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

The two teams from 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 Monheim and Bonn participated in six teams. This year's venue was Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Gymnasium in Wiehl. The self-built and programmed robots of the student teams had to solve tasks related to the theme of "space exploration" in a course. Many participants also invested time outside of school to develop and optimize their robots. The goal was to score as many points as possible in several rounds on competition day. For the first time, the local competition was jointly organized by the zdi-center investMINT Oberberg and the zdi-network MINT Rhein-Berg and held across districts.

Eine Gruppe von Kindern und Jugendlichen hält Urkunden und steht vor einer Leinwand, auf der 'zdi Roboterwettbewerb 2026 - Siegerehrung!' angezeigt wird. — *Award ceremony with all participating students of the local competition. (Photo: OBK)*

"The enthusiasm and commitment of the students were impressive this year as well. It is particularly pleasing that many new students participated and dedicated themselves to the complex tasks with great effort. The creative solutions and technical understanding shown by the children are remarkable," emphasizes 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-place teams from Wiehl qualified for the regional finals on June 3, 2026, in Bonn.

Missions in Space: "zdi-Space Adventures"

The focus of this year's state-wide NRW competition is 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 daily lives? And how can robots support humans in space missions? At the same time, it becomes clear how modern technologies like robotics and artificial intelligence can contribute to overcoming global challenges – such as climate protection or the sustainable use of resources. Next year, the cross-district local competition will take place in the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis.

For more information about the robot competition, visit: https://mint-community.de/zdi-roboterwettbewerb/

Zwei Personen arbeiten auf einem Boden an einem LEGO-Modell auf einer bedruckten Matte mit verschiedenen Bereichen und bunten LEGO-Gebilden. Weitere Menschen sind im Hintergrund sichtbar. — 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, experiments on space stations, and the exploration of foreign planets with a rover. (Photo: OBK)

If you have any questions, please contact

Porträt eines lächelnden Mannes mit kurzem Haar und Bart, der ein gestreiftes Hemd trägt. Der Hintergrund ist unscharf mit grünen und weißen Farbtönen.

Bastian Thelen

Deputy Head of Education Office - zdi Network Coordinator

02261 88-4012

02261 88-972-4012

bastian.thelen@obk.de

Moltkestr. 34
2nd Floor, Room: O2-16
51643 Gummersbach