European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad

European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad
Name	European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad
Abbreviation	EGMO
Established	2012
Type	International mathematics competition
Participants	female secondary-school students

European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad

The European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad is an international mathematics competition for female secondary-school students that emphasizes problem solving and mathematical creativity. Founded with support from national mathematical societies and educational institutions, the event attracts delegations from countries across Europe and beyond and operates alongside other competitions and organizations in the international mathematical community. The contest is associated with teams, national delegations, and coordinating bodies that include prominent societies and conferences.

History

The contest originated after discussions among representatives of the International Mathematical Olympiad, International Zhautykov Olympiad, Balkan Mathematical Society, Nordic Mathematics Gang, Russian Mathematical Society, German Mathematical Society, Polish Mathematical Society, British Mathematical Olympiad, French Mathematical Society, Spanish Mathematical Society, Italian Mathematical Union, Hellenic Mathematical Society, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Austrian Mathematical Society, Swiss Mathematical Society, Czech Mathematical Society, Slovak Mathematical Society, Romanian Mathematical Society, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Serbian Mathematical Society, Croatian Mathematical Society, Slovenian Mathematical Society, Lithuanian Mathematical Society, Latvian Mathematical Society, Estonian Mathematical Society, Belarusian Mathematical Society, Ukrainian Mathematical Society, Turkish Mathematical Society, Israel Mathematical Union, Kazakh Academy of Sciences, Kyrgyzstan National Academy, Mongolian Mathematical Society, United States Mathematical Olympiad, Asian Pacific Mathematical Olympiad, Pan African Mathematics Olympiad, Americas Mathematics Olympiad, Canadian Mathematical Society, Math Olympiad Program, European Mathematical Society and other stakeholders in the late 2000s. Early meetings included delegates from the International Mathematical Union, European Science Foundation, UNESCO, Council of Europe, European Commission and regional ministries that support talent development. The inaugural contest was held with backing from national olympiad committees and philanthropic supporters, and subsequent editions moved among host countries such as United Kingdom, Switzerland, Romania, Georgia, Croatia, Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, Greece, France, Bulgaria, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, Netherlands, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Cyprus, Malta, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Israel and Kyrgyzstan. Organizers have collaborated with institutions such as the University of Cambridge, École Normale Supérieure, Moscow State University, University of Warsaw, University of Bologna, University of Oxford, Sorbonne University, Heidelberg University, ETH Zurich, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Charles University, Trinity College Dublin, University of Vienna, University of Zagreb, University of Bucharest, Sofia University, Istanbul Technical University and national academies.

Organization and Format

The competition is organized by a jury of problem selectors and coordinators drawn from national delegations and mathematical societies like the European Mathematical Society, Polish Mathematical Society, Royal Statistical Society, Società Italiana di Matematica Applicata e Industriale, Deutsche Mathematiker-Vereinigung, Hellenic Mathematical Society, Union of Romanian Mathematicians and Physicists, Latvian Mathematical Society and Estonian Mathematical Society. The event typically spans several days with activities coordinated by host universities and national olympiad committees such as the British Mathematical Olympiad Committee, Cambridge University Mathematical Society, Polish Mathematical Olympiad Committee, Russian Mathematical Olympiad Committee and Hungarian Olympiad Committee. The format mirrors other competitions like the International Mathematical Olympiad and Asian Pacific Mathematics Olympiad with two examination days, team leaders' meetings, and coordination sessions involving members from International Mathematical Union affiliated bodies. Logistics also involve partnerships with ministries of education, municipal authorities, national research councils, and sponsors similar to collaborations seen at events like the Clay Mathematics Institute programs and Simons Foundation initiatives.

Participation and Eligibility

Participation is by national delegation, typically composed of female students selected through national contests such as the British Mathematical Olympiad, Polish Mathematical Olympiad, Russian Mathematical Olympiad, German National Olympiad, Italian National Olympiad, French Mathematical Olympiad, Spanish Mathematical Olympiad, Hellenic Mathematical Olympiad and similar selection pipelines run by national mathematical societies. Eligibility rules align with secondary-school enrollment and age limits used by the International Mathematical Olympiad, Asian Pacific Mathematics Olympiad and Ibero-American Mathematical Olympiad, with additional national criteria set by bodies like the Mathematical Association of America, Canadian Mathematical Society, Australian Mathematics Trust, Korea Mathematics Olympiad and China Mathematical Olympiad counterparts when delegations come from those regions. Delegations are accompanied by team leaders and mentors who are often past medalists from events such as the International Mathematical Olympiad, European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad Alumni, Balkan Mathematical Olympiad and national training camps organized by universities like Moscow State University and University of Cambridge.

Problems and Scoring

Problems are chosen and proposed by jurors representing nations and institutions including the International Mathematical Union, European Mathematical Society, Russian Academy of Sciences, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, French National Centre for Scientific Research, Max Planck Society, Royal Society, National Academy of Sciences (United States), Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and others. The examination consists of challenging problems in areas historically emphasized in olympiads, with coordination and grading protocols reflecting practices used at the International Mathematical Olympiad and Asian Pacific Mathematics Olympiad. Solutions are coordinated by teams of leaders and coordinators analogous to those at the International Mathematical Olympiad where scoring rubrics and translation procedures are standardized by experienced jurors from universities such as ETH Zurich, École Polytechnique, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and Princeton University.

Awards and Recognition

Medals and honorable mentions are awarded based on score distributions using procedures similar to the International Mathematical Olympiad medal allocation, and winners often receive recognition from national bodies like the Polish Mathematical Society, Russian Mathematical Society, British Mathematical Association, American Mathematical Society, European Mathematical Society, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, National Science Foundation (United States), European Research Council and national ministries that sponsor further training. Outstanding participants have been cited in programs and awards connected to institutions such as the Clay Mathematics Institute, Simons Foundation, Fields Institute, Mathematical Sciences Research Institute, Institute for Advanced Study, Royal Society, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and national academies. Alumni often proceed to prestigious universities including University of Cambridge, Harvard University, Princeton University, Stanford University, ETH Zurich, Moscow State University, University of Oxford, Sorbonne University, University of Tokyo, University of California, Berkeley, Imperial College London and University of Toronto.

Impact and Outreach

The competition has inspired outreach programs and partnerships with organizations such as the European Mathematical Society, International Mathematical Union, UNESCO, Council of Europe, European Commission, Royal Society, Simons Foundation, Clay Mathematics Institute, Mathematical Association of America, Association for Women in Mathematics, European Women in Mathematics, Girls Who Code, STEM Learning, National Science Foundation (United States), Wellcome Trust and national ministries. It has influenced national selection procedures, mentorship initiatives, training camps, and scholarship programs affiliated with universities and research institutes like University of Cambridge, Moscow State University, ETH Zurich, École Normale Supérieure, Princeton University and Stanford University. The event contributes to networks connecting participants with mathematical conferences, summer schools, and competitions such as the International Mathematical Olympiad, Asian Pacific Mathematics Olympiad, Balkan Mathematical Olympiad, Ibero-American Mathematical Olympiad and regional olympiads, fostering long-term links with professional mathematical societies and research institutions.

Category:Mathematical competitions