Format

The competition is international. The number of teams from one country is not limited.

Working languages

Bulgarian and English. Simultaneous translation will be provided for the public appearances and contacts and the events of the cultural program.

Duration

6 days (4-9 August 2019)

Participants

There are three groups of participants in this Competition:
  • Teams (key players)
  • Guest-observers
  • Special guests

Teams (key players)

Each team should include 5 members (direct participants in the competition), a teaching team (team preparation) and a mentor(s) in the preparation of the team *.
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* Given the specific theme of the competition, the members of each team can be from one school or from different schools, incl. from different cities.

1. Students aged between 16 and 19 are eligible to participate in this competition, irrespective of their form and place of studying, who have a profound interest in karst and its specificity. The competition regulation requires teamwork of students with different scientific preferences and abilities combined with interest in karst and conducting research and experimentation in an attractive karst environment.
At the same time, the students from each team, on the basis of personal skills and abilities (sports, arts and creativity, ICT skills) appoint their representatives to participate in the additional individual Competition events. Participation in them is not mandatory but affects the final team ranking in the Competition.
2. The students’ team is trained and led by teachers of various subjects (Geography, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, History and any other subjects) who have a professional interest /motivation to use karst in their teaching practice. One of the teachers is selected as a team leader and will be the official representative in the competition.
3. According to the competition regulations, a mentor(s) (scientists) must also be involved in the preparation of the team. They can be scientists, researchers, young scientists and doctoral students from academic/scientific institutions; state experts on sustainable development of karst territories; experts from NGOs with professional training and activities in the field of karst. In the process of preparing the team, the mentor (s) consult the teaching staff and directly train the pupils, incl. on the field, on the subject of the competition, and provide appropriate scientific information on karst. At least one of the mentors accompanies the team during the competition and joins the team leader in the Jury of the competition.

Notes: 1. Given the interdisciplinary character of Karstology, the choice of subjects that determine the team members is free/unlimited. The guiding principle should be to find an optimal option for successful teamwork on research and practical assignments in karst terrain.
2. The formation and preparation of the teams requires to take into account the individual possibilities (creative, sporting, healthy) of the students, especially when appointing team members to participate in the individual Competition events included into the Competition program.

Guest-observers
1. Representatives of countries that do not participate with their own teams in the competition but are interested in possible participation in subsequent editions.
2. Representatives of organizations and institutions concerned with karst education.
3. Teams from 12-16 year-old pupils, who have a strong interest in karst (potential participants in subsequent editions of the competition). They must be accompanied by a teacher in the role of their supervisor/mentor. Besides observers, students will be able to participate as volunteers in organizational activities relevant to their age when conducting a competition (on a preliminary request to the organizers of the competition).

Special guests
Laureates from the Fourth Edition of the International Competition "Karst under Protection – Gift for the future generations", which will have the status of observers. Their presence at the competition will be provided through the prize pool of the competition (http://prokarstterra.bas.bg/competition/news). The competition and competition regulations do not exclude the possibility of participating in both initiatives.

Preliminary preparation

А. For the main Competition Students in the team, regardless of their preferences for different subjects and fields of study, work in a team and complement each other, develop and build their knowledge and skills for karst. In addition to the necessary minimum of theoretical knowledge of karst based on its systemic nature, they must also have/acquire basic practical skills from observation and research in a karst area under the guidance of a mentor (s).
This requires further training and extracurricular work, as the knowledge of karst offered by education systems worldwide is extremely inadequate, especially for its specificity and high degree of vulnerability to global change and human activity.
Teachers of different subject are encouraged to participate in the preparation of the teams, such as having some connection to karst.
Priority will be given to the fieldwork and the application of research methods. Particular attention should be paid to the skills to interpret the results of measurements, analyzes, observations and mapping.
For further instructions in preparing for the Competition, please check the section “Helping the participants”

B. For additional Competition events
Participants from each team are required to demonstrate on a competitive basis individual sports, artistic, or technical (ICT) skills and abilities in a karst terrain. For this purpose, the participants receive creative freedom and time is provided throughout the entire Competition program.
The additional Competition events will be held by the main schedule that participants will receive at the opening of the Competition. The Competition events are not one-time happenings, but will be divided into separate parts, placed in the competition program and tailored to the specific objects it involves.

  • The additional sports events will be held in parallel with the main scheduled tourist orientation in karst relief, including in a cave, running in a difficult terrain, rock climbing (Via Feata), trolley downhill riding, elements of alpine and penetrating techniques, etc. The evaluation criteria will be the displayed technical skills and the time achieved.
    All conditions for the safe running of the sporting competitions as well as preliminary instruction of the participants will be provided. Before joining the competition, they must also present medical records of current state of health.
  • The artistic and creative abilities of the participants will be provoked by the attractiveness of the karst territory in which the competition will be held - outdoor Art studio using freely chosen equipment and materials. The artistic works will be prepared in the free of Competition events and will be presented for evaluation to the final of the competition.
    The works are authors works and no back assistance is allowed. It is only performed during the competition - pre-prepared works will not be evaluated. But such can be used to present teams in the evenings of presentation, included in the cultural program.
  • The third individual competition aims to reveal the technical skills and knowledge of the participants with different modern information and communication technologies skills for solving problems with karst themes in different environments.
    Prepared tasks and technical tools will be used, identical for all the participants. The evaluation will take into account the execution time and the number of errors made. Additionally, originality and combinability will be assessed in ICT-based solutions in the major racing circles.

Additional Competition events held at different times and under different conditions within the general racing program will contribute to the good Competition condition and positive emotionality of all team members.