Taiwan shines at International Junior Science Olympiad 2017

Taiwan was the best performer at the International Junior Science Olympiad Dec. 3-12 in Arnhem-Nijmegen, the Netherlands, with all six members of the national team winning golds.

According to the Ministry of Education, a record 300-plus youths from 50 countries and territories took part in the Olympiad this year. This is the third year in a row that the Taiwan team has placed first overall in the competition.

Among the winners, Yang Cheng-hao from Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School also received a special award for the highest score achieved in the theoretical test. The freshman had previously competed for the national team at the 2015 International Teenagers Mathematics Olympiad.

Liao Yu-Chuan from St. Viator Catholic High School in central Taiwan’s Taichung City has participated in many international mathematics and innovation competitions since elementary school, while Tzang Chih-Chen from National Taichung First Senior High School was also on the national team at the 2015 ITMO.

Led by Lo Pei-Hua, an associate researcher at National Taiwan Normal University’s Science Education Center in Taipei City, the group also comprised Chang Cheng-Ying from National Wu-Ling Senior High School in the northern city of Taoyuan, Dong Yu-Guang from Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School and Li Hsiang-yu from National Taichung First Senior High School.

Taiwan has been a leading performer at the event over the past 14 years, topping the rankings in 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016 for a total haul of 71 golds and 13 silvers.

One of the International Science Olympiads, IJSO is the only global academic competition testing students 15 years old and younger on knowledge and skills in biology, chemistry, and physics. (SFC-E) (Image – Courtesy of Ministry of Education)