Republican stage of Chemistry Olympiad held at YSU

Through the joint efforts of the Faculty of Chemistry and the Institute of Pharmacy of Yerevan State University, together with the organizing committee of the Chemistry Olympiad, the republican stage was held at YSU. A total of 96 students who had successfully advanced through the school and provincial stages competed in this stage for a place among the top achievers.

Subject-specific olympiads are designed to reveal students' levels of interest in a particular discipline and to foster their productive engagement within that field. In this context, the Republican Chemistry Olympiad serves not merely as a competitive event but also as a vital platform for evaluating scientific reasoning, analytical capabilities, and practical skills.

The republican stage was conducted in two sub-stages: theoretical and experimental. During the theoretical stage, participants solved complex problems and responded to questions that included content beyond the standard school curriculum, often requiring knowledge at the higher education level. In the experimental stage, students performed scientific experiments, conducted measurements and analyses in the university's teaching laboratories, and formulated conclusions—demonstrating not only their theoretical knowledge but also their practical competencies and responsibility in laboratory work.

The olympiad was organized into three age categories corresponding to students of grades 9, 10, and 11–12. Tasks were assigned to each category according to their level of complexity. According to Armen Galstyan, Dean of the YSU Faculty of Chemistry, the tasks are not confined to the school curriculum.

"This is not school-level chemistry. The tasks primarily assess university-level knowledge. Students are expected to have a deeper understanding, use additional resources, and demonstrate practical skills to successfully overcome this stage," he emphasized.

The final results are determined by combining the scores from both stages, with 60% derived from the theoretical stage and 40% from the experimental stage. Based on the cumulative scores, first, second, and third ranks are assigned, and students awarded these ranks receive certificates of recognition in accordance with the procedure approved by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports of the Republic of Armenia. Before the official announcement of results, participants are allowed to appeal their evaluations.

The top four performers of the olympiad are selected to represent Armenia on international platforms. Accordingly, each year, the tasks and evaluation criteria are revised to align with international standards. This year, the experimental stage also incorporated new scientific and technical components, aiming to assess students' skills in innovative ways.

Winners will be awarded certificates of appreciation and incentive prizes—including professional literature, technological devices, and other gifts—provided by partner organizations.

The assessment committee comprises both YSU staff and representatives from various research institutes.