In Sibiu, the national team that will represent Romania at the international phase of the Biology Olympiad that will be held in Kazakhstan is chosen

This year the city of Sibiu hosted for the first time the National Biology Olympiad. Right now in the city there are 282 of the best students of this subject in the country. Prof. Dr. Daniela Călugăru, inspector in the Ministry of Education, and Prof. Dr. Horațiu Dura in his capacity as president spoke for Turnul Sfatului about how difficult it is to organize such an Olympiad and how the host cities are chosen of the Central Commission.

Between April 20 and 25, the National Biology Olympiad takes place in Sibiu. It is the first time that the city becomes the host for this competition. The president of the Central Commission of this Olympiad is the vice-chancellor of “Lucian Blaga” University, Horațiu Dura. He says the university’s involvement also has a purpose.

“It is an honor and a joy for our city to host the national stage of the Biology Olympiad. It is a beneficial fact for both pre-university and university education, because we will most likely collect some of these valuable students in the future. In this sense, we, as the university, got involved, both in the organizational part, I being in this committee, but especially in the extracurricular part. The students will visit the Faculty of Medicine, they will also participate in a performance supported by the acting students, they had workshops organized by the Faculty of Biology, they will receive prizes from ULBS”, says the vice-rector.

Read also: Almost 300 of the best biology students from the country’s counties are coming to Sibiu this weekend. On April 20, the National Olympiad starts

In this sense, students from all over the country will have free educational time.

The three trials of the Olympiad took place at the “Gheorghe Lazăr” National College in Sibiu.

“Our college also had a role in organizing this Olympiad. Here, at our place, the three tests took place, the practical, the theoretical and the batch, as well as some workshops outside the competition. We are happy that we manage to support school performance at this level, that we are with these students who manage to perform in this noble discipline, biology, in which scientific knowledge represents an infinite process of penetration into the essence of the world”, says Prof. Gabriela Săndulescu , deputy director of Lazar College.

The national team is formed in Sibiu

From the Ministry of Education, inspector Daniela Călugăru arrived in Sibiu. Being a biology teacher, she was delighted with the city and the organization.

“Accommodation, meals, children’s program, everything is carefully thought out, and the conditions are very good. The reactions I have from the participants are positive. The city is gorgeous. The children were also able to combine science and tourism. I am convinced that many are coming to this city for the first time”, says the inspector.

According to her, in Sibiu the first placers of the county phase and another 40 students who came for the additional places, allocated for years of study, arrived in Sibiu. Of the 288 students who qualified, 282 students were present.

“There is a lot of work and responsibility behind organizing such an Olympics. From year to year the quality of students increases. Also, our standard is high. To have a chance to reach the national stage, you must have a score of at least 70%”, says Prof. Dr. Daniela Călugăru.

From the students now in Sibiu, the group with chances to represent Romania at the national level will be chosen.

“On Wednesday, April 24, Romania’s Olympic team will be selected, which will consist of 20 students. For these students, there will be a training period in a university center and they will be subjected to a new test from which four students will be chosen, the best, who will represent Romania at the international level. That Olympics will take place July 7-14, in Astana, Kazakhstan. The students who reach such an Olympiad are very good, because, first of all, they have to learn all the textbooks. There is no single textbook, there are several, alternatives, and then you have to go through them all to make sure you have acquired everything you need.

And the students who participated appreciated the time spent in Sibiu, in addition to the emotions

“The degree of difficulty was, for example, in the practical test, a seven on a scale from one to 10, and in theory, the last exercise was more difficult. Everything else is great and very, very beautiful”, says Melinda Berchi, a 10th grade student from Cluj.

In the balance that decided Sibiu as a host city in support of this Olympiad, the fact that it is a university center was weighed, then that the authorities were open to organizing such a competition.

The premiere of the Olympians and the selection of the national team will be held on Wednesday evening, April 24, at the Thalia Hall of the State Philharmonic, starting at 5:30 p.m.

Main photo: Prof. Dr. Horațiu Duma and Prof. Dr. Daniela Călugăru

Subscribe to the Turnul Sfatului WhatsApp channel to find out in real time the relevant news from Sibiu: access the link here and press the Follow option.