including the Technology Innovation Institute.

ATRC has not said how much the programme will cost or how participants' data in the Talent Observatory will be governed. The science festival where it was launched runs until November 13 at the ADNEC Centre in Al Ain.