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Taiwan team won 6 gold medals in the 14th International Junior Science Olympiad in the Netherlands on December 11th. Up to 2017, Taiwan has participated for 14 times and this is the 9th time being the best performing country.

 

The International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) is a major international academical competition held annually and the only international academical competition that covers physics, chemistry and biology at the same time. The competition is known for its intricacy as it requires a wide knowledge range in all three sciences. Top students from each country are selected to the competition and each get a chance to compete with their counterparts from across the globe. Taiwan started to join the game in 2004 and has received 71 gold and 13 silver. 

 

The International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) is an annual individual and team competition in the Natural Sciences for students who are under sixteen years old on 31st December of the competition year. IJSO has been established in recognition of the significance of the Natural Sciences in the general education of young people and in all aspects of their lives. It is a purely educational event. To recognize students’ outstanding performance, the MOE formulated and issued special regulations. Those who win a gold medal can be automatically admitted high schools or vocational schools. In addition, Golden medalist will receive a 200,000 NT dollar scholarship; those who win a silver medal will receive a 100,000 NT dollar scholarship; and those who win a bronze medal will receive a 50,000 NT dollar scholarship. A student who wins two or more different awards during the same academic year can only apply for the most valuable scholarship he or she qualifies for.

 

The Ministry of Education says it will continue to participate in this program so as to provide young people with science-oriented opportunities to participate in international competitions and to increase the exchange channel of scientific education between Taiwan and other countries as well as the opportunity to cooperate with the international scientific communities.

After days and days of training and competition, five out of six students are first-year students in senior high. The only junior high student is from St. Viator Catholic High School. 

 

Associate Research Fellow Lo Pei Hua said that the students are hardworking and smart, many of whom started the preparation once they entered junior high school.