Promoting Math Breakthrough

The Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics has just coordinated with the Vietnam Mathematical Society to organize a workshop to evaluate the training work and results of national and international math competitions for gifted students in the period 2015-2024 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam's participation in the International Mathematical Olympiad.

In 1974, when the country had not yet been completely liberated, at the initiative of a number of mathematicians, led by Professor Hoang Tuy, with the support of Prime Minister Pham Van Dong, Vietnam sent a delegation of five students to participate in the International Mathematical Olympiad for high school students in the German Democratic Republic for the first time. At that time, the delegation was led by two teachers Le Hai Chau and Phan Duc Chinh. Right in their first participation, Vietnamese students caused a big surprise with their excellent results, winning one gold medal, one silver medal and two bronze medals.

Since the first participation in the international competition, the task of establishing Vietnamese student teams to participate in the International Mathematics Olympiad has been assigned by the Government to the Ministry of Education (1974-1990) and the Ministry of Education and Training (1990-present) to take charge of the organization and implementation.

To date, Vietnam has had 289 students participate in the International Mathematics Olympiad and won 69 gold medals, 118 silver medals, 84 bronze medals, and three Certificates of Merit.

Over the past 50 years, the International Mathematics Olympiad teams have had relatively stable results, highly appreciated by friends from other countries not only for the number of medals but also for their special outstanding achievements.

Typical examples include the perfect score of 40/40 of student Le Ba Khanh Trinh in 1979; some students won international gold medals two years in a row, such as student Vu Ngoc Minh in 2001 and 2002...

2007 marked a remarkable event when Vietnam successfully organized the 48th International Mathematical Olympiad with the participation of 93 countries and territories. The organization made a good impression on the international community.

In 2024, the Vietnamese national team continued to participate in the International Mathematical Olympiad in the UK (including six students) and won two silver medals, three bronze medals, and one Certificate of Merit.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, this year's exam has a challenging structure for participating students, with two combined math problems, one at an average level and one at a difficult level.

The Vietnamese team participating in the competition made great efforts, achieved good results and were highly appreciated in the region. This result continues to affirm the right direction in the work of discovering, selecting, nurturing and training excellent students of the Ministry of Education and Training.

According to education experts, the International Mathematical Olympiad is an intellectual playground, a measure to evaluate the capacity to develop Mathematics education of a country. Former students who participated and won prizes have been and are professional scientists, with international prestige, actively contributing to the development of Mathematics. Vietnam has initially found a way to create a connection between scientists working abroad to cooperate with domestic scientists to research and train through the model of the Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics, from which it spreads throughout the country.

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Hoang Minh Son said that the education sector is proud of Vietnam's achievements in 50 years of participating in the International Mathematical Olympiad, as well as the Math learning movement in the country. The successful organization of domestic and international competitions in high schools and universities has motivated students, teachers to study and teach, promoting the study and application of Mathematics in different fields and in life. The Ministry of Education and Training always emphasizes the role of Mathematics, from high school to university and postgraduate training, and in research.

Nowadays, with the development of science and technology, Mathematics becomes more and more important. “With current technology, a good Math teacher can teach many students, not only in his school or locality but also nationwide. The contribution of a good teacher will therefore be broader. Students do not only learn from one good teacher but can learn from many good teachers, thereby having more good students. Thus, our country's Mathematics has made a breakthrough development”, Deputy Minister Hoang Minh Son assessed.

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