Some of the globe’s sharpest young minds will converge on the Sunshine Coast for an event that hasn’t been held in Australia for more than 40 years.
They will take part in the world championship mathematics competition for high school students: the International Mathematical Olympiad.
The IMO is held in a different country each year, after it initially occurred in Romania in 1959.
It attracts more than 620 students from more than 100 nations.
The 2025 edition will be held at the Sunshine Coast Convention Centre at Novotel Twin Waters, from July 10 to 20.
It will be the second time Australia has held the prestigious event, the first being in Canberra in 1988.
The Australian Maths Trust, on behalf of the Australian mathematics community, will host the 66th IMO, thanks to support from Sunshine Coast Council.
AMT CEO Nathan Ford said the brightest young minds would be at the event.
“This is huge for mathematics in this country,” he said.
“We are thrilled to be welcoming school students of Year 9 to 12 level, or equivalent, from all over the world.
“We also can’t wait to see what our own Australian team, to be announced in May 2025, can achieve on home soil.
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“The Trust is pleased that IMO 2025 will bring mathematics to the forefront next year.
“These students all work incredibly hard to perform at their best and it’s a testament to their dedication just to make it to IMO.
“Our vision, through supporting competitions such as IMO, is to build a nation of creative problem solvers, and we are excited to bring this opportunity to the world in 2025.’’
IMO 2025 is made possible by AMT’s Principal Supporter XTX Markets, the leading algorithmic trading firm, and donor to maths education globally.
The event is also supported by the Sunshine Coast Council as host region and Visit Sunshine Coast as destination partner.
Sunshine Coast mayor Rosanna Natoli said it was a prestigious event and the region would provide a warm welcome to the high school students and their support teams.
“This will be a first for the Sunshine Coast – and indeed Queensland – thanks to council support through the Major Events Sponsorship Program,”she said.
“Events like this strengthen our economy now and in the future, and they align with our Knowledge Economy, one of the high value industries important for economic growth on the Sunshine Coast.”
Mayor Natoli said the competitors and supporters would also have the opportunity to explore all the wonders of the Sunshine Coast Biosphere as part of their visit.
The community is welcome to get involved with IMO 2025, with volunteer roles available for team guides, exam invigilators and general volunteers. To find out more about volunteering and for more information on IMO 2025, and the Australian Maths Trust, visit IMO 2025.
