At the 34th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) (https://ibo2023.ae/), which took place from July 2nd to 10th, 2023, in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, Greece achieved yet another outstanding result: comprised for the first time entirely of female students, the Greek national team won 3 bronze medals, just as it did back in 2018. The three bronze medallists were Aikaterini Karpouzi from the Varvakeio High School, Aikaterini-Danai Kariofylli from the same school, and Kalliopi Margoni from the 5th High School of Nikaia. Another student from the Varvakeio High School, Elisavet Karpouzi, won a certificate of merit. The Greek delegation’s leader was Leonidas Anthis, a secondary teacher of biology at the 2nd High School of Chalandri, assisted by Dr Christos Georgiadis, a member of the Laboratory Teaching Staff of the NKUA’s Department of Biology.
The fact that Greek students—every year—compete against approximately 280 others across over 70 countries who study more biology at their home schools and are thus better equipped for the Olympiad makes this distinction even more significant. Immediately after their university admission exams, our students participated in a tailor-made training programme at the NKUA’s Department of Biology; the main objective was to address weaknesses at both theoretical and laboratory levels related to the current state of biology teaching in Greek schools.
The Museum of Zoology of the University of Athens has had the honour of being one of the major sponsors of the Greek delegation. Thanks to this, it was given the chance to promote itself on a global scale. The Museum will continue to assist, in whatever way it can, in any initiatives that advance NKUA in particular and our country in general.
