A National Framework for Giftedness: The Mawhiba Model for Identification and Nurturing Gifted Students

This study conducted a comparative analysis of the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) as a national model for gifted education and talent development. Despite global recognition of nurturing giftedness, the literature lacks comprehensive, sustainable national talent development systems. Using a qualitative instrumental case study and documentary analysis, the research evaluated how Mawhiba differs from ten global gifted education institutions. Findings showed that Mawhiba design overcomes limitations of traditional models through endowment-based funding, national scale with decentralized delivery, and a multi-sector partnership aligned with Saudi Vision 2030. The study examined how Mawhiba integrated system translated identification and nurturing processes into measurable outcomes. Results demonstrated that Mawhiba operationalized contemporary giftedness frameworks via a multi-tiered ecosystem, from large-scale identification using the Mawhiba Multiple Cognitive Aptitude Test to diverse nurturing pathways including enrichment, research development, and university preparation. The model’s efficacy was evidenced by identifying over 244,000 gifted students and earning hundreds of international scientific awards, positioning Mawhiba as a paradigm shift in strategic human capital cultivation.