The Water Rocket Competition – Emirates and Boeing
Introduction
In February 2025, UAE’s school students participated in the Water Rocket Competition, held in collaboration with Boeing. Since the first competition held in 2017, eight students have climbed the winners’ podium.
The annual competition at EAU campus in Dubai aims to inspire innovation, promote teamwork, encourage hands-on problem-solving, and encourage interest in STEM areas. This event has become a significant platform for young minds to showcase their skills and creativity.
Purpose of the best practice/guidance
The reporting of this initiative is important to value actions that empower the aerospace sector, such as:
- Promoting STEM Education: The event encourages high school students to become interested in careers in science and engineering.
- Encouragement of Aerospace Engineering: With the growth of the aerospace sector in the United Arab Emirates, the event seeks to spark interest in this area. It also introduces young people to the laws of physics, aerodynamics and basic concepts of propulsion.
- Environmental Awareness and Sustainability: The rockets are made with recyclable materials such as PET bottles, plastic bags and adhesive tape, this shows that it is possible to use simple and sustainable resources to learn.
- Inclusion and Diversity in Science: The competition is open to students from different schools and ethnic backgrounds, especially relevant in the search for more diversity in gender, culture and nationality.
- Teamwork and Socio-Emotional Skills: Students work in groups, developing collaboration, leadership, communication and decision-making, essential skills for the job market of the future.
- Talent Development for the Future: With the goal of becoming a global innovation hub, the United Arab Emirates invests in training local talent in strategic areas such as aviation and technology.
Intended audience
The target audience of the “Water Rocket Competition” event are school students from the United Arab Emirates, specifically those who are in high school, in grades 11 and 12.
Since the first competition held in 2017, over 1,000 students from one hundred schools have participated in the challenge and eight students have climbed the winners’ podium, this event promotes teamwork and the practical application of knowledge from STEM.
Description/How it works
Students are organized into teams of four and have the task of building rockets using simple and recyclable materials, such as plastic bottles, air pumps, clay blocks, adhesive tapes and plastic bags.
The challenge consists of launching the rockets at a 45-degree angle, propelled only by water and air pressure, seeking to reach the greatest distance possible. Each team has two hours to build their rockets and two launch attempts.
Impacts / Outcomes
This event has become a significant platform for young people to showcase their skills and creativity, especially in STEM context. Additionally, the event fortifies the collaboration with important partners such as Boeing and Emirates Aviation University.
Through academic workshops, talks on interpersonal skills, cultural visits, and other activities, students can explore different areas of knowledge and develop essential skills for the future.
Lessons learned
This initiative shows that education based on practical projects stimulates creativity and teamwork, by challenging students to build and launch water-powered rockets, the program translates complex concepts into practical and concrete experiences. In addition to young people learning about physics and engineering, they develop socio-emotional skills such as cooperation, communication and resilience in the face of mistakes and trials.
The program teaches that collaboration between the private sector, education and civil society is essential to expand the reach and impact of educational initiatives. The partnership between Boeing and Emirates Foundation shows that companies in the aerospace sector must invest in the development of new talent, contributing to the training of future professionals who can work in strategic areas.
Another valuable lesson is inclusive and playful educational activities, which can be a powerful tool for expanding access to science. The use of simple, low-cost materials also demonstrates that it is possible to recreate experiences like this in regions with limited resources, making the program accessible to regions with different realities.
Web link
https://www.emirates.com/media-centre/emirates-aviation-university-and-boeing-inspire-students-to-think-stem/
Authors and Contributors
Professor Ahmad Al Ali – Vice Chancellor of Emirates Aviation University
Kuljit Ghata-Aura – President of Boeing Middle East, Türkiye, Africa, and Central Asia