Today, on September 16, the grand opening of the final stage of the 12th Open Olympiad for Students “Step to Innovations” took place at the Belarusian National Technical University. The event brought together the most talented, goal‑oriented, and science‑enthusiastic students from all over the country.
For reference: the open Olympiad for students “Step to Innovations” is an intellectual competition designed to foster students’ interest in technical fields and support their professional orientation. The Olympiad is held in two stages: a qualifying stage (in a correspondence format) and a final stage (in an in‑person format). Its main goal is to identify and develop students’ creative abilities, deepen their interest in scientific and research activities, and promote scientific knowledge.
This year, 75 representatives from all regions of the Republic of Belarus are taking part in the event. Among them are students from general education schools, gymnasiums, lyceums, and colleges, as well as the most active members of technical clubs who have demonstrated abilities in modeling, designing, and solving technical problems, and who also have a penchant for research and experimental activities. The finalists are the authors of the most well‑developed and relevant projects, participants in the republican competition of scientific and technical creativity among student youth “TechnoIntelligence” and the Union State competition of scientific and technical creativity among students “Talents of the 21st Century”.
During the grand opening, the first vice‑rector of BNTU, Andrey Safonov, addressed the participants. In his speech, on behalf of the university administration, he greeted the finalists and noted that they had already passed a rigorous selection process and rightfully found themselves among the best students in the country. The first vice‑rector also emphasized that the “Step to Innovation” Olympiad is not just a test of knowledge of formulas, but a competition for those who can see a problem and propose a non‑standard solution. Andrei Safonov wished the participants bold hypotheses, engineering thinking, good luck, and inspiration, expressing confidence that the final stage would be an important step for them into the world of science and high technologies.
The Olympiad is held in several areas covering almost all fields of modern science:
mechanical and instrument engineering. Materials in technology;
information technologies;
robotics and intelligent systems;
energy and energy saving;
engineering ecology and rational use of natural resources.
The final stage of the “Step to Innovation” Olympiad involves testing the cognitive abilities of the participants, the level of logical thinking, and the ability to creatively solve non‑standard problems. The tasks that schoolchildren will have to complete cover key engineering disciplines, including the basics of mechanisms, the laws of thermodynamics, the principles of electricity and electronics, the basics of aerodynamics, robotics, environmental issues, and modern information processing technologies.
Based on the results of the Olympiad, 3 prize‑winning places will be awarded in each category. The winners of the final stage of the Olympiad will be awarded diplomas of I, II, and III degree and memorable prizes.
The event’s programme is not limited to competitive tests. Master classes and excursions to the country’s leading technical university will also be held for the participants.
The “Step to Innovation” Olympiad has long become a good tradition for BNTU, bringing together young researchers, inventors, and future engineers. Participating in it is an opportunity to test your skills, exchange ideas, get feedback from experts, and take the first serious step towards a professional path. We are confident that for many finalists, these days will become a starting point in science and technical creativity, and the experience gained will help in further studies and the implementation of their own projects. We wish all participants good luck, inspiration, and victories!
