University of Havana hosts the Iberoamerican Biology Olympiad

HAVANA, Cuba, Sep 9 (ACN) The 17th Ibero-American Biology Olympiad (OIAB by its Spanish acronym) begins today at the University of Havana (UH) with the participation of students from 15 countries, including Spain and Portugal, and will run until next Saturday with the aim of motivating the study and research of biological sciences in students of pre-university (high school) levels.

PhD in science Osmany Justis Katt, national director of Pre-universities, of the Cuban Ministry of Education (Mined), pointed out that the event, organized every year, is represented by most of the nations of Ibero-America, especially those that have an attendance tradition.

Observers from other nations (without students) will also come, as it is a requirement of this type of contest, that to earn the right to future participation they must show some results and presence in the competition.

He recalled that Cuba has competed in all the previous editions, with positive results, which contributed to the fact that on this occasion it has been selected as the host country, even though it is a rotating competition.

He considered that it is a way of recognizing their achievements and the students see it as something very significant, in addition to the fact that for the area it is an important competition where the most outstanding talent of the pre-university educational levels is collected.

Mined official clarified that each country has the right to present a team, which will be composed of four students and two professors, and that he expects the Cuban team to be the winner in the awarding of gold medals (5), silver (10), bronze (20) and five honorable mentions.

Justis Katt announced that the program includes the meeting of the Scientific Committee of the Olympiad to outline policies and strategies for next year, establish the curriculum of its Academic Committee and the main actions that will unite contenders until the next competition.

Cuban team for the 17th Ibero-American Biology Olympiad is made up of 18-year-olds Cristian Alejandro Borrero Hernandez, Christian Dario Blanco Hernandez, Analis Ramirez Castillo and Elio Manuel Rodriguez Rivero.