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New National Bebras Organiser for Bebras Australia

Dear Bebras Australia coordinator,

We're excited to announce that as of 2024, the Australian Maths Trust (AMT) will be the new National Bebras Organiser for Bebras Australia!

AMT offers diverse programs and competitions in maths, computational thinking, and STEM, including the Computational and Algorithmic Thinking (CAT) competition and the Oxford University Computing Challenge (OUCC). These programs benefit over 250,000 participants annually, including resources for teachers, students and parents, and Olympiad opportunities for high performing students.

CSIRO fully supports this transition to AMT, and we are providing sponsorship during 2024 for the delivery of the Bebras Challenge by AMT. We are confident in their capability to uphold and advance the Bebras program in Australia. We thank AMT for their commitment to continuing this educational journey.

The AMT team looks forward to connecting with all current Bebras coordinators. If you have any questions or need more details about the Bebras Challenge under AMT's custodianship, email the AMT team at competitions@amt.edu.au or visit www.amt.edu.au/bebras.

OUR BEBRAS JOURNEY

The Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge is an international initiative to promote computer science among school students of all ages. Bebras has been sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) through the Digital Careers Grant and delivered by CSIRO as the National Bebras Organiser (NBO).

CSIRO has proudly delivered the following:

  • Two challenge rounds annually, and since September 2021 reached more than 20,000 students per round.
  • Bebras 365 and Bebras Mini Challenges have offered continuous access to Bebras past challenges and created an always-accessible resource for teaching specific computational thinking skills.
  • Along with international delivery counterparts, Bebras Australia contributed to a program that reached over 3.2 million students in 59 countries in 2022.

Thanks to the Bebras Computational Thinking challenge, students have gained a stronger understanding of computational thinking. This has enhanced their skills and confidence in using these abilities in various contexts:

  • 91% reported improvement in students' ability to complete computational thinking activities.
  • 91% reported improvement in student confidence in using computational thinking.
  • 88% reported improvement in students' understanding of computational thinking.
  • 76% reported improved student ability to apply computational thinking skills to other situations.

The CSIRO team thanks you for helping develop students’ computational thinking, promoting digital career pathways, and increasing the pipeline of skilled digital professionals in Australia.

The Digital Careers funding from DISR concluded in January 2024, and CSIRO resigned as the Australian NBO for Bebras after the 2023 challenge.

WHAT’S NEXT FROM CSIRO?

CSIRO remains dedicated to putting cutting-edge science into the hands of young Australians to build a workforce with the right digital skills and capabilities needed for the future; you can explore our other exciting Education and Outreach initiatives by visiting our web page. We also invite you to join the CSIRO Education Facebook page. It's a great space where we share news on our programs, industry insights, and professional development opportunities with our vibrant educational community.

You'll occasionally receive updates and insights from CSIRO, including our Education and Outreach quarterly mailer and information about National Science Week, in line with your preferences when joining the Bebras mailing list. We believe these communications will be beneficial and informative for you. If at any time you feel that these updates are no longer relevant to your needs, you have the option to opt out when you receive them. It's all about keeping you informed in a way that suits you best.

Thank you, once again, from the CSIRO team, and good luck with your continued Bebras journey.

Yours sincerely,
The Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge Team