In response to the evolving global education landscape, Qatar's Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) is launching an initiative to enhance student mastery of foundational competencies as measured by international benchmarks like PISA, TIMSS, and PIRLS. Recognizing the limitations of traditional instructional methods in a digital age, the MoEHE is calling for innovators to develop a fully immersive, game-based learning platform. This platform aims to deliver deep engagement, curriculum alignment, and cultural relevance, while also providing educators with tools to adapt content to Qatar’s national curriculum and values.
Challenge Statement
The central challenge is to develop an immersive, interactive game-based platform designed to significantly enhance student engagement and mastery of foundational competencies. The MoEHE seeks an integrated, real-time edutainment solution that unifies foundational learning with high-fidelity gameplay. This platform must leverage existing pedagogical standards to create a centralized environment for tracking educational progress, ideally without requiring additional hardware installations, although proposals for innovative, scalable technology are welcome. The solution should incorporate advanced analytics, adaptive AI, and intuitive visual dashboards to offer actionable insights into student mastery, engagement levels, and cross-competency performance, ultimately improving educational efficiency and the overall student journey.
Program Mission
• Create an advanced immersive learning platform that places students inside rich, interactive game environments where education occurs naturally through exploration and play.
• Combine engaging narratives, collaborative gameplay, adaptive learning mechanics, and educator-friendly tools to improve student motivation, comprehension, and long-term retention.
• Move beyond surface-level gamification to deliver true edutainment, empowering students to actively learn, apply knowledge, and master foundational skills in a manner that is intuitive, engaging, and culturally relevant.
Opportunities and Incentives
• Funding: Receive up to USD 100,000 in QRDI funding as cash contributions to support solution and POC development, contingent on the project proposal.
• Collaboration: Work directly with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education on a high-impact national education challenge.
• Showcase Capabilities: Demonstrate expertise in edutainment, immersive technologies, and AI-driven learning.
• Access to Data and Analytics: Utilize de-identified student performance data to improve personalization algorithms.
• SME Expertise: Consult with subject-matter experts who are available to review outcomes and provide domain-specific insights.
• Piloting Opportunities: Gain access to select schools for real-world testing and refinement of the solution.
• Teacher and Student Feedback: Obtain direct access to educators and students to gather qualitative and quantitative feedback on usability and impact.
• Scaling Opportunities: Explore possibilities for scaling the solution across Qatar and the wider MENA education ecosystem.
Timeline and Key Dates
• Scouting Phase (January 26th - March 23rd, 2026): Startups and SMEs (TRL 6+) can sign up, complete the participation form, and submit a proposal deck.
• Informative Webinar (February 16th, 2026, 3:00 PM UTC+03): A Q&A session with the Ministry of Education and QRDI will be hosted, with a replay available for viewing.
• Registration Deadline: March 23rd, 2026.
• Shortlisting Phase (Late March - April 2026): Proposals will be reviewed based on technical viability (55%), implementation (20%), and team strength (25%). Shortlisted innovators will be notified.
• Evaluation Phase (May - June 2026): Shortlisted innovators will connect with MoEHE teams for one-on-one sessions to refine their solutions.
• Awarding (August 2026): The final announcement of awarded innovators will be officially published by August 2026.
This initiative presents a significant opportunity for innovators to contribute to the future of education by developing a cutting-edge edutainment solution. Participants will have the chance to collaborate on a national-level project, shaping the next generation of learning through immersive and interactive experiences.