World Robot Olympiad in Dubai

Almost 400 teams of high-school students travelled from as far afield as Russia, South Africa, Denmark and the Philippines to participate at the event in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

"The first international event was held in 2004 in Singapore," says Kerry Bailey, an event co-ordinator.

"This is the first time this event has been held outside the Far East."

But hosting the World Robot Olympiad in Abu Dhabi is not simply about expanding its footprint around the globe. It is also about boosting robotics in the Middle East. And so far, it seems to be working.