19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics Opens in Hanoi

On the afternoon of 26 September, the Opening Ceremony of the 19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA 2026) was held at Phenikaa University, organised by the Hanoi People’s Committee in coordination with relevant agencies and organisations.

Le Tien Chau, Member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, attended the ceremony and delivered an address. Vu Dai Thang, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee and Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, also attended and delivered welcome remarks.

Among the central government and international representatives were Hoang Minh Son, Member of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Education and Training; Professor Aniket Sule, President of the IOAA; and leaders and representatives of relevant organisations.

Representing Hanoi were Tran The Cuong, Member of the Standing Committee of the Hanoi Party Committee and Standing Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Council; Vu Thu Ha, Vice Chairwoman of the Hanoi People’s Committee; representatives of municipal departments and agencies; and nearly 500 international delegates, including scientists, educators and students.

Hanoi: A Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation

Speaking at the Opening Ceremony, Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Vu Dai Thang expressed his pleasure and honour in welcoming delegates, scientists, educators, Team Leaders and student contestants to IOAA 2026.

He noted that Hanoi is one of Vietnam’s major centres for education, training and research, home to numerous universities and research institutes as well as a strong community of intellectuals, scientists and highly skilled professionals.

Building on this foundation, Hanoi is placing science, technology and innovation at an increasingly important position in the capital’s development strategy, while actively expanding cooperation with centres of knowledge, research and innovation across the region and around the world.

As a member of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network and Global Network of Learning Cities, Hanoi seeks not only to benefit from global knowledge and creativity but also to make an increasingly active contribution to international cooperation in education, science and innovation.

With its strengths in education, research and human resources, together with a strong commitment to innovation, Hanoi is working towards becoming a competitive centre for science, technology and innovation, and an increasingly important hub connecting Vietnamese scientists, experts, research institutions and young talent with the region and the world.

“In this journey, hosting IOAA 2026 holds particular significance for Hanoi. An international science Olympiad bringing together talented students, scientists and educators from many countries gives the capital an opportunity to engage with new ideas, promote academic exchange and further inspire a passion for science among young people,” Chairman Vu Dai Thang said.

He told the contestants that their shared passion for exploring the universe and science would bring special energy and meaning to IOAA 2026. Each contestant, he noted, had undergone a rigorous process of study, training and selection to reach the Olympiad. He encouraged them to compete with confidence, integrity and determination, and to make the fullest use of their knowledge, reasoning and abilities.

He also encouraged the young participants to retain their curiosity and continue asking new questions, noting that science begins with questions and that new advances are made by young people who are determined to explore the unknown and persistent enough to seek answers.

As the host city, Hanoi has worked closely with the Ministry of Education and Training, the IOAA International Board, Phenikaa University and relevant agencies and organisations to prepare the necessary conditions for the Olympiad. Throughout IOAA 2026, the city will continue to facilitate its activities to ensure that the event is conducted safely, professionally, fairly and in accordance with IOAA regulations.

On behalf of the city’s leadership, Chairman Vu Dai Thang thanked the Government, the Ministry of Education and Training, the IOAA International Board, Phenikaa University, and all organisations and individuals involved in preparing and organising the Olympiad.

He emphasised that every international scientific event held in Hanoi contributes to the capital’s journey of development through knowledge and creativity — a city where traditional values are carried forward through a spirit of innovation and an aspiration to achieve higher standards of development.

Friendships Forged at IOAA Will Be Remembered for Years to Come

Delivering his opening remarks, IOAA President Aniket Sule welcomed delegations, scientists, educators and contestants to Hanoi, Vietnam’s thousand-year-old capital. Professor Sule noted that organising an international event of this scale requires significant effort and coordination among many organisations.

He thanked the Hanoi People’s Committee for its leadership and acknowledged the contributions of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, Phenikaa University, municipal departments and agencies, and all those involved in organising the event. He particularly recognised the work undertaken to support visa arrangements, ensure security, organise cultural visits and manage the extensive logistics behind the Olympiad.

Highlighting Phenikaa University’s contribution, Professor Sule noted that when the venue for IOAA 2026 was selected just one year ago, construction of the University’s planetarium had not yet begun. By June 2026, however, the facility had been completed and put into operation, while the Academic Committee had also completed the coding required to develop IOAA competition tasks at the venue.

At IOAA 2026, students from different continents have the opportunity to meet, exchange ideas and learn about one another’s cultures. Professor Sule observed that 20 years from now, contestants may no longer remember the specific problems they solved, but they will remember the friendships formed at IOAA.

He described the international connections created through the Olympiad as a source of hope for a more peaceful future in which nations coexist, and wished all delegates and participating teams a memorable stay in Hanoi and every success at the 19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics.

Investing in Young Talent Today Is Investing in Humanity’s Future

Speaking at the Opening Ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau highlighted that this is the first time Vietnam has hosted the IOAA, following its successful hosting of the International Mathematical Olympiad in 2007, the International Physics Olympiad in 2008 and the International Chemistry Olympiad in 2014.

On behalf of the Government of Vietnam, the Deputy Prime Minister warmly welcomed 65 teams from 64 countries and territories, comprising nearly 500 participants, including around 320 contestants — the largest IOAA to date. He said their presence reflected the vitality of international scientific cooperation and the international scientific community’s growing confidence in Vietnam.

The Deputy Prime Minister reflected that, from the earliest periods of human history, people have looked to the sky for answers about the world, the universe and themselves. Astronomy allows humanity to look across immense distances, while reminding us that despite differences in nationality, culture and language, we all live on the same planet and look up at the same sky.

In a world facing profound change, he said, science provides a common language that brings people closer through knowledge, truth and cooperation. IOAA is therefore more than a competition; it is a forum for young scientific minds to share knowledge, develop their talents and gain new experiences.

Referring to Vietnam’s message at the Space Summit held in Paris on 10 September 2026, the Deputy Prime Minister said that General Secretary and President To Lam had underscored the importance of preserving outer space for peaceful purposes, placing people and sustainable development on Earth at the centre, and ensuring equality among nations in participating in and benefiting from advances in research and technology.

“Today’s Olympiad is itself a contribution to building the foundations for that vision,” the Deputy Prime Minister said. Every space programme and every collaborative initiative begins with people — with young people who look to the sky and dare to ask questions. Investing in them today, he stressed, is an investment in the shared future of humanity.

The Deputy Prime Minister reaffirmed that Vietnam consistently regards education and training, science, technology and innovation as top national priorities and strategic choices for the country’s future. Hosting IOAA 2026 is a concrete step towards advancing these priorities while creating further opportunities for young Vietnamese people to connect and engage with the international education and scientific community.

Vietnam is also gradually strengthening its capabilities in space science, including through Earth-observation satellites and observatories in Hoa Lac and Khanh Hoa, where the Vietnamese team recently undertook observational training for the Olympiad.

After ten years of participation in the IOAA, generations of Vietnamese students have made significant progress. Vietnam won its first IOAA Gold Medal in 2018, while a Vietnamese contestant achieved the highest overall score at the Olympiad in 2019. In both 2024 and 2025, every Vietnamese contestant won a medal, including one Gold Medal in 2025.

The Deputy Prime Minister encouraged contestants to approach the Olympiad with confidence, integrity and determination and to give their very best. At the same time, he urged them to embrace the full experience of IOAA, whose lasting value also lies in the questions it inspires, the ideas shared and the friendships formed in Hanoi.

He expressed his hope that, many years from now, today’s contestants would meet again in laboratories, observatories or international scientific projects — no longer as competitors, but as colleagues exploring new frontiers and working together to address shared global challenges.

Reaffirming Vietnam’s commitment to expanding international cooperation in education, training, science, technology and innovation, the Deputy Prime Minister said Vietnam stands ready to work with countries around the world in developing high-quality human resources, including in astronomy and space science.

He thanked the IOAA International Board, the 65 participating teams from 64 countries and territories, scientists, experts and educators for their contributions to the Olympiad, while commending the Hanoi People’s Committee, the Ministry of Education and Training, Phenikaa University and all agencies and organisations involved in organising the event.

Taking place in Hanoi from 25 September to 5 October 2026, IOAA 2026 is an international educational and scientific event for secondary-school students, aimed at identifying and nurturing young talent in astronomy and astrophysics while promoting academic exchange, scientific dialogue and international cooperation. IOAA 2026 welcomes 490 international delegates, including five members of the IOAA International Board and 485 participants: 320 contestants, 124 Team Leaders, 37 Observers and four invited guests.