Australia Sets the Standard for Standards

In Australia’s first-ever appearance at the International Standards Olympiad, two Australian schools won medals against a fiercely competitive global field of 105 students from around the world.

The teams travelled to Seoul, Korea and did us proud, a team of three students from Methodist Ladies’ College (WA) won Gold in the High School division while the three member team from Loyola College, Watsonia (Vic) won Bronze in the Middle School division.

The students had to solve complex, real-world problems using engineering and technology standards, proving Australian youth are world-class innovators on the global stage.

With no advance knowledge of the challenge, the teams were tasked with developing a proposed standard for smart eyeglasses. Their work addressed design, camera functionality, audio performance and internet connectivity before being presented to an international judging panel.

“This is a fantastic achievement for our students,” says Standards Australia CEO, Rod Balding.

“As our inaugural teams at the International Standards Olympiad, they represented their country with distinction and demonstrated the curiosity, teamwork, critical thinking and leadership that will help shape Australia’s future. Their success highlights the depth of talent we have in this country and the importance of creating opportunities for young people to engage with STEM, innovation and global problem-solving.”

The International Standards Olympiad is a global competition that challenges students to solve real-world problems through the creative application of standards. Teams from around the world are nominated by their national Standards Development Organisation.