The application period for Brainfinity, a problem-solving competition for primary school students in years 5 through 8 organised by the Institute for Contemporary Education in partnership with Science on Stage Serbia, has begun.

Brainfinity is a unique competition in the region where teams of students solve creative and logical problems in a real-world context using all the advantages of information technologies. The competition jury comprises our most renowned teachers and experts in the field of education.
This is a unique opportunity for all students of primary school senior grades to boost and exercise their cognitive capacity, have fun and win valuable prizes. Sign up your team here!

BRAINFINITY prepares students for success in the 21st century

Last year, Brainfinity brought together great many teams from all over Serbia that enjoyed the challenges and wowed the jury with their creativity, resourcefulness and teamwork.

The aim of Brainfinity is to empower students to adopt the principles of project-oriented teaching and apply the knowledge they acquired at school in a familiar and recognizable context.

“The competition was very exciting. We checked the solutions together, and more importantly – we worked as a team”, says Iva, member of last year’s winning Brainfinity team.

Students who compete in Brainfinity use their knowledge of physics, mathematics, logic and other subjects in an informal and relaxed environment, solving the problems with the use of computers, phones, iPads and other tech devices. This form of mental challenges develops children’s exploratory spirit, critical thinking, better engagement and creativity, and key PISA skills for the 21st century.

Teacher Ivan Anić, member of the Brainfinity 2019 jury, claims this competition changes the perception of knowledge acquisition.

“In Brainfinity, children tackle real-life problems, which make mathematics functionally applicable”, he argues.

What does Brainfinity look like?

Brainfinity 2020 has two stages: Brainfinity challenge held on Saturday, 14 March, and Brainfinity finals, held on Saturday, 25 April.

The challenge requires all registered teams to solve three problems in two hours from any location, and the problems will be available in Serbian and English on the Brainfinity website’s homepage. The teams send their solutions to the jury, and the five best teams will go to the finals which will be held at the Institute for Contemporary Education in Belgrade. There, the finalists will face new logical challenges.

To participate in the competition, students just need a computer, Internet connection, creativity and enthusiasm.

You can read more about the rules of the competition HERE, and to see the last year’s Brainfinity challenge problems, visit THIS page.

This is what the last year’s Brainfinity finale looked like:

The teams that make it to the finals may earn extra points with the help of schoolmates, friends and family, through Facebook shares and likes on Instagram. Since this is a competition that encourages student creativity, teams will also get points for the most inventive name and logo.

Why is brainfinity so unique?

Problem-solving is one of the most efficient teaching methods for student development. Unlike traditional school competitions, students who compete in Brainfinity are fully committed; they solve problems without stress or fear of errors, because there is more than one correct answer. They are detectives, little explorers, travellers through time and entrepreneurs tasked with solving a specific challenge. Instead of cramming and mechanical learning, Brainfinity combines knowledge, resourcefulness and teamwork.

This competition encourages the development of multiple intelligences in children, so it is suitable for all types of learners: creative learners, logical learners, intuitive learners, analytical learners, etc. Each of them provides a unique contribution to problem solving.
Same as in the most successful education systems in the world, this competition represents a combination of learning and play. Children achieve the best possible results, release their full potential and discover abilities they didn’t even know they possessed which may be extremely important for their future education.

The best teams will get valuable prizes that will additionally motivate them to go the extra mile, whereas the teachers of the winning team will get a free annual membership for the Institute for Contemporary Education and access to the state-of-the-art educational resources that will help them make a huge step forward in their careers.

Register your team before 1 march for free!

All students in years 5 through 8 are eligible for the competition, and a team may be signed up by anyone. Each team comprises four students and a teacher who will guide them through all stages of the competition. Teams may include students of different grades, and such teams will compete in the age category of the oldest team member.

Grab this opportunity to test your abilities and skills, have fun, win valuable prizes and participate in the competition that has already caused a stir among teachers and students alike.

Register your team on time and you can watch the Brainfinity finals on our platform via live stream.