On September 21, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training announced Hanoi's hosting of the 19th International Astronomical and Astrophysical Olympiad in 2026 (IOAA 2026), taking place from September 25 to October 5.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hien - Director of Hanoi Department of Education and Training said that the exam is directed by Hanoi City People's Committee, in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the International IOAA Council and related units. Hanoi Department of Education and Training is the presiding agency; Phenikaa University is the main venue for organizing professional activities and conducting the exam.
IOAA 2026 is an international education - science event for high school students, contributing to discovering and nurturing young talents in the fields of astronomy and astrophysics; and expanding academic exchanges, scientific exchanges and international cooperation.
Hosting the exam is in line with the development orientation of education, science, technology, innovation and international integration. This is also an opportunity to introduce the image of Hanoi, a city for peace, safety, friendliness, rich identity and hospitality to international friends.
Mr. Hien said that in the survey from June 29 to July 4, the survey team of the International IOAA Commission inspected the facilities serving the exam and highly appreciated the conditions here, especially the Space Probe with a modern equipment system.
Vietnam is expected to participate in IOAA 2026 with 10 students. Since the first time participating in IOAA in India in 2016, the Vietnamese team has continuously achieved high results in exams in Thailand, China, Hungary, Colombia, Georgia, Poland, Brazil...
Members of the 2 Vietnamese teams are mainly students from specialized high schools. Team 1 includes 5 students from Hanoi - Amsterdam Specialized High School and Nguyen Hue Specialized High School (Hanoi). Team 2 includes 5 students from Vinh Phuc Specialized High School (Phu Tho), Lam Son Specialized High School (Thanh Hoa), High School for the Gifted of Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City and High School for Gifted Students - Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
Compared to previous years, IOAA 2026 is not only larger in scale but also uses many modern specialized equipment and infrastructure such as the Sky-Watcher BK P15075 EQ3 telescope, 16m diameter cosmic projector, Sony GTZ380 projector system, SkyExplorer software and Olympify.
After the opening ceremony, contestants must hand over phones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches and other wireless communication equipment to the head of the delegation; the management and use of equipment during the exam period shall be carried out in accordance with IOAA regulations and the guidance of the Organizing Committee.
According to the Director of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, the exam will create a movement and encourage the spirit of eagerness to learn and explore science and technology of students nationwide.
According to the plan, the opening ceremony of the exam will take place at 3:00 PM on September 26th. The competitions will be held from September 27th to October 3rd. The closing and award ceremony will take place at 3:00 PM on October 4th. The program may be adjusted when necessary due to professional requirements, weather, safety or organizational work.
