The 34th edition of the International Biology Olympiad (IBO) has concluded in Al Ain City. Organised by the UAE Ministry of Education in partnership with the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), the event featured 320 students from 80 countries, as well as 300 jury members and a group of international biology experts.
The closing ceremony of the 34th IBO was attended by His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, the Minister of Education, Her Excellency Dr. Amna Al Dahak Al Shamsi, the Chairman of the Organising Committee for the 34th edition of the International Biology Olympiad – the Assistant Undersecretary for the Care and Capacity Building Sector at the Ministry of Education, and His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Murad, Associate Vice President for Scientific Research at the UAE University, Dr. Lenka Libusová, Chair of the Executive Committee of the International Biological Olympiad, and Dr. Saber Muzaffar, Chairman of the Academic Committee of the 34th edition of the IBO.
In his speech in the closing ceremony, His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi welcomed the students, jury members, specialists, researchers, experts in biology and all those who participated in this prestigious Olympiad hosted by the UAE and for the first time in the Arab world, in a new affirmation of the UAE leading global position in the field of education.
His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi said: "The UAE is moving forward towards achieving its vision of becoming one of the most productive countries for science and knowledge by creating an environment that stimulates scientific research and investing in youth by providing them with the necessary skills, science and knowledge to enable them to be future leaders and to contribute to positioning the UAE among the best countries in the world.
“International competitions such as the Olympiad play a major role in fostering a culture of creativity, innovation, and scientific research. They support knowledge excellence among students, empowering them to become scientists, researchers, innovators, and inventors who can address the challenges facing the ever-changing world and build a brighter future.”
His Excellency Al Falasi congratulated the talented contestants who won this competition, which is one of the most important competitions in the field of biology in the world. His Excellency Al Falasi witnessed the participation of more than 320 talented students in biology from 80 countries united in their passion and competing positively among themselves for success, leadership, and excellence, 300 jury members, as well as a group of experts in biology from around the world also participated in the Olympiad.
His Excellency Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, the Cultural Adviser to His Highness the President of the UAE, the Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University, praised the success of the activities of the 34th edition of the International Biology Olympiad, which was organised by the Ministry of Education in partnership with the UAE University. His Excellency Nusseibeh that the UAE has become a destination for science, research, and academic activities thanks to the development witnessed by its research universities. His Excellency Nusseibeh said that the participation of UAEU as a strategic academic partner in organising this global scientific event will enhance its leading scientific and research position and will motivate its students, professors and researchers specialising in biology to further excellence, scientific research and creativity.
His Excellency Nusseibeh said: “The Olympiad is an opportunity for the sons and daughters of the UAE to develop their scientific research capabilities in the field of biology, which is in line with the keenness of the wise leadership in the country to invest in human capital for the advancement of the society, building a competitive economy based on knowledge and achieving more record-breaking in the field of human development at the regional and global levels.
“The UAEU is keen to adopt creative and innovative ideas and develop the skills of young men and women through its future strategic plans to achieve the vision of the UAE wise leadership, the UAE Centennial 2071, and to build a solid future based on the best international scientific practices.”
Her Excellency Al Shamsi said: "We have added many improvements in this International Olympiad in line with best sustainable practices and trends. We made sure all tests are fully digitised which contributed to dispensing with the printing of more than 65,000 paper pages to be used for the purposes of performing exams. We also hosted a green education conference on the sidelines of the Olympiad to raise awareness of the challenges of climate change and to contribute innovative solutions to tackle its challenges. This is in line with the UAE’s approach, which affirms that climate action is one of the main pillars of its national economic strategy and its internal and external policies. It is also in line with the efforts made in the UAE seeking to reduce the repercussions of climate change, promote green education, raise the level of environmental awareness of the UAE community, and promote a culture of sustainability in educational institutions in preparation for the UAE's participation in the 28th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP 28), which the UAE is also honoured to host this year.
“The mechanism for performing, managing, and marking the tests was improved and developed in this edition of the Olympiad, which contributed to saving the time allotted for that and allowed the students participating in the tests, as well as those in charge of managing and marking the tests, more time for rest and entertainment, as the students had the opportunity to visit some important cultural and entertainment attractions in the UAE. Congratulations to all participants for their valuable contributions during the competition. I am confident that many of them will continue to forge new paths in biology and related fields and make discoveries that will play a prominent role in improving people's quality of life and protecting our environment.”
The activities of the 34th edition of the International Biology Olympiad, which is the most important international competition in the field of biology, witnessed many intensive tests that challenged the knowledge and critical thinking skills of the students, in addition to a series of workshops that contributed to enhancing the spirit of friendship, cultural exchange, and intellectual growth among the participants. The students also made long-lasting partnerships, broadening their scientific horizons and igniting their curiosity to explore the wonders of biology.
The closing ceremony witnessed the announcement of the winners of the competition who deservedly occupied their seats on the international platform of the International Biology Olympiad. India and Singapore came out on top with four gold medals each, while China, Taiwan, Province of China and the future Olympic delegation came in second place with three gold medals. As for the UAE, it recorded its first victory in the International Biology Olympiad, where Emirati student Reem Rashid Alnaqbi won a bronze medal.
The participants underwent a total of six tests during the competition, which are the first and second theoretical tests that were implemented via a computer, where the questions centred on topics related to anatomy, Animal and Plant Physiology, Cell Science, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Ecology, Behaviour, and Biosystems. The other four exams included experiments on Biochemistry, Plant Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, and Ecology and Ethics.
The closing ceremony concluded with the handover of the official IBO flag and trophy from the UAE to Kazakhstan, the host country of the event in 2024.
