His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended the opening ceremony of the 8th edition of RoboCup Asia-Pacific 2025, organized by Khalifa University of Science and Technology. The event represents the first time the prestigious robotics competition has been hosted in the MENA region, taking place as part of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week under the theme Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for a Sustainable Future.
The scale of participation demonstrates the global significance of the event, featuring more than 170 teams and exceeding 700 participants from across the world. Singapore leads international representation with 22 teams comprising 61 students and 55 officials, followed by Egypt and Russia with 18 teams each, China with 10 teams, and the UAE fielding 12 teams of 44 students. This diverse international participation underscores Abu Dhabi's growing reputation as a hub for technological innovation and global collaboration in advanced technologies.
During the ceremony, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan toured multiple competition areas and reviewed cutting-edge robotics projects developed by student teams participating in both main and sub-challenges. He emphasized that strategic investment in artificial intelligence, robotics technologies, and autonomous intelligent systems serves as a fundamental pillar in future development. The nurturing of young talent and promotion of research and development contributes significantly to strengthening Abu Dhabi's position as both a global platform supporting innovation ecosystems and a destination for attracting future industrial sectors.
As a project-oriented educational initiative, RoboCupJunior sponsors local, regional, and international robotic events for young students through Soccer, OnStage, and Rescue leagues. RCAP 2025 features eight main competitions and 15 sub-challenges covering these three core leagues. The RoboCup Soccer component includes four specific challenges: Standard Platform, Humanoid, Simulation 2D, and RoboCupJunior leagues, providing comprehensive platforms for students to demonstrate their technical capabilities and innovative approaches to robotics development.
His Excellency Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President of Khalifa University, noted that hosting RCAP 2025 represents a major milestone for both the university and the regional robotics ecosystem. This achievement highlights Abu Dhabi's emerging role as a regional center for advanced robotics and AI research, aligning with broader strategic objectives including the UAE Vision 2031. The event demonstrates how artificial intelligence and robotics technologies can transform traditional industries while generating increased interest in STEM-related subject areas among students. Such major international events also help attract top global talent in AI and robotics to Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE, creating fresh talent pipelines suitable for future leadership positions in technology sectors.
Alya Al Hosani, Executive Director of Community Affairs at Mubadala Investment Company, expressed pride in supporting RoboCup Asia-Pacific 2025 as a distinguished platform that underscores the UAE's leadership in innovation and technology. Mubadala's commitment to advancing youth engagement in STEM education and fostering innovation in fields such as robotics reflects the organization's dedication to nurturing the next generation of talent that will continue advancing the UAE as a knowledge-based economy. The company's support for such initiatives aligns with national priorities for economic diversification and technological advancement.
Dr Hamad Karaki, General Chairman of RCAP 2025, highlighted that the number of participating teams and diversity of competitions strongly reflect Abu Dhabi's ability to attract top-tier technology experts competing through the latest AI technologies. The event aims to strengthen and nurture the UAE's robotics ecosystem following government initiatives to create an AI-powered administration, including complete digitization of processes and deployment of more than 200 AI solutions. These comprehensive efforts have positioned the UAE as a global magnet for leading technology innovators participating in events like RCAP 2025, further establishing the country's credentials in the global technology landscape.
