The International Biology Olympiad (IBO) is the World Championship Biology Competition for High School students and is held annually in a different country. The first IBO was held in 1959 in Czech Republic, with 6 countries participating. It has gradually expanded to 78 countries from 5 continents.
The students’ skills in tackling biological problems and dealing with biological experiments are tested. Interest in biology, inventiveness, creativity, and perseverance is necessary. Every participating 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.
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 genetics, ethology and ecology are important for society, especially in relation to issues like food production, nature preservation and going for a sustainable global situation.
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 each National Olympiad: Ministry of Education, industry, teachers' associations, universities, and schools. Contacts between these institutions will lead to a better understanding and communication about their respective activities in the field of biology.
As the premier secondary and high school biology student competition worldwide, IBO aims to identify, inspire, empower, and support the next generation of leaders in the life sciences and to develop their international network.
Who can participate in an IBO?
Grade 9-10-11-12 students can participate in this competition. Age restriction
Students who want to participate in an IBO must first become one of the top four students in their National Biology Olympiad (NBO). NBOs select the contestants for IBO in typically 3-5 consecutively more difficult national competition rounds.
PREPARATIONS: Below links will help for the preparations.
The test will take place on 27th November 2023, Monday
Until 1 day before the exam the registration can be made by 5000 IQD payment.
Schools must start the exam at the same time at 10:15am in the 3rd lesson.
Camera in the exam hall must function and record the exam.
Grade 9-10-11 students can participate in the test and the international competition.
Grade 12 students can participate the test and receive a certificate but for the international event they can only be chosen if there are no other level candidates.
In the IBO round 1, 150 minutes are given for 75 multiple-choice paper-based test questions. Correct answers 2 points, wrong answers -0.5 points, no answer 0 points graded. (Students are advised not to answer a question if they are not sure of it)
Test materials will be delivered to teachers through Education Coordinators and DPAs.
Exams are graded in the schools where the exams are taken and results to be announced within a week. The certificate of Participation will be sent to the emails after the announcement of the results.
Students' (NAME)- (FATHER'S NAME)- (GRANDFATHER'S NAME) must be registered using CAPITAL LETTERS and ENGLISH characters as written in their passports along with (email), (Gender), (BIRTH DATE), (GRADE), (CLASS) and (SCHOOL NAME), (If the ZipGrade form is used for the IBO exam, each student’s above information must be included).
No need a copy of passport but students who cannot travel abroad to participate in the international IBO must mention their condition before the 3rd round.
IBO Score Template (excel report) should be sent to yesim.fidan@stirlingschools.co.uk address by e-mail within 5 days at the latest after the exam.
Until 1 day befor the exam the registration can be made by 5000 IQD payment.
Students who will take the exam from public and private schools should be requested to have an identity card or passport photocopy and a student certificate. The Registration Form should be sent to the schools as a paper printout, then the participant lists should be collected by the regional coordinators and transferred to the excel form. The registration form must be received along with the registration fees. ***(The registration form can be prepared by schools according to information above in no-10)
The Iraq Team will be chosen throughout 3 Rounds. The IBO Iraq Team Selection Exams will be done in 6 cities. Those cities; Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, Kirkuk, Baghdad, and Basra. These exams are paper based.
IBO TEAM SELECTION Round 1:
First exam (1st Round) will be held on 27 November 2023, Monday. (In each city).
Schools can arrange the exam timing accordingly but cannot change the date.
All biology questions in the exam are in English language.
Campbell book from where the selected exam questions are going to be asked is provided to each of the participant school.
Participant students can obtain a soft copy of the book from school administrations / biology teachers.
Registration fee is 5.000 Dinars.
Grade 9, 10, 11, can participate, and Grade 12 students can participate the test and receive a certificate but for the international event they can only be chosen if there are no other level candidates.
Students who show at least 9th Grades (%50), 10th Grades (%55), 11th Grades (%60), and 12th Grades (%70) success in the first round will be eligible for the 2nd round.
The exam questions will be prepared collected by all regions and will include Campbell Units 1 & 2.
Exams will be delivered to the test centers, schools by the RSC, Education Coordinator, DPA.
IBO TEAM SELECTION Round 2:
Iraq National Team Selection Biology Exam (2nd Round) will be held on 19 February 2024, Monday. (In each city)
Grade 9, 10, 11, can participate, and Grade 12 students can participate the test and receive a certificate but for the international event they can only be chosen if there are no other level candidates.
Schools can arrange the exam timing accordingly but cannot change the date.
The exam questions will be prepared by all regions and will include Campbell Units 1, 2, 3 and 8).
Students who show at least 9th Grades (%50), 10th Grades (%55), 11th Grades (%60), and 12th Grades (%70) success in the second round will be eligible for the 3rd round,
Max 4 top students will be eligible for the 3rd round from each city to participate in the winter camp in Erbil.
IBO TEAM SELECTION Round 3:
Iraq National Biology Olympiad (3rd Round) will be held on 25 April 2022, Thursday, in Erbil.
The exam questions will be prepared by all regions and will include Campbell Units 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8).
First 4 students who get at least 70% in the third round will be a member of the Iraq Team.
In the third and final round at most 4 students will be selected as the members of IBO 2024 Iraq team. (Another 4 students can be selected to become substitute students, with the endorsement of the committee).
Round 1 is 5.000 IQD per participant.
***Registration fee (5.000 IQD) is fully refundable if the student does not enter any round.
Please refer to the Accounting Details below in this guideline.
Round 2 is free of charge.
**The Stirling schools will cover expenses such as the Olympiad Annual Fee, Course Fees, Materials, Print and Stationary, and Corporate Awards. Any remaining expenses will be determined by the Board following the selection of the Iraq Team. This approach ensures that above mentioned essential costs are guaranteed, providing the team with necessary resources, while decisions about other expenses will be collectively made by the Board for added flexibility.
All the Biology teachers are requested to encourage their students for IBO.
Teachers register their students on the excel list as guided and all the excel lists are merged before the test. IRAQ-IBO Regst&Score Template.xlsx
Teachers can direct further questions if they have any to the Regional Coordinator Ms. Yesim Fidan (yesim.fidan@stirlingschools.co.uk)
Certificate of Participation will be emailed to all the participants.
Certificate of Achievement will be given to Students who show at least 9th Grades (70points), 10th Grades (80points), 11th Grades (90points), and 12th Grades (100points) success are promoted to 2nd Round.
Certificate of Achievement Certificate of Achievement will be given to Students who show at least 9th Grades (70points), 10th Grades (80points), 11th Grades (90points), and 12th Grades (100points) success but only 4 top participants will be promoted to 3rd Round.
Certificate of Participation will be emailed to all the participants.
IBO TEAM SELECTION Round 3:
Certificate of Iraq National Team Member certificate will be given to 4 students when they travel to the IBO country.
Certificate of Participation will be emailed to all the others not able to go abroad.
IBO INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION
The 1st 10% of participants 1st PLACE, (Gold Medal & Certificate)
The 2nd 20% of participants 2nd PLACE, (Silver Medal & Certificate)
The 3rd 30% of participants 3rd PLACE, (Bronze Medal & Certificate)
The 4th 10% of participants, (Merit Certificate)
All the participants CERTIFICATE of PARTICIPATION.
The Jury member will get a certificate of appreciation by IBO
The teacher who prepared the students for the IBO gets a certificate of appreciation printed by Stirling Schools as IBO has no such application.
*** Schools should not promise students any awards other than those announced by the organizing firm (IBO) but if they do so, they must budget it on their own before announcing.
