STEM CHALLENGE
Designed for 11-14 year olds
2025-2026
TECHNOLOGY
ENGINEERING
MATHEMATICS
STEM education equips students with the skills needed for high-demand, highimpact careers. From data science to robotics, healthcare to environmental engineering STEM fields are the foundation of modern industries. STEM education isn’t just about science and numbers it’s about curiosity, innovation, and preparing students to thrive in a complex, tech-driven world.
As a part of our 10-year anniversary celebration, we are excited to launch the
Infinite Learning STEM Challenge
Are Your Students Ready to Lead the Future?
Empower students to adapt swiftly, embrace innovation, and seize new and exciting opportunities with confidence
Inspiring Students. Elevating Learning. Shaping the Future.
STEM STEM STEM CHALLENGE CHALLENGE CHALLENGE
Designed for 11-14 year olds
Wednesday 8 - 9 October th th
2-day face-to-face accreditation training in Dubai
January – March 2026
Schools have 3 months to prepare their teams for the Challenge and to run the Challenge competition day
Wednesday 15 April 2026 th
Challenge Celebration Event in Dubai
Questions and Answers
What is the Infinite Learning STEM Challenge and why should your school get involved?
Why has Infinite Learning chosen to launch a STEM Challenge?
In short, because it is going to be fun and exciting! It will also provide an important opportunity that is not currently available to schools in the region.
In this rapidly changing world our approach to education needs to move beyond that which is conformist, repetitive and regurgitative, to one which prepares students to respond quickly to change, new initiatives and exciting opportunities Formal education no longer has the role of preparing students for a job for life but rather must seek to empower students, enabling them to become efficient and effective independent learners and equip them with the skills to rapidly evolve in our changing world Exciting times need innovative responses
What is STEM and why is it so important?
Countries around the world know that STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) are integral to the economic success of a country and that schools can make a major contribution to the preparation of a highly skilled workforce in STEM related employment It is now well recognised that including STEM education in the curriculum can raise standards in all STEM subjects and support interdisciplinary learning by connecting STEM with other academic fields, including languages, humanities and the arts. Research shows that a focus on STEM education can lead to increased motivation, engagement, success and progression into careers in these subjects.
Do you know about the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2030 Agenda and the important role education has to play in achieving these goals?
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 global objectives adopted in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They aim to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all by promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, social development, and environmental protection. Education has a huge part to play in achieving these objectives. You can find out more here: UNESCO 2030.
Why is this relevant to STEM initiatives in schools?
By integrating the SDGs into the curriculum, especially through STEM, schools can inspire students to think critically, solve real-world problems, and innovate for a better world This engagement helps students understand the interconnectedness of global challenges and empowers them to become active, responsible global citizens, driving change within their communities and beyond. You can find out more here: UNPACKING
SDG4 EDUCATION
STEM education is not simply the delivery of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics as isolated subjects within a wider curriculum but, rather, a more holistic approach which enables the development of not only students’ academic achievements but also their ability to integrate thinking and develop the skills to make significant and innovative contributions to real life problems This is at the central core of the Infinite Learning Stem Challenge.
So, what is the Infinite Learning STEM Challenge and how will your students benefit from being involved?
The Infinite Learning Stem Challenge will require students to work independently to respond to a brief. Teachers will facilitate their experience but are not allowed to help students beyond signposting or encouraging teams. We know students respond well to the freedom granted by being able to decide on their own ideas and develop them independently They learn to apply existing knowledge and seek out ways to develop new knowledge. In the world of innovation, they learn that finding out what does not work is just as much a success as finding out what does work As a result, this develops their confidence in trying new ideas and thinking. They develop their understanding of teamwork and their individual contributions to this, developing skills they can take forward into their future place of work The sense of achievement they get from developing their own ideas empowers them and supports them in recognising their future ambitions. STEM Challenges go far beyond academic knowledge, and assessment of teams recognises this, scoring many other elements than simply just the final product.
How is the Challenge designed?
A unique challenge has been written solely for the 2025-2026 Infinite Learning STEM Challenge. We cannot give you the details of this as it must remain top secret until it is presented to those schools who are going to take part. What we can tell you, however, is that it is based on a real-life engineering problem and will enable the students to design and build creative and innovative prototypes which meet the requirements of the brief.
Who is the Challenge aimed at and how many teams can each school enter?
The Challenge is open to all students aged between 11 and 14, organised into teams of 5 (maximum) or 3 (minimum), which can be single or cross-aged groups Schools will then need to organise their teams and are allowed to run the challenge with a maximum of 10 teams per school.
What training and support do schools and teachers receive?
All teachers who wish to deliver the Challenge in their school will need to be accredited. Following acceptance of your application, you will be invited to two days of accreditation training in October Over these two days you will be introduced to the Challenge, trained to deliver and assess it in your school and supported in developing the required skills and knowledge to be able to guide students appropriately
When and where does the Challenge take place?
At the end of the accreditation training, each teacher will be given electronic copies of all documents required to run the Challenge in their school. The challenge will take 7 hours to complete and will include the following phases:
Phase 1: Introduction to the Challenge and the project brief (1 hour).
Phase 2: Planning phase – identifying problems and generating ideas Selection of team roles (1 hour).
Phase 3: Development – the Infinite Learning ‘Shop’ will open and students will purchase items and build their prototypes (3 hours) Delivery can be flexible – for example this could be done in one 3-hour session or across 3 one-hour sessions.
Phase 4: Presentation planning – students prepare and rehearse their presentations (1 hour)
Phase 5: Presentations (10 minutes per team including questions). Time allocation TBC depending on how many teams your school enters.
Delivery of the Challenge is designed to be flexible, allowing you to run it with students as you wish –for example, as part of your ongoing curriculum, or as a designated STEM Challenge Day or as part of a STEM club spanning 7 weeks. However you decide to organise the Challenge, it must be completed between January and March 2026 and take no longer than the designated time allowed. Full details of how you can choose to organise this time with your students on the Challenge will be given during the accreditation training.
You can run the Challenge with as many students as you wish but we suggest no more than 10 teams in order to make it manageable When you have run the Challenge with all your teams, you will select the highest scoring team to come to the Infinite Learning STEM Challenge celebration event in April.
What is the ‘Challenge Shop’?
Schools will need to put together a ‘shop’ from which the students can purchase the equipment they need to develop their design Most schools will have many of these shop items already, but they may need to purchase some items We keep the cost of all shop items low to enable all schools to take part and will give guidance on purchasing at the accreditation training Students will have a limited amount of money from the ‘Bank of Infinite’ to buy the resources they need and these banknotes will be provided to schools at the accreditation training.
How is the Challenge assessed? How many teams attend the Celebration Event?
Schools will run The Challenge in their own school, marking each team according to the assessment criteria provided at the accreditation training, and will send their highest scoring team to the celebration event planned for mid-April
What are the timelines for participating in and completing the Challenge?
TERM 1
Wednesday 8th - Thursday 9th
October 2025
TERM 2
January – March 2026
2-day face-to-face
accreditation training in Dubai (Maximum of 2 teachers per school)
Schools have 3 months to prepare their teams for the Challenge and to run the Challenge competition day.
TERM 3
Wednesday 15th April 2026
Challenge Celebration Event in Dubai
How much does it cost to enter my school and what are the booking deadlines?
Due to popular demand, and as our Eid gift to you, we are extending our STEM Challenge Early-bird rate of AED 17,955 until Friday 20 June! Not only that, but we are also now including up to 10 teams of 5 students in this special offer price
Challenge Package* Price
Booking
Deadline
Full-price (Eid Offer) AED 17,955 Friday 20 June 2025 th
*The price includes up to 10 teams (max 5 students per team) and the training programme for 2 teachers
*If you are a large school and think you may wish to enter more than 10 teams, please contact rebecca@infinitelearning ae directly to discuss a bespoke pricing plan
How do schools fund team participation in the Challenge?
Schools will typically charge these competition/challenge type activities to individual parents directly, either as an additional in-school activity or as an extra-curricular activity. Our Eid offer price now includes up to 10 teams of 5 (total 50 students), the price per student is only AED 359 90 This includes the 2-day face-to-face accreditation training programme in Dubai for 2 teachers, all the resources as listed in the STEM Challenge brochure and of course, the final Challenge Celebration Event for the winning teams, in Dubai in April 2026.
What does this price include? What training and support will we receive throughout the Challenge?
2-day face-to-face accreditation training programme in Dubai (2 teachers per school)
Training guide workbook
Electronic copies of all resources needed to run this unique STEM challenge (including student booklet and teacher guide)
Assessment guide with examples to help moderation of marking between teams
PPT slides
Ongoing accreditation support throughout the duration of the challenge (up to 3 hours distance online support per school)
‘Shop List’ of STEM items required for the Challenge (most of these items are commonly found in most Science or DT departments)
‘Infinite Bank’ notes for teams to purchase items from the ‘Challenge Shop’ Celebration Event and Awards
Are there any additional costs my school needs to consider?
There may be some minor reprographic costs and you may need to purchase some small items for ‘The Challenge Shop’.
Are there certificates and awards for the winning teams?
Schools will be provided with certificate templates so that all team members can receive a certificate of participation Successful teams, that are selected by your school to attend the Celebration Day event, will receive awards.
Who is Infinite Learning working with to deliver this challenge?
We are proud to be working in collaboration with Visionary Education Consultancy Limited.
Dr Keira Hart, founder of Visionary Education Consultancy Limited, has been supporting science and STEM developments for over 35 years. With a background in science education, she has delivered teacher CPD in science, STEM and leadership and management in both the primary and secondary sectors both in the UK and in the UAE. Alongside this, she has worked closely with companies and organisations wishing to extend their community offer, including GoApe!, Paulton’s Park, British Nuclear Group and the Institution of Engineering and Technology, by developing STEM resources which are linked to the UK curriculum
In 2012, the Visionary Education STEM Challenge was launched in response to companies, particularly in engineering, increasingly voicing the desire for future candidates who could demonstrate not only technical expertise, but also skills in communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability, teamwork, and leadership abilities.
Visionary Education became a limited company in 2015 at which time it also took over the development and delivery of the IET Faraday® Challenge Days which were designed to encourage 12-13 year olds to take up a career in engineering Phil Hart joined the company at this point, bringing along his expertise in the commercial sector and fresh eyes on the development of education related materials
Visionary Education Consultancy Limited continues to work with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) to write, develop and deliver the IET Faraday® Challenge Days and the DIY challenges and to deliver their own Visionary Education STEM challenge. They are currently working with the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in the south of England to develop a STEM Challenge based around speed and motoring and a girls in STEM day for local schools.
How does my school apply to be part of the Infinite Learning STEM Challenge 2025-2026?
Please visit our website to learn more and book your school’s place:
www.infinitelearning.ae/infinite-learning-stem-challenge
Places are limited, so remember to apply as soon as possible, and before Wednesday 28th May to avail of the 10% early-bird discount offer!
What information do we need from you to complete the booking form?
School Name
School Country
Completed by
Completed by email
Name of Headteacher
Email of Headteacher
STEM Facilitator 1
STEM Facilitator 2
Accounts Contact
CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT THE BOOKING FORM
Please read the following Terms and Conditions carefully:
1 Once completed, this booking form stands as a binding contractual agreement
2.Payment must be made before the event date.
3.If you are unable to attend, please inform us so that we can offer your place to another school on the waiting list
4.Notification of cancellation must be received no later than 28 days before an event or you will incur full costs
5.Cancellation outside 28 - refunds will include a 20% cancellation fee to cover costs.
6.The full fee will be payable for failed attendance.
7 Infinite Learning reserves the right to cancel any event as a result of insufficient numbers to run the competition or circumstances beyond its control, without incurring liability and will endeavour to give adequate notice
8.Infinite Learning is not responsible for associated costs incurred by delegates when booking onto, attending an event or arising from cancellation/postponement.
Please email this booking to Paola Wingrove - paola@infinitelearning.ae.
For further information, please contact: Rebecca (rebecca@infinitelearning.ae) Paola (paola@infinitelearning.ae)
