Four Bhutanese students are preparing to put their technical skills and teamwork to the test at the FIRST Global Challenge 2026, an international robotics competition scheduled to take place in Incheon, South Korea, from October 7 to 10. The event will bring together young innovators from more than 190 countries.
The students, selected through a nationwide process, have spent the past month working alongside two mentors in Pangbisa, developing and testing a robot for the competition. Their participation will mark Bhutan’s fourth appearance at the international event.
This year’s challenge, themed “Igniting Innovation”, will focus on addressing the growing threat of wildfires through technology and collaborative problem-solving. Participating teams will form alliances with students from other countries and operate robots to contain simulated fires and protect designated areas.
For Team Bhutan, the preparations have involved more than assembling mechanical components and writing computer programmes. The students have had to combine their individual abilities, exchange ideas and find solutions to technical challenges within a limited timeframe.
Seventeen-year-old Younten Thinley Dendup from Motithang Higher Secondary School said preparing for the competition has given his interest in programming a more practical direction. While he previously explored coding languages and technologies out of personal curiosity, he is now concentrating on understanding the robot’s components and programming them according to technical specifications.
His teammate, Sonam Tshering, 17, from The Royal Academy in Paro, believes effective communication will be essential to the team’s performance. With each member contributing different ideas and skills, he said the ability to understand one another and make collective decisions would be crucial during the competition.
For Yangchen Dolma, 16, of Motithang Higher Secondary School, the opportunity carries particular significance because she will be representing Bhutan. Although she has participated in competitions before, she said competing internationally brings a greater sense of responsibility and excitement, particularly with the opportunity to interact with students from different countries.
Beyond the technical competition, the students are also preparing to introduce Bhutanese culture to their international counterparts.
Tshering Wangmo, 18, from Rangjung Higher Secondary School, has been helping prepare souvenirs highlighting Bhutan’s cultural identity and traditions. She sees the event as an opportunity not only to demonstrate the capabilities of Bhutanese youth but also to share the country’s values and heritage with participants from around the world.
As the competition approaches, the team is concentrating on improving the robot’s performance and ensuring that its various mechanisms function reliably.
Team mentor Anith Ghalley said the remaining preparations will focus on refining components, including the robot’s launcher and collector, while building the students’ confidence ahead of the international event.
Having studied footage of previous editions, the mentors recognise that the scale of the competition will present a new experience for the students. Helping them adapt to that environment, they believe, will be as important as ensuring that the robot is technically ready.
The FIRST Global Challenge is designed to encourage young people to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics while working across national boundaries to address shared global challenges.
For the four Bhutanese participants, the experience has already provided an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to practical problems, develop technical skills and learn the importance of cooperation.
With the final preparations underway, Team Bhutan is now looking forward to joining young innovators from across the world, carrying both its robot and the aspirations of representing the country onto the international stage.
