Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno successfully showcased at the International Environmental Olympiad

The team of Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno took part in the 15th International Environmental Olympiad for Universities of the CIS Countries. The event brought together 44 teams from Commonwealth states and was held in a remote format.

YKSUG team included representatives of the Faculty of Biology and Ecology: 4th-year students Ihar Matveev and Palina Kashley, 3rd-year students Nikita Galagan and Daria Krotova, and 2nd-year student Maria Tolkach. The team was supervised by Volha Kremlyova, Associate Professor of the Department of Ecology.

The first challenge of the Olympiad was the "Team Business Card," in which the students presented the features of training ecologists at YKSUG, spoke about research activities, participation in environmental projects, as well as their professional interests and achievements.

In the creative competition, participants were asked to prepare an essay on the topical theme "Electric Transport: An Environmental Solution or a New Problem?" The YKSUG team considered this issue comprehensively, analyzing both the environmental advantages of electric transport and the challenges associated with battery production, resource consumption, and disposal issues.

A particularly serious test of knowledge was the theoretical round of the Olympiad. Its tasks included a wide range of issues in modern ecology: environmental and radiation safety, environmental monitoring, the concept of sustainable development, anthropogenic factors impacting the biosphere, conservation of biological diversity, rational use of natural resources, energy security, the impact of the environment on human health, demographic processes, and urbanization. The high level of training allowed the Kupala University team to take an honorable third place in this round.

The practical round, dedicated to finding environmentally sound solutions in urban planning and the construction of residential complexes, proved to be equally interesting. Our students presented their own project, in which they proposed modern approaches to shaping a comfortable urban environment taking into account the principles of environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and rational resource use. The presented work was highly appreciated by the Olympiad experts and brought the team second place in the practical round.

The successful performance was the result of serious preparation, deep knowledge, and cohesive teamwork. Following the Olympiad, the students of Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno confirmed the high level of environmental education, the competitiveness of environmental specialist training on an international platform, and also demonstrated their creative potential, research competencies, and ability to work in a team.

We congratulate the YKSUG team and wish them further success!