Students programmed robots for "zdi-Space Adventures" zdi Robot Competition 2026/Local round Oberberg & Rhein-Berg: Teams from Wiehl defended double victory

Press release from zdi-zentrum investMINT Oberberg

Oberbergischer Kreis. The two teams from the Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Gymnasium in Wiehl won the cross-district local competition of the zdi Robot Competition. A total of 22 students from the Oberbergischer Kreis, the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis, as well as from Monheim and Bonn participated in six teams. This year's venue was the Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Gymnasium in Wiehl. The self-built and programmed robots of the student teams had to complete tasks related to the theme "space exploration" in a course. Many participants also invested their free time to develop and optimize their robots. The goal was to score as many points as possible in several evaluation rounds on the competition day. For the first time, the local competition was jointly organized and conducted across districts by the zdi-Zentrum investMINT Oberberg and the zdi-Netzwerk MINT Rhein-Berg.

“The enthusiasm and commitment of the students were impressive again this year. It is particularly gratifying that many new students participated and immersed themselves in the complex tasks with great dedication. The creative solutions and technical understanding shown by the children are remarkable,” emphasized Bastian Thelen, zdi coordinator at the Oberberg Education Office. The local competition in Wiehl is one of a total of 25 local competitions in NRW. The two first-placed teams from Wiehl qualified for the regional finals on June 3, 2026, in Bonn.

Missions in Space: “zdi-Space Adventures”

This year's NRW-wide competition focuses on the fascinating world of space exploration. Under the motto “zdi-Space Adventures,” the teams address current and future challenges of space research: How do rocket launches work? What role do satellites play in our everyday lives? And how can robots support humans on space missions? At the same time, it becomes clear what contribution modern technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence can make to addressing global challenges – for example, in climate protection or the sustainable use of resources. Next year, the cross-district local competition will take place in the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis.

Siegerehrung mit allen teilnehmenden Schülerinnen und Schülern am Lokalwettbewerb (Foto: OBK) — Award ceremony with all participating students at the local competition (Photo: OBK)

Das Team „MöpMöp“ des Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Gymnasiums Wiehl programmierte seine Roboter so, dass sie symbolisch Aufgaben einer Raumfahrtmission übernehmen – von den Vorbereitungen auf der Erde über Satelliten im Orbit und Experimente auf Raumstationen bis zur Erkundung fremder Planeten mit einem Rover. (Foto: OBK) — The team "MöpMöp" from Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Gymnasium Wiehl programmed their robots to symbolically take on tasks of a space mission – from preparations on Earth to satellites in orbit and experiments on space stations to exploring alien planets with a rover. (Photo: OBK)

Further information about the robot competition can be found here: https://mint-community.de/zdi-roboterwettbewerb/

The zdi Center investMINT Oberberg in the Oberberg district
zdi stands for "Zukunft durch Innovation.NRW" ("Future through Innovation.NRW") and, with over 4,000 partners from politics, business, schools, and universities, is the largest network in Europe for promoting STEM talents. The zdi Center investMINT Oberberg in the Oberberg district has been part of this joint initiative since 2011. In cooperation with daycare centers, schools, companies, initiatives, and universities in the Oberberg district, the young professionals of tomorrow are the focus. The aim is to spark early interest in mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, and technology (STEM). The Oberberg district benefits from this as an economic region with many talents and globally sought-after products; future-oriented and highly technological.
Further information at www.mintinoberberg.de.

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