Analyzes Student Performance in STEM-related Global Academic Competitions; China Dominates
McLean, Va. (November 14, 2023) – Economic competitiveness is driven by scientific innovation of the nation’s top achievers. To track how well U.S. students stack up against those in other countries, the nonprofit Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) developed an annual index of STEM education preparedness.
“The CEE index gives our policymakers and educators an important tool to see how well our next generation of innovators compares to those in the rest of the world,” says Center president, Joann P. DiGennaro. “Chinese success at STEM Olympiads has correlated with the growth of the Chinese economy. This tool is critical to any analysis of how the U.S. prepares the next generation of leaders.”
Based on the combined outcomes of International Olympiads in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math, and Informatics, the index shows:
- The People’s Republic of China has dominated each of these events for the last 30 years.
- Students from the USA have continued to perform well, as evidenced by a second place ranking in 2023 and third place rankings in both 2022 and 2021.
- Japan appears in third place, with students from the Taiwan in fourth place.
- Places 5 through 10 were captured by the Republic of Korea, India, Singapore, Vietnam, Iran, and the United Kingdom.
The index also shows that the performance of European students has declined as Asian countries have risen to dominate the Olympiads over the last few decades. The size of the country seems to matter less than the preparation their students receive. For example, Romania was able to place 15th with ¼ the population of Germany, who placed 16th.
An analysis of Team USA’s performance from 1993 to the present shows a steady improvement in average ranking, from approximately 6th to 2nd or 3rd place behind China in recent years. An increasing focus on STEM education in the United States is partly responsible. In addition, increased competition in the global marketplace has driven students to distinguish themselves through excellence in academic competition.
It was a year of outperformance for a number of countries. Japan, India, Turkey and Brazil all scored their highest ranks of the past 20 years in the CEE index, with Turkey jumping up 13 places in the past year to 11th. The UK also enjoyed a large improvement, moving up 12 places from 22nd to 10th.
“In most countries, the government funds Olympiad programs, including training and other resources for teachers and students,” DiGennaro says, “but that is not the case in the U.S. China is pouring resources into these competitions, and that can be a significant advantage for China beyond the Olympiads. It is important to note that China is also investing heavily in innovation, like R&D, an effort that has declined in Europe.”
The Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) is committed to fostering excellence and leadership among high school and university students in STEM fields. CEE is host to the premier biology competition for high school students in the United States, the USA Biolympiad (USABO). Since CEE began administering the USABO, every member of USA Biolympiad Team has medaled at the International Biology Olympiad (IBO). All four members of the USA Biolympiad Team in years 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2017 were awarded gold medals at the IBO. The data shows that CEE’s involvement in the USABO has resulted in superior results in the International Olympiad relative to US competitors in other International Academic Olympiads. Since 2004, US rankings at the IBO have averaged three places better than US competitors at other Olympiads. In 2023 a USA Biolympiad Team member was named the #1 biology competitor in the world.
Methodology
Analysis was performed on data from each of the following well established International Olympiads, judged to be those most representative of STEM subjects:
- IBO – International Biology Olympiad (data from 1990-present)
- ICHO – International Chemistry Olympiad (data from 1968-present)
- IMO – International Mathematics Olympiad (data from 1959-present)
- IOI – International Olympiad in Informatics (data from 1989-present)
- IPHO – International Physics Olympiad (data from 1967-present)
The results for each individual student competing for each country for each Olympiad were tabulated. The student ranks were averaged by country in each Olympiad to create country scores. This enabled a ranking of performance of national teams in each Olympiad. The average ranking achieved by countries across Olympiads was calculated, and then those results were ranked to create the index.
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About the Center for Excellence in Education
CEE, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was founded in 1983 by the late Admiral H.G. Rickover and Joann P. DiGennaro, President of the Center. The Center’s mission is to nurture high school and university scholars to careers of excellence and leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and to encourage collaboration between and among scientific and technological leaders in the global community. CEE sponsors the Research Science Institute (RSI), USA Biolympiad (USABO), Teacher Enrichment Program (TEP), and STEM Lyceums. For more information, visit www.cee.org.
Media Contact:
Tom Flavell, (703) 448-9062 ext. 237