13th International Biology Olympiad Latvia, 2002 Ministry of Education and Science University of Latvia Association of Biology Teachers
4 Kronvalda boulv., Riga LV-1586, LATVIA phone: +371-7034860, +371-7334125, Fax: +371-7223801, email: ulkoro@latnet.lv

Final Report

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Organization
  • Organizing Committee
  • Computing, Logistics and Preparation
  • Scientific Task Committee
  • Student guides
  • Other voluntary staff
  • Localities for the 13^thIBO
  • Accommodation and transport

1. Introduction

In Latvia, the Center for the Curriculum Development and Examination of the Ministry of Education and Science organizes all the National Olympiads and participates in the International Olympiads. We have a long experience in organizing Olympiads for secondary school students. The biology Olympiads have been taking place in Latvia since 1972. Latvia started to participate in the IBO in 1995.

In 2002, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Government of Latvia organized the 13^thInternational Biology Olympiad in Latvia. The organizers of this enterprise were the Ministry of Education and Science, University of Latvia (Faculty of Biology), and the Biology Teachers Association. The 13^thIBO was organized in Riga, the capital of Latvia, and the resort city Jurmala.

2. Organization

Organizing Committee

In 13^thJuly 2001, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia acknowledged the Organizing Committee of the 13^thIBO.

Chairman:	Karlis GREISKALNS,	Minister of Education and Science
Vice-chairman:	Ivars LACIS,	Rector of the University of Latvia
Jury Chairman:	Indrikis MUIZNIEKS,	Vice-rector of the University of Latvia
Executive Director:	Uldis KONDRATOVICS,	Dean of the Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia
Members:
	Maris KRASTINS,	Ministry of Education and Science, Head of the Center for Curriculum Development and Examination
	Inara AKMENE,	Organizer of Olympiads in the Center for the Curriculum Development and Examination
	Astrida JAKOBSONE,	Financier of the Ministry of Education and Science
	Daina KEIDANE,	Riga School Council, Chief Expert
	Vesma REINKAITE,	Head of Jurmala School Board
	Mudite KALNINA,	National Youth Initiative Center, Head of the Department of the Ministry of Education and Science, Environmental Education and Technics
	Maruta KUSINA,	Leader of the Biology Teacher’s Association
	Uldis BINDERS,	Central Board of Order Police, Inspector
	Andris LAPINS,	Center of Catastrophe Medicine, Head of Operative Medicine Service

Computing, Logistics and Preparation

The Organizing Committee took the responsibility about all the organization of the 13^thIBO. They had 8 meetings during which all the accomplished tasks were discussed and new commissions were confided.

Scientific Task Committee

The Scientific Task Committee was represented by the staff of the University of Latvia, Riga Stradins University and Biology Teachers Association.

Leader:	Assoc. Prof. Dr. Uldis KONDRATOVICS	Dean of Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia
Members:
	Prof. Dr. Indrikis MUIZNIEKS	Chairman of the International Jury and Vice-rector of the University of Latvia
	Prof. Dr. Gederts IEVINS	Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia
	Assoc. Prof. Dr. Uldis KALNENIEKS	Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia
	Doc. Dr. Liga OZOLINA-MOLL	Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia
	Doc. Dr. Erika NAGLE	Riga Stradins University
	Assoc. Prof. Dr. Voldemars SPUNGIS	Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia
	Prof. Dr. Valdis BALODIS	Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia
	Prof. Dr. Viesturs BAUMANIS	Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia
	M. biol. Maruta KUSINA	Head of Biology Teachers Association
	Assoc. Prof. Dr. Galina POSPELOVA	Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia
	Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tatjana ZORENKO	Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia
	Researcher, Dr. Turs SELGA	Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia
	Assoc. Prof. Dr. Guntis BRUMELIS	Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia
	Lecturer Maris LAZDINS	Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia
	Researcher Guntis TABORS	Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia

The Scientific task Committee had 12 meetings from May 2001. During those meetings the discussions about the form of the tasks and difficulty level of tasks took place.

The Scientific task Committee thanks all the countries who sent task proposals for theoretical part of the competition.

Thanks to:

• Argentina
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Czech Republic
• People Republic of China
• Estonia
• Finland
• Germany
• India
• Islam Republic of Iran
• Mexico
• The Netherlands
• Romania
• Russian Federation
• Slovenia
• Thailand
• Turkey
• Turkmenistan
• United Kingdom
• Vietnam

Special thanks for interesting tasks to India and Belarus.

Student guides

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Our students were the guides of all the teams. Most of them were previous members of Latvian team of the IBO. All guides were volunteers. The guides of some teams, for example, the team of Thailand and that of India, were their native language speakers.

Other voluntary staff

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Except the Organizing Committee, the Scientific Task Committee and student guides many more people were involved as voluntary staff in arranging the 13^thIBO.

- 16 people from the Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, staff took part in the administration of practical tasks;

- 9 biology teachers took part in scoring the results of students in theoretical tasks;

- 4 students of informatics were involved in input the results in computers;

- 9 people (mainly family members of the Organizing Committee) helped to copy and to distribute all the tasks.

More were involved in putting up the posters, making musical events, providing traffic and solving other organization problems.

The Organizing Committee is highlighting the role of students of the University of Latvia and other universities of Latvia in providing the 13^thIBO.

Localities for the 13^thIBO

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The opening ceremony took place in the Latvian Society House in Riga. At first it was decided to organize the opening ceremony in the Hall of the University of Latvia, but it was impossible because of the NATO conference and the entrance exams.

Jury sessions took place in the cinema hall of the hotel “Daina” which was specially adapted for IBO jury sessions.

Students did their practical tasks in the labs of the Faculty of Biology and the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Latvia. They did the theoretical tasks in the auditoriums of the Riga Stradins University.

Accommodation and transport

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The hotels were reserved 1.5 years before the 13^thIBO. Jurmala is the resort and the hotels are busy during the summer time. Students lived in the hotel “Baltija” in Dzintari, but Jury members and observers where accommodated in the hotel “Daina” in Melluzi.

Transport was ensured by the traffic company “Imanta” as well as by the Jurmala School board, the University of Latvia and the Center of Curriculum Development and Examination, Republic of Latvia.

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Welcome   Invitation

Agenda   Trips

Competition [an error occurred while processing this directive]   Pratical tasks

Registration

Contacts   Organizing Committee

Supports

Results

Final Report English version of tasks Russian version of tasks

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Tuesday July 06, 2004; 14:41 Main Frame