IBO (INTERNATIONAL BIOLOGY OLYMPIAD)

1 What is the IBO?
1. Introduction
The International Biology Olympiad (IBO) is a competition for secondary school
students. Their skills in tackling biological problems, and dealing with biological
experiments are tested. Interest in biology, inventiveness, creativity and perseverance
are necessary.
Every member country sends four students, who are the winners of the respective
national competitions. They are to be accompanied by two team leaders as
representatives of each country.
2. Aims of the IBO
In bringing together gifted students, the IBO tries to challenge and stimulate these
students to expand their talents and to promote their career as a scientist, so biology
talents do not get lost. The Olympiad also is focusing on biology as a beautiful and
valuable subject. Many biological topics like ethology and ecology stress the
importance of biology for society, especially items such as nature preservation and/or
environmental protection.
The Olympiad offers the opportunity to compare the syllabuses and educational trends
in biology in different countries. This is useful information to improve biology education
on a national level.
Many institutions are involved in the organization of the national Olympiad: ministry of
education, industry, teachers' associations, universities, schools.
Contacts between these institutions will lead to a better understanding and
communication about their respective activities in the field of biology.
3. History
The first international biological competition between Czechoslovakia and Poland from
1985 to 1989 provided ground for the future IBO proper.
Positive experience during international Olympiads in other natural sciences and
mathematics led to the idea of starting an international biology Olympiad. So UNESCO
asked the former Czechoslovakia to take the initiative.
Six interested countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic
Republic, Poland and the Soviet Union) founded the IBO in 1989 (Prague and Brno)
and participated in the first IBO, which was held in Olomouc in July 1990.
Notwithstanding some initial difficulties, this Olympiad was a great success and it was
decided to continue with the IBO. In subsequent Olympiads the number of participating
countries increased rapidly.

bodies of the International Biology Olympiad

2. IBO bodies
1) IBO Coordinating Center
The IBO Coordinating Center acts as a secretariat of the IBO1.
It fulfils the following functions:

• a) it ensures information services for all member countries and for the related international institutions (UNESCO, IUBS, etc),
• b) it summons the IBO Advisory Board and the meeting of coordinators if necessary; ensures preparation and distribution of materials to these meetings,
• c) it promotes contacts with other non-IBO member countries,
• d) it coordinates the invitation of observers from other non-IBO member countries by the future host country,
• e) it accumulates relevant documentation about the competition,
• f) it registers and renews addresses of coordinators, their deputies, observers and of institutions taking part in the IBO
• g) it collects materials and information regarding the IBO and other biological competitions, including descriptions of national biology Olympiads or similar competitions used to select IBO contestants.

The Coordination Center fulfils its activities in collaboration with the IBO Steering

Committee, IBO member countries and other organizations in accordance with
the aims of the IBO. It organizes the annual IBO Advisory Board meeting. The
Ministry of Education of the country where the Center is located staffs the IBO
Coordinating Center. The Center presents a yearly report about its activities and
the financial situation at the meeting of coordinators.
Board of the Coordinators
Main decisions about aims and activities of the IBO are taken by the Board of
Coordinators that meets annually during each IBO competition. A member
country that sends students to compete in the IBO must appoint one coordinator
to represent the country in this board.
3) Steering Committee
A steering committee is responsible for managing daily IBO events and
procedures. It consists of five members plus the head of the Coordinating Center
in Prague. The members of the steering committee serve a four-year period and
they can be re-elected2. Their election is a two-step process. Each member
country first nominates maximum 4 names to the Coordinating Center. The final
election occurs during the Coordinators Meeting.
Eligible candidates are country coordinators or team leaders having been present
in at least three IBOs before the election year. All candidates require the
nomination of at least five IBO member countries effectively participating in the
election procedure. The steering committee starts its function officially on
September 1st following the election.
4) IBO Chairperson.
The IBO steering committee chooses one of its members to function as IBO
Chairperson, which means chairing IBO meetings, represent the IBO in official
occasions, and keep up contact with the Coordinating Center of the IBO about its
activities.
The country delivering the IBO Chairperson is allowed to bring a free observer to
the IBO.
5) IBO Advisory Board
The IBO Advisory Board advises the Steering Committee and the Board of the
Coordinators in maintaining high standards of IBO. The Chairperson chairs the
Board. It consists of representatives of the countries organizing the two previous
and the two subsequent IBOs. It may also invite other experts as participants to
its annual meeting to prepare recommendations and proposals for the Board of
the Coordinators. Those experts should apply at the latest 4 weeks before the
actual AB meeting. Topics to be discussed should be submitted at least 14 days
before the meeting. Proposals received later than 2 weeks before the meeting will
not be accepted.
Recommendations of the IBO Advisory Board concerning the general chapters of
the guide will become valid at the end of March each year if no arguments are
brought up against it.
The Advisory Board can propose electronic voting (by e-mail, on-line or similar)
for important changes in the Organization Rules. In this case:

• a the vote choice is “Yes / No / Abstaining”;
• b the decision is made by the absolute majority of IBO member countries;
• c if no majority vote is achieved, then the point will be brought to the next IBO

Coordinators Meeting.
International Jury
An International Jury is an ad hoc committee formed for each IBO competition. A
distinguished scientist appointed by the IBO organizer chairs it. Its members
consist of 2 delegates or team leaders from each competing country (cf. § 9).

Aim of the Competition of the International Biology Olympiad

Aim of the Competition
The International Biological Olympiad (IBO) is a competition for secondary school
students who are interested in biology. The sole purpose of this competition is:

• a) to stimulate active interest in biological studies by the creative solution of biological problems,
• b) to promote exchange of ideas and materials about biology education,
• c) to promote regular international contacts between biology students,
• d) to establish friendly relations among young people from different countries and thus to stimulate cooperation and understanding between nations.

Participating Countries International Biology Olimpiad

Year   Country            City                  No. participating countries
1990 Czech Republic (Olomouc)                           6
1991 Russia (Machatskala)                                    9
1992 Slovak Republic (Poprad)                            12
1993 The Netherlands (Utrecht)                            15
1994 Bulgaria              (Varna)                              18
1995 Thailand            (Bangkok)                           22
1996 Ukraine              (Artek)                                23
1997 Turkmenistan    (Ashgabat)                           28
1998 Germany             (Kiel)                                 33
1999 Sweden             (Uppsala)                             36
2000 Turkey               (Antalya)                             38
2001 Belgium             (Brussels)                             38
2002 Latvia                  (Riga)                                40
2003 Belarus              (Minsk)                                 41
2004 Australia           (Brisbane)                              40
2005 China               (Beijing)                                 50
2006 Argentina       (Rio Cuarto)                            48
2007 Canada          (Saskatoon)                             49
2008 India                 (Mumbai)                              55
2009 Japan                Tsukuba)                               56
2010 Korea             (Changwon)                          59
2011 Chinese Taipei   (Taiwan)                               58
2012 Singapore 59

Immediately after the first Olympiad, a Coordinating Center was established in Prague
and every winter a meeting of appointed coordinators assembles in this Center to
prepare new proposals and improve regulations, the content, and preparations of future
Olympiads, etc.
A list of countries involved in the IBO is presented in Appendix V.