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The Ultimate Guide To IESO 2025: 5 Key Facts About The International Earth Science Olympiad

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The International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) remains one of the world's most prestigious academic competitions, challenging high school students on their comprehensive knowledge of our planet. As of today, December 26, 2025, the focus is firmly on the upcoming 18th IESO, which is set to convene the brightest young minds in the geosciences from across the globe.

This annual event is far more than a simple test; it is a global movement designed to enhance Earth science learning and foster international cooperation among future scientists. From the atmosphere to the deep interior of the Earth, the Olympiad covers a vast and critical range of disciplines that are essential for addressing the planet's most pressing environmental challenges.

IESO 2025, 2024, and 2026: The Latest Host Cities and Results

The IESO operates on a cycle of international hosts, ensuring a diverse and engaging experience for all participating nations. The recent and future host cities highlight the Olympiad's commitment to global representation in the field of Earth science education.

  • The 18th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO 2025):
    • Host City: Ji'ning, China
    • Venue: Ji'ning Confucius School
    • Dates: August 7–17, 2025
    • Focus: This event marks a return to in-person competition in China, providing an important platform for cultural exchange alongside academic rigor.
  • The 17th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO 2024):
    • Host City: Peking University (PKU), China
    • Dates: August 8–16, 2024
    • Participation: The finals brought together 136 young talents from 35 countries and regions.
    • Notable Results: Team Taiwan showcased an outstanding performance, securing 3 Gold medals and 1 Silver medal.
  • Looking Ahead: IESO 2026:
    • Host City: Turin, Italy
    • Dates: August 20–27, 2026
    • Significance: The announcement of Turin, Italy, as the host for the 19th IESO confirms the event's continuous global rotation and its growing influence in Europe.

These events underscore the International Earth Science Olympiad's role as a premier global competition, attracting top-tier secondary school students interested in Geology, Meteorology, Oceanography, and Astronomy.

4 Core Disciplines Tested in the IESO Syllabus

The IESO is unique among the International Science Olympiads because it emphasizes an integrated, Earth-System approach. Instead of focusing on a single branch of science, the competition requires students to demonstrate mastery across four major, interconnected disciplines. This holistic view is crucial for understanding complex environmental issues like climate change and natural resource management.

The syllabus is designed to treat each domain—the solid Earth, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and space—as both independent fields and as components of a single, dynamic system.

The four core scientific domains covered are:

  1. Geology and Geophysics: This section focuses on the solid Earth, including plate tectonics, mineralogy, petrology, stratigraphy, and structural geology. Students must understand the Earth's internal structure and the processes that shape its surface, such as volcanism and seismology.
  2. Meteorology and Climate Science: This domain tests knowledge of the atmosphere, covering subjects like weather systems, atmospheric circulation, thermodynamics, and the fundamental principles of climatology. Understanding the global climate system and its changes is a major component.
  3. Oceanography and Hydrology: This area covers the hydrosphere, including the study of oceans, rivers, lakes, and groundwater. Key topics include ocean currents, marine ecosystems, the water cycle, and coastal processes.
  4. Terrestrial Astronomy and Environmental Science: Often considered the 'space' component, Terrestrial Astronomy deals with the Earth's relationship to the solar system and universe. Environmental Science integrates all domains, focusing on issues like pollution, renewable energy, ecological systems, and geohazards.

Success in the IESO requires a deep, interdisciplinary understanding, distinguishing it from other specialized science competitions.

The Competition Structure: From Theoretical Tests to Earth Systems Projects

The International Earth Science Olympiad is structured to test students' abilities in both individual knowledge recall and collaborative problem-solving, mirroring the real-world nature of geoscience research. The competition typically consists of several distinct phases.

Individual Competitive Components

The medal count is primarily determined by two individual examinations that assess the students' core scientific knowledge and practical skills:

  • Individual Theoretical Test (ITT): This written examination assesses the student's mastery of the comprehensive IESO syllabus, covering all four core disciplines. It requires not just rote memorization but a conceptual understanding of Earth processes.
  • Individual Practical Test (IPT): Often incorporating a Field-based Exercise or laboratory work, the IPT tests a student's ability to apply their knowledge. This can involve analyzing rock samples, interpreting geological maps, or performing calculations related to atmospheric data.

Team-Based Collaborative Components

A unique and highly valued aspect of the IESO is the emphasis on teamwork through international collaboration. Students are mixed into multinational teams to tackle complex projects, promoting communication and cross-cultural understanding.

  • Earth Systems Project (ESP): The ESP is a major component where international teams research and present a solution to a real-world Earth science problem, such as water scarcity or sustainable development. This tests their ability to synthesize information from various domains and work effectively in a diverse group.
  • International Team Field Investigation (ITFI): This component, sometimes integrated with the IPT, involves field trips to local geological or environmental sites. Students must observe, collect data, and analyze the features of the host country's geography and natural environment.

The mission of the IESO, championed by the International Geoscience Education Organisation (IGEO), is to encourage public awareness of Earth science and inspire the next generation of geoscientists and environmental researchers.

The Ultimate Guide to IESO 2025: 5 Key Facts About the International Earth Science Olympiad
international earth science olympiad
international earth science olympiad

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