Canary Islands AI team: first generation

The Canary Islands are launching their first structured pathway into artificial intelligence for secondary school students through a region-wide Olympiad focused on learning, competition, and talent discovery. The initiative is designed to identify young students with strong analytical thinking and introduce them early to the world of AI.

Organized by Universidad Europea de Canarias together with Harbour.Space Institute of Technology, and supported by institutions such as INtech — PCTT and FDCAN, the project brings together education, public institutions, and technology partners in a shared effort to develop future AI talent in the archipelago.

Rather than being a traditional exam, the Olympiad is built as a full learning journey that starts with free training and ends with the creation of a regional AI team.

The Olympiad is open to students aged 12 to 18 living in the Canary Islands, with no requirement of prior experience in programming or artificial intelligence. The goal is to make AI accessible while still challenging students who already have technical skills.

Instead of focusing only on results, the competition emphasizes progression. Students are guided through a structured experience that includes learning resources, practice, and competitive evaluation. This makes the Olympiad both an educational platform and a selection mechanism.

The initiative is designed to reward curiosity, consistency, and problem-solving ability rather than prior exposure to advanced technical education.

The Olympiad is divided into multiple stages that gradually increase in difficulty and competitiveness.

The first stage is an online qualifier that students complete asynchronously within a defined time window. This format allows participation from any island and any school environment, ensuring accessibility and equal opportunity.

The second stage is a live online final where the highest-ranked participants compete in real time. This phase introduces time constraints and more complex problem-solving challenges, simulating real competitive and academic environments.

The process concludes with a final selection that determines the eight students who will form the Canary Islands AI Team.

All participants have access to a free online learning platform designed to support their preparation throughout the competition. The content includes structured modules in Python programming, mathematics for STEM, NumPy, and linear algebra.

These subjects are selected to build a strong foundation in computational thinking and data analysis. The learning path is designed to be progressive, allowing beginners to start from basic concepts and gradually move toward more advanced AI-related topics.

Future additions such as AI Foundations and Pandas expand the ecosystem further, ensuring continuous development beyond the Olympiad itself.

The final outcome of the Olympiad is the creation of the first official Canary Islands AI Team. The team consists of eight students, with an equal distribution of four girls and four boys.

This structure reflects a deliberate commitment to both fairness and inclusion, ensuring that the team represents a balanced selection of talent across the region.

The final announcement is made during a public live ceremony, marking the official recognition of the selected students as members of the Canary Islands AI Team.

Students selected for the final team gain access to advanced educational and professional opportunities in artificial intelligence.

One of the key rewards is a scholarship to Spain’s first AI High Performance Center in Puerto de la Cruz, an intensive program focused on advanced training and mentorship in AI.

Selected students also receive official team recognition, including institutional representation, a dedicated team kit, and continued access to advanced online training programs provided by Harbour.Space Institute of Technology.

Schools are an essential part of the Olympiad ecosystem. They can host the first round directly on campus, making participation easier for students and integrating the competition into the academic environment.

Educators are also supported with training materials, structured teaching resources, and access to AI-focused content that can be used in the classroom. This helps schools incorporate modern digital skills into their curriculum.

Participating institutions are also included in a public ranking based on student performance, providing recognition for their contribution to digital education and innovation.

The Canary Islands AI Olympiad represents a long-term investment in education and technological development in the region. It introduces students to artificial intelligence at an early stage and provides a structured pathway from learning to competition and advanced training.

By connecting universities, institutions, and technology partners, the initiative helps build a sustainable ecosystem for AI talent development. It also ensures that students from all islands have equal access to high-quality learning opportunities.

Ultimately, the Olympiad aims to position the Canary Islands as an emerging hub for digital education and youth innovation in artificial intelligence.