YESSENOV FOUNDATION SPONSORS KAZAKHSTANS IESO TEAM
The Shakhmardan Yessenov Foundation, established by Galimzhan Yessenov, is the general sponsor of Kazakhstans team at the International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO). Recently, a corresponding agreement was signed between the organizer of the national selection, the Zhas Geolog Corporate Foundation, and the Academician Shakhmardan Yessenov Foundation.
“This year, the city of Turin, Italy, will host school students with expertise in geology and astronomy, hydrology and oceanography, meteorology, geography, and ecology. We received approximately 100 applications from high school students at Kazakhstans leading schools that offer advanced learning of these subjects, and where there are young geologists clubs whose members regularly participate in national field olympiads, shared Zhanat Ismailova, Director of the Zhas Geolog Corporate Foundation.
The extensive geographic coverage of applications includes Issyk and Taraz, Almaty and Stepnogorsk, Kostanay and Uralsk, Ust-Kamenogorsk and Aktau, Kyzylorda and Karaganda, Kokshetau and Turkestan, as well as Pavlodar, Shymkent, and other cities nationwide. In February and March, the Kazakhstani national selection of school students for the IESO team will take place offline at Nazarbayev University in Astana. Currently, the organizers are reviewing applications submitted by 9th11th grade students from all over the country.
The first round, testing in the sciences included in the Olympiad program, will take place on February 28. The second round, the finals, consisting of an interview and a practical assignment, will be held on March 1. Along with the representatives of the Zhas Geolog Corporate Foundation and the Shakhmardan Yessenov Foundation, professors from Nazarbayev University will also select the winners at both stages of the national selection.
“In addition to participating in the judging, we provide the team of school students and an adult chaperone with airfare, cover the IESO registration fee and visa fees for all members of the Kazakhstan team. We are also responsible for producing the official team uniforms and national costumes for the Olympiad’s cultural program,” said Aigerym Sultan, the Foundations Program Manager.
The outcome of the nationwide competition will be the formation of a team of four school students who achieve the highest scores across the two stages. These true experts in Earth sciences will represent Kazakhstan as the national team at the 19th IESO in Turin, which will take place from August 20 to 27, 2026.
As a reminder, the Academician Shakhmardan Yessenov Science and Education Foundation has been the general sponsor of Kazakhstans national team at the IESO since 2017. At the latest IESO held in China, our school students won 7 medals, including gold medals.
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