The Arabian Gulf University (AGU) showcased its academic leadership at the 19th Asian-Pacific Conference on Giftedness (APCG 2026), recently held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The event witnessed wide participation of experts, researchers, and decision-makers from around the world, along with prominent academic and research institutions specialised in giftedness and excellence.

The opening ceremony was attended by His Excellency Dr Saad bin Saud Al Fuhaid, President of AGU, affirming the university's commitment to active engagement in international scientific forums, its ongoing support for groundbreaking research, and its dedication to enhancing its institutional presence in nurturing talent and developing knowledge-based educational policies.

The university showcased its academic standing through the presentation of four research papers by faculty members from the Gifted Education programme. Additionally, a dedicated seminar highlighted the university's initiatives featured the participation of Dr Ahmed Mohamed Alabbasi, Vice Dean of the College of Education, Administrative and Technical Sciences, and Professor Bandar Alotaibi, Head of the Special Education Department. External speaker Researcher Selcuk Acar from the University of North Texas, USA, contributed to the seminar titled "Creative Thinking Tests and the Environment: What Really Affects Divergent Thinking Scores?”

On the student front, doctoral candidates in Gifted Education presented research papers during parallel sessions, covering contemporary topics such as talent development, critical thinking, the creativity gap, and design of enrichment programmes. They also explored the integration of AI and modern technologies in gifted education, reflecting the university's research depth and the expanding role of its student researchers on international scientific output. Master's and doctoral students from the College of Education, Administrative, and Technical Sciences showcased AGU's academic mission through a dedicated booth, offering a comprehensive overview of the university’s vision, graduate programmes in Special Education, and its supportive research environment. The booth attracted considerable interest from conference participants and international delegations.

This active participation underscores AGU's dedication to expanding academic partnerships, enhancing its presence at international conferences, and contributing to scientific research and capacity building aligned with global trends and the development priorities of the GCC countries.

It is noteworthy that AGU’s educational programmes have recently achieved significant recognition, ranking among the top 301-400 universities globally in gifted and special education fields according to Times Higher Education. In this category, the university now competes alongside esteemed institutions such as the University of Arkansas, the University of Alabama, George Mason University, and Baylor University.