An Algerian team of five high school students has won a gold medal at the FIRST Global Challenge 2026, held in Incheon, South Korea, from October 7 to 12, 2026. The team was supported by Samsung Electronics Algeria and Altis Training Center. The competition brought together young people from over 190 countries to participate in robotics challenges designed to test their scientific and technological knowledge, creativity, and ability to collaborate.
The Algerian team was received by Min Kyung-tae, South Korean ambassador to Algeria, before their departure for Incheon. The ambassador expressed his encouragement for the team's participation, describing it as a "fine representation of Algerian youth on the international stage." Samsung Electronics Algeria stated that its goal was to highlight the potential, creativity, and ambition of Algerian youth by giving them the opportunity to represent Algeria on an international stage dedicated to innovation.
The FIRST Global Challenge aims to bring together young people from around the world to tackle robotics challenges that test their knowledge, creativity, and ability to collaborate. For the Algerian team, this participation was more than just a competition; it was an opportunity to test their skills against an international environment, exchange with other young talents, and showcase Algerian youth's expertise and ambition beyond borders.
This participation takes on particular significance in the current Algerian context, marked by recent extreme weather episodes, such as the forest fires that affected several regions of the country. It highlights that science, technology, and innovation are essential tools for Algerian youth to understand, anticipate, and respond to environmental challenges. The team also visited the Korean Fire Research Institute (NFRI) on October 12 to discover advanced fire prevention and management technologies.
The partnership between Samsung Electronics Algeria and Altis Training Center was instrumental in the team's preparation and participation. Altis Training Center was responsible for the team's training, pedagogical support, and technical accompaniment throughout their preparation in Algeria and during their participation in the challenge in South Korea. Samsung and Altis Training Center aim to invest in the potential of young Algerian talents and support their development.
The experience in Incheon and access to cutting-edge Korean technologies represents a unique opportunity for practical learning and technological exchange. For Altis Training Center, this project goes beyond an international competition; it allows young people to transform their knowledge into concrete skills, work on real problems, and develop their teamwork and innovation skills.
The participation of the Algerian team at the FIRST Global Challenge also aims to inspire other young Algerians to take an interest in science, technology, engineering, and innovation. This effort is part of Samsung's broader initiatives to develop the technological skills of young people, including the launch of the new edition of Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC2026) in Algeria, in partnership with the ESI (Higher School of Computer Science).
Key points
- Algerian team wins gold medal at FIRST Global Challenge 2026
- Team supported by Samsung Electronics Algeria and Altis Training Center
- Participation aims to inspire young Algerians to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and innovation
