The event brings together teams from 12 Vietnamese provinces and cities, along with guest teams from the Republic of Korea (RoK) and China.

The competition is organised by Viet Tinh Anh Joint Stock Company in coordination with relevant agencies, with support from the Danish Embassy in Vietnam.

According to the organisers, the 2026 edition attracts more than 1,500 contestants from over 350 schools nationwide. Following a series of selection rounds, nearly 500 top contestants have gathered in Gia Lai to compete in four categories.

Three ROBOTMISSION categories – B1, B2 and B3 – require teams to programme autonomous robots to complete designated tasks on competition fields, while the FUTURE INNOVATOR category challenges teams to present and defend STEM Robotics projects and innovative ideas before a judging panel.

Held under the theme “Robots Meet Culture”, this year’s competition aims to connect technology with cultural values, encouraging students to apply their knowledge of science, engineering and programming to real-world problems while promoting cultural values through creative solutions.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Gia Lai provincial People’s Committee Lam Hai Giang stressed that science – technology, innovation and digital transformation are profoundly changing the ways people learn, work and develop. In this context, creative thinking, problem-solving skills and technological proficiency have become essential competencies for young people.

He noted that STEM education not only provides students with knowledge of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, but also helps develop logical thinking, teamwork, creativity and the ability to apply knowledge in practice. Gia Lai is among the localities that have early developed a province-wide STEM education scheme, aiming to expand meaningful access to STEM education for students.

From the nearly 500 contestants competing in the national finals, 44 outstanding ones will be selected to represent Vietnam at international competitions.

The organisers said the WRO network currently brings together 104 countries, with more than 22,000 teams and over 60,000 contestants worldwide.

Vietnamese teams have achieved notable results at international competitions in recent years. At the 2024 event in Türkiye, Vietnam finished runner-up in the Elementary category and third in the Junior category. In 2025, at the competition in Singapore, Vietnamese teams continued to secure places among the world’s Top 5 and Top 6./. VNA