The development of the innovation ecosystem is impossible without introducing new technologies, improving existing ones, piloting and scaling technological solutions. But the most important thing, indeed,  is that it is not feasible without smart and creative innovators.  For this purpose, the Nur-Sultan City Akimat develops STEM direction on a permanent basis.

The fact is that the STEM approach is based on the connection of all disciplines, when pupils do not study subjects separately, but create so-called projects using theoretical knowledge. There are more than 50 STEM labs operating in the schools in the capital.

In Nur-Sultan, the first STEM Olympiad was held in 2018. In just three years, two city Olympiads and one republic Olympiad were held. At the STEM Olympiads, pupils prepared projects in 4 areas: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Then they presented their "homeworks", projects that should  improve the lives of capital’s residents in different areas, from smart houses to anti-covid applications. In such contests, the jury are experts, heads and specialists of specialized organizations. Daniyar Kurmanbayev, Chief Manager of the Innovation Ecosystem Development Center of Astana Innovations JSC told about how to heighten young innovators’ interests and explained the reasons to organize STEM Olympiads.

Daniyar, could you please tell us how the idea of the STEM Olympiad was born?

- The idea to hold an Olympiad in STEM areas appeared in 2017, when the first STEM labs in the capital's schools began to appear. There was a wish, but no one understood how and in what format to hold it. We were inspired by the American Science Olympiad, where tasks were designed in such a way that participants could maximize their practical skills based on the theory they learned at school.

Why and for whom is the STEM Olympiad held?

- First of all, the purpose is to increase interest in studying relevant disciplines, exact engineering and natural sciences. Of course, such Olympiads are also important in the development of pupils’ research potential. In addition, we encourage their interest in scientific activities through offering precious prizes. Any pupil from 5th to 11th grade who passed the selection process can participate in the Olympiad.

How many students have already participated in the Olympiads?

- For 3 years, more than 14,000 students from all over Kazakhstan have participated in the selection and the final stage of the Olympiad. In 2018, the city STEM Olympiad was attended by 100 students, in 2019 about 500 students attended the republic STEM Olympiad. In 2020, due to the epidemiological situation the other city STEM Olympiad took place with 90 participants with all precautions taken. In 2021 we plan to organize the republic Olympiad for 550 people.

How is the selection process organized, who's on the jury?

- The first stage starts with sending the Olympiad regulations to all schools in the capital, as well as to schools in other regions of the country through regional education departments. Then, the schools conduct their internal selection among those who are willing to participate. Then those who passed the selection, perform a task from the Olympiad regulations, for example, to build a "Goldberg machine" and the results of the task are posted in social networks (youtube, Instagram, etc.) The final decision is made by the jury. The jury includes experts from Astana Innovations JSC, methodologists and teachers from STEM Academia, and representatives from the Akimat’s Department of Education.

What do the winners get as a result?

- One of the goals is to encourage children to study STEM disciplines. At our Olympiads children receive 3D printers, Arduino and Lego robotics kits, Windows Mixed reality helmet, tablets, laptops and cell phones as prizes. Currently the question of providing scholarships to universities and colleges is being worked out. The best projects will have the opportunity to be piloted and implemented in one of the city districts within a joint project of the akimats of the capital’s district called "Smart District.

It is noteworthy that in 2020 Astana IT University held another annual "STEM Olympiad - Solutions for Improving COVID-19", it was attended by 44 school teams, in total about 90 students from the capital participated. The main prizes at the Olympiad were - drones with cameras, tablets with built-in training programs, smartphones, e-books and a certificate for 200,000 tenge.