Globeducate Academic Olympics 2024: A Journey of Learning, Collaboration, and Discovery

From 19th to 22nd November, the Globeducate Academic Olympics 2024 brought together more than 160 students from 30 schools across 10 countries in northern Spain. Hosted by O Castro British International School and Coruña British International School, the event offered students aged 13 to 15 a unique opportunity to develop their knowledge, skills, and abilities through a series of innovative and hands-on challenges.

This year’s Academic Olympics took inspiration from the Camino de Santiago, a symbol of history, culture, and heritage, making it the perfect backdrop for fostering teamwork, critical thinking, and creativity. Students engaged in challenges across four key areas: Robotics, Science, Mathematics, and an interactive treasure hunt rooted in art, history, and literature.

Rizki Fatema-Zahara, Year 4 of Secondary | Ecole Trilingue Internationale; Morocco, said: "We worked so much together, we knew each other, we discussed… and we did it really well. In the Maths challenge, we had to answer enigmas in sheets, and we had to work in groups to do so. The challenges were very exciting and fun."

Emilia Zenker, Year 3 Secondary | PASCAL Private School Larnaka, Cyprus, said: "As a team, we got along pretty well. My team was very nice, and we were asking our names, our schools, where we come from… to really get to know each other and to being able to work as a real team during the challenges".
 

The Academic Olympics will certainly be for me the standout moment of this or any academic year. We have been inundated with praise and feedback from schools highlighting how enjoyable and rewarding students found it. I also found great reward in leading such an enthusiastic and committed team who were key to organising the event. The event in this sense has a left a legacy which has make us stronger and brought all closer together. 

Chris Long, Head of School, BIS Castro

The Challenges

Robotics: Innovate, Programme, and Create

Students programmed Beebots, tackled Minecraft missions, and designed Lego bots to recreate the famous Camino de Santiago.

These tasks combined technology and creativity, providing participants with insights into the world of engineering and problem-solving.Science: Explore, Experiment, and Discover.

Through hands-on physics, biology, and chemistry experiments, students built structures, classified local flora and fauna, and conducted the Rainbow Challenge to master chemical precision.

"From a very warm welcome from the students of O Castro who set the tone for the Academic Olympics, it was a truly inspiring event showcasing the incredible talents and collaborative spirit of students from across the Globeducate schools. It was a privilege to co-host and witness our students embracing challenges, celebrating learning, and forming lifelong connections. We have made deep connections across the various departments in the two schools. Our heartfelt thanks go to all the students who participated, their accompanying teachers, and not forgetting the generosity of our host families at O Castro, for making this event such a resounding success."

Dominic Abbott, Head of School Coruña British International School

Mathematics: Pushing the Limits of the Mind

 

The grand finale saw students navigate Vigo in an immersive orienteering race. Tasks challenged their creativity and knowledge of art, history, and science as they raced to solve riddles and puzzles.

Building Skills for a Better Future

Participants didn’t just compete; they collaborated across cultures, developing skills in leadership, communication, and teamwork. The Academic Olympics is a brilliant opportunity for students to work together, think critically, and explore their creativity in real-world contexts.

Recognising Excellence

The closing ceremony celebrated the students’ achievements in their teams, with names all connected to the local area.

Gold: Palas de Rei
Silver: Roncesvalles
Bronze: Portomarín

Special awards were also presented to individuals who embodied Globeducate values:

• Leadership: Antón A, O Castro British International School
• Positive Attitude: Skye G, International French School Amsterdam
• Creativity: Violet S, Stonar School

Shaping the Future Together

The Globeducate Academic Olympics exemplify the group’s commitment to preparing students for a global future. Through events like these, students form meaningful connections, explore new horizons, and discover their potential in a collaborative, international setting.

Congratulations to all participants and organisers for making the 2024 Academic Olympics an unforgettable journey of learning and discovery!

First of all, I want to thank you all for giving me this amazing opportunity. Without doubt It has been one of the most marvelous weeks of my life. I enjoyed every minute and challenge of the Academic Olympics and I believe that they were according to our level. In addition it has also given me the opportunity to meet with people from different parts of the world and learn about their cultures and something that I loved to see is that all of them were super kind and really wanted to make friends, something that in previous experienced I didn’t see. In conclusion I’m very grateful of having participated and I’m hoping to repeat similar experience.

Antón, Year 10 student, Coruña British International School, Spain.

You can find out about all of our Globeducate Events by clicking here!